April 29, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
347 
Pentstemons.— I have before advised leaving the planting 
of these till late in April, and this season it will be quite soon 
enough if they are not put in their flowering quarters till the 
end of the present month. They will have probably become 
thickly rooted in the pots or boxes, and a little weak stimulant 
will prove beneficial, such as farmyard manure or soot water. 
When the soil has been prepared for planting by levelling and 
raking down finely lift the plants carefully with a hand fork, 
leaving on as much soil as possible, and as each plant is placed 
in position add a little fresh fine soil round the roots to give 
it a, good start, which is a very important point in its culture, 
as any check received in a young state is most detrimental. 
The points of the shoots should be pinched out to induce them 
to break freely and make good bushy plants. The stakes for 
these should be got ready, as they will soon need supporting, 
and Hazel-sticks, not too thick, are very suitable. The dwarf, 
small-flowered variety, Newberry Gem, is an-excellent plant for 
an edging to the taller kinds, and should be treated as advised 
above, except that it requires no supporting. Seedling Pent¬ 
stemons which have been pricked out in boxes under glass 
should be given every inducement to grow away freely by 
syringing daily and airing on all favourable occasions. These 
can be planted out when they are of sufficient size on a well- 
prepared, open piece of ground, and place a few ashes round 
each if slugs abound. They will need to be well looked after 
by frequent hoeings and plenty of water in dry weather, or 
many will not flower in time to' be of any service. These, of 
course, do not produce such a fine effect when bedded as a good 
selection of the named kinds, but one. is able to select good 
colours if the best strains are grown. 
Euphorbia^. —The varieties of these which are suitable for 
border cultivation are among the most showy of spring flowers, 
but one seldom sees them in gardens at the' present time, for 
what reason it is difficult to say. They are of neat appearance 
and also valuable for growing in dry places on banks and the 
like, and when covered with heads of yellow flowers are dis¬ 
tinctly ornamental. E. polychroma is one of the best and 
makes a good-sized bush about.2 ft. high and as much through. 
This needs supporting as the heads begin to colour. E. pilosa 
and pilosa major are somewhat similar, but not so tall. E. 
Myrsinites is a prostrate variety, well suited for the rockery, 
with glaucous foliage and yellow flowers. They are all in¬ 
creased easily by cuttings. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Hardy Fruit. 
Strawberries.—The weather during the early part of the 
month was unsuitable for much hoeing to be done, and the 
frequent showers all in favour of weeds; therefore, as soon as 
a. few diy days set in, ply the flat hoe between the plants and 
endeavour to eradicate the many seedling weeds before straw- 
ing down becomes necessary, which is best carried out- e-re the 
flower-stalks are much advanced. In gardens pestered with 
slugs the winter’s frost, I fear, has not been severe enough to> 
kill many; it would be well to give a moderate dressing of 
soot before the litter is put down. Seedling alpine Strawberries 
sown under glass after a week’s gradual hardening may be 
pricked out 4 in. to G in. apart on a sheltered border, and 
lightly shaded for two or three days if found necessary, plant¬ 
ing in their permanent quarters in a. month or six weeks’ time, 
allowing a space of 12 in. from plant to plant. Keep forced 
plants in pots well supplied with -water if not convenient to set 
them out for a time, and should red spider be noticeable, dip 
the foliage in a tub of water - having soft soap and flowers of 
sulphur mixed with it. 
Disbudding. —In mv last calendar for hardy fruit, this sub¬ 
ject was but lightly touched o>n, although, as there stated, it 
is a most important point, and one that requires much judg¬ 
ment on the part of the operator as to which shoots must be 
left to furnish wood for next year’s fruit crop. As a rule, one 
shoot nearest the base of a fruiting branch is enough to leave 
with the leading point; extra long ones may have another 
shoot left mid-way, these new growths to be n the upper side 
of each branch, right and left of the trees. Some gardeners 
reserve one underneath as well, but the winter considers the 
former method secures the best-shaped tree, and not only this, 
but two growths left so close together have a tendency to over¬ 
crowding—an evil far too common in many gardens. Trees 
making strong growth may have many shoots pinched instead 
of entire removal, so long as they do not shade the fruits to 
any great extent. This will absorb part of the sap which would 
have flowed to those that are left to train in presently, causing 
robust wood, always a source of unfruitfulness. The above 
remarks apply principally to the Peach and Nectarine, while 
Apricots, Plums, and Morello Cherries would be much better 
if more freely denuded of exuberant growths. 
In the case of Apricots, much unnecessary growth appears 
and ought to be removed. The first to be dispensed with are 
those that are inclined to push outward, usually situated on 
the face of the trained branches, encouraging those that are 
placed either on the top or under side, consequently nearer the 
wall. But these latter are generally far too thickly placed : 
a space of quite 6 in. should be given between each growth left 
to form spurs, which will he required to a well-furnished tree, 
these growths to he pinched at the fourth or fifth leaf. Short, 
sturdy growths with only a few leaves formed like a rosette 
need no stopping. Again, Plums trained against a wall are 
much benefited by a partial thinning of the shoots, and thus 
prevent the crowding we so often see on these trees ; it would 
dispense with a lot of knife work at pruning time in winter. 
Advice in General. —With the advent of finer weather, or 
rather, more sun and less rain, the flat hoes will need to be 
frequently plied between all fruit quarters to destroy weeds, 
and they have made much progress during the past month, 
either pulling up any big weeds or raking the same off after 
hoeing. Do not keep protecting material over Plums, Pears 
or Cherries after it can be seen that the tiny fruits are formed, 
as all these resent anything in the way of coddling. The spray¬ 
ing of fruit trees, with the exception of Apples and Morello 
Cherries, may now be carried out, and if Peach trees in par¬ 
ticular were sprayed once a week with an approved insecticide, 
we should hear less of the depredations of insects during early 
summer; and as soon as the Cherries are set these should be 
treated similarly. Bring grafting to an end sharp now, and 
examine those done a month since, regrafting any that may 
have failed to unite, tying moss over the clay, as the sun soon 
cracks it at this late date, admits air, and thus prevents union 
of stock and scion. Press in the soil with the feet where newly 
planted trees may have been swayed to and fro with wind, and 
renew the ties, if necessary, mulching the same as soon as hot 
weather sets in, especially on light soils. The havoc that the 
Gooseberry caterpillar plays among the bushes about this date 
alone causes me to repeat the advice given a fortnight since, 
that urgent measures must be taken immediately the pest can 
be traced, skeletonising the leaves. James Matne. 
Bicton Gardens, Devonshire. 
Forwarding Asparagus in the Beds. 
It is not generally known that Asparagus may easily be for¬ 
warded by the following simple method : Select a good pro¬ 
mising bed. Open the alleys on each side 3 ft. deep and 2 ft. 
wide. Lay in from 2 ft. to 3 ft. of long fresh stable manure, 
water if dry, and tread well down to cause rapid fermentation. 
The surface of the bed should be slightly forked and covered 
with 6 in. to 9 in. of straw or other litter. Where frames and 
sashes are at. command the straw may be removed as soon as 
the young heads appear through the surface, and the frames 
placed on, otherwise the surface of the bed should be gradually 
exposed during the day to light and air, but covered at nights 
with straw or mats. D. Jefferis. 
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