October 17, 1908. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
nf gas lime, “ Kilogrub ” or “ Alphol,” so 
tis to kill the vermin which it contains. 
Grass land is very liable to be infested with 
quite a variety of insect and other pests; 
and wirewornr, as' well as grubs and several 
rther insects, would be sure to eat the roots 
of Gooseberries and Raspberries planted in 
soil that was recently a grass field. In a 
few years, or even after the second year, if 
you rind your plants do better you could 
then plant those fruits with more hope of 
success. 
3305. Renovating Cld Apple Tree. 
I have a large old tree of Blenheim Or¬ 
ange Apple which has not fruited well this 
year. There is also much dead wood in it. 
When ought this to be cut out and how 
nuch should I cut off ? Can I do anything 
to make it bear well ? (G. Springburn, 
Cambridgeshire.) 
You can get no better time to cut out dead 
wood than the present -while the leaves are 
still on the tree. Besides thinning out dead 
w'ood, you could also thin out some of the 
shoots where there happens to be crowding 
in the tree. When cutting away dead wood 
you would, at least, cut to the base of the 
lead material, but if you can cut to the 
commencement of a healthy side shoot that 
would be the best to cut to, leaving the 
healthy shoot to form the leader. Possibly 
your tree is starving, and in that case the 
ground might be forked round about the 
tree and for some distance from the trunk. 
While this is being done, some well-decayed 
cow manure could be dug into the top spit 
of soil. A dressing of lime would also be 
in advantage if the soil is heavy. During 
(he winter and spring you could greatly 
enrich the soil by pouring liquid manure 
ipon it. 
3306. Apple Tree Not Fruiting. 
An Apple tree planted three years ago has 
only one season grown any fruit, and then 
only had six apples on it. This summer it 
has not had any on and during the hot 
weather the leaves all withered and curled 
up and never a particle of blossom ever at 
all formed. What should I do to it this 
winter? It has made very little growth. 
Could I replant it to advantage ? (A Sub, 
sckiber, Halifax.) 
It would be difficult to say exactly what 
caused the foliage of your tree to curl up 
in the way you mention. It might be in a 
situation that is greatly exposed to wind 
and so get lashed about. We think it as 
likely, however, that the tree was attacked 
by red spider or the Apple aphis. That 
point should, however, have been settled at 
the time when the leaves commenced curling 
up. Some specimens might have been sent 
us for examination. Another suggestion we 
should make is that if the tree wants re¬ 
planting now on account of the soil, it did 
not get much preparation before it was 
planted. Usually young trees are inclined 
to grow too much in good, well-prepared 
soil. This, then, is a matter for your con¬ 
sideration. If it was not trenched before 
the tree was planted, then we think it would 
be an advantage to lift the tree and trench 
the soil at least 2 ft. deep. If there are 
long straggling roots on the tree they should 
be shortened back. If the soil is fairly 
good it should not require manuring while 
it is being planted. Make the soil quite 
firm about the toots. A dressing of lime 
would be advantageous if your soil is heavy. 
If it is poor, then you must make some at¬ 
tempt to improve it by the liming we men¬ 
tion and by the addition either of well- 
decayed cow manure on the top during 
summer, or some good artificial manure put 
on the top and pointed in during the spring. 
If the ground is at all likely to get dry in 
summer a mulching of 3 in. of stable manure 
667 
about the beginning of June would be a 
great help to the tree. Watering could then 
be given on the top of this and the nutri¬ 
ment in the manure will be carried down 
to the roots. 
3307. Sulphate of Ammonia and Fruit 
Trees. 
I wrote about three years ago about Apple, 
Pear and Plum trees not bearing fruit. 
They are healthy trees and flower well, but 
the fruit does not set. As a constant reader, 
1 will be obliged for your help. I have some 
sulphate of ammonia, will this be of any 
good? If so, kindly give me seme instruc¬ 
tion how to use it. (Holyhead, Anglesey.) 
Apple, Pear and Plum trees do not, as a 
rule, fruit every year, or there may be years 
of plenty and years of scanty crops, or no 
crops at all. They vary greatly in different 
seasons and in different soils. Climate and 
exposure have a great effect upon them. 
Very often in the case of late frosts the blos¬ 
som gets destroyed; then, of course, no 
fruits can be produced. We suspect, how¬ 
ever, that your trees are liable to be in¬ 
jured by the blast when the west winds or 
south-west winds are blowing with full 
force from the Atlantic. In that case the 
remedy would be shelter, either by means of 
other trees between them and the sea, or by 
having the trees planted in a more shel¬ 
tered situation. It is possible to afford some 
shelter during the period of blooming if 
two folds of old herring net were hung over 
the trees so as to break the force of the wind 
or even keep off frost during the time they 
are in bloom. Sulphate of ammonia proves 
more valuable when applied to heavy clay 
land than to that of a chalky or sandy na¬ 
ture. It is a highly concentrated, nitro¬ 
genous manure which excites or stimulates 
vegetation. We cannot say that you would 
have any more chances, of getting fruit if 
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