374 
THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 
Mat 24, 1913. 
I APPLE PROSPECTS IN THE SOUTH. | 
Though it is too soon yet to form any 
proper idea of what the aipple crop may be, 
there is always something interesting in a 
well-kept orchard at this season of the 
year when the trees are bursting into 
flower. One can take note of how the 
varieties are blooming, the time they ex¬ 
pand their flowers, and the kind of weather 
experienced. Some varieties flower much 
earlier than others, and if the weather is 
favourable during the time they are in 
flower there is usually a crop of fruit. 
In going through a large Sussex orchard 
the other day, I was struck with the way 
the trees were flowering, considering there 
were such heavy crops last year. Irish 
Peach, as usual, was the first to expand 
its flowers. I have known this variety in 
flower by April 7 ; this year it was the 
20 th before the trees were in full bloom. 
Following close on this variety was Bis¬ 
marck; though this is not an early kind 
to ripen its fruit, it is one of the first to 
flower, and if the weather is favourable at 
the time we have usually a good crop of 
fruit. The long rows of trees, with their 
highly-coloured flowers, look very promis¬ 
ing at the present time. Next we came 
to a quarter planted with Golden Spire, 
and the flowers of these were fully ex¬ 
panded on April 23 , so they were close on 
the others. Warner’s King was just burst¬ 
ing its flower buds on April 25 , while 
Beauty of Bath, which was growing close 
by, was showing well, but would not be 
in bloom for another week. This, though 
an early variety, is not one of the first to 
flower. Cox’s Orange Pippin was a few 
days later. There is a large breadth of 
Lane’s Prince Albert, from which several 
tons of fruit were gathered last year, and 
these looked wonderfully well, but the 
trees would not be in bloom for another 
week or more. There are some hundreds 
of trees of many of the leading varieties, 
most of which look promising. 
When visiting this same orchard last 
year while the fruit was being gathered, 
one could not help but admire the very 
fine samples that were grown, and which 
met with a ready sale at remunerative 
prices. It is not usual for trees to bloom 
so freely every year, unless some pains are 
taken to regulate the crop, as in favour¬ 
able seasons the trees are so loaded with 
fruit that they become exhausted, and 
therefore not capable of forming fruit buds 
for the next. Where the trees are looked 
•over after the fruit has started to swell, 
and the crop is freely thinned, this 
assists the trees wonderfully, not‘only in 
maturing their crop, but in forming flower 
buds for the following season. In the case 
of the early culinary varieties, such as 
Eckiinville, I^ord Suffield, and others with 
fruit that will cook well as soon as large 
enough for use, those taken off will far 
more than pay for the labour exi)ended on 
them. 
Spraying is another operation that 
should receive attention, for if the trees 
are thoTOUghly cleansed from all pests of 
every description, they will grow more 
rapidly and produce finer crops. From ex. 
perience it has been proved that spraying 
has wonderfully assisted the growth of these 
trees. It is far better to have a moderate 
number of well-developed flower buds than 
a large quantity of weakly, deformed ones, 
which, should the weather and other con¬ 
ditions be all that one could desire, are 
incapable of producing fine specimens. 
The aim should be to so regulate the crop 
as not to have a glut one season and none 
the next. We all know that weather con¬ 
ditions play a most important part in 
fruit production, but it is the grower’s 
place to assist nature where possible. 
Spraying has become more general of 
late, especially among those who are de¬ 
pending on their crops for a living, 
Growers, too, are beginning to realise the 
advantage of grading their fruit, and send¬ 
ing only such samples to market that are 
likely to command good prices. There is 
much more satisfaction in being able to 
realise at once than be compelled to hold 
over until a more favourable opportunity 
resents itself, which may not come, 
athering and grading are two important 
items in this business, and unless these 
receive special care and attention it is sel¬ 
dom that the best prices are obtained. 
H. C. P. 
MOSS ROSES. 
I am constrained to take up the cudgels 
on behalf of this charming section of roses, 
having noted with regret that they have, 
to a very large extent, “ gone to the wall 
during th© past decade. The more aggres¬ 
sive beauty found in the other sections, 
which constitute a large and ever-increas¬ 
ing army, is, to a large extent, responsible 
for their downfall and neglect, not for¬ 
getting that they are practicaUy ignored 
by the large societies. And yet it is diffi¬ 
cult to conceive anything more exquisite 
than a white or pink moss ross in bud form. 
It is true moss roses are rather “ miffy ” 
subjects, and in order to create and to 
maintain vigorous growth careful and con¬ 
stant care is required. I remarked a num¬ 
ber of wonderfully fine •. specimens in a 
Devonshire garden a couple oi years ago, 
and the owner assured me that enormous 
quantities of cow manure had been incor¬ 
porated with the soil during th© process 
of preparation, and, further, that it had 
been supplemented by a heavy annual dress¬ 
ing, together with a thick mulch in May. 
I gathered that the natural soil was 
greasy loam, and this seems to prove that 
a rich, highly-cultivated soil is essential to 
fine development. 
With regard to the origin of moss roses, 
there does not appear to be anything like a 
consensus of opinion, although they are 
supposed to have sported from th© old cab¬ 
bage rose, and to have been introduced 
from Holland near the end of the sixteenth 
century. The most successful growers are 
of opinion that, in pruning, a portion of 
the branches should be removed in their 
entirety after the plants pass out of flower, 
and that each and all should be cut back 
severely th© first season after planting. 
Among varieties, Blanche Moreau is a 
great beauty of spotless purity, while the 
dark green moss is very abundant. White 
Bath, too, is very fine, and, perhaps, supe¬ 
rior to the foregoing. Comte^se de 
Murinois is a magnificent variety, with 
large, flesh-pink flowers ; rosy-blush colour¬ 
ing is represented in Gloire des Mossenses ; 
and Celina, Venus, and Little Gem boast 
crimson and purplish-crimson hues. 
Walter H. Aggett. 
PERPETUAL-FLOWERING 
CARNATIONS FOR SUMMER 
BEDDING. 
It is only during the past few years 1,,, 
perpetual-deavering carnations have h e, 
used for summer bedding in the flower ‘ 
den, but the practice of planting them in 
this manner is on the increase, as they haw 
been proved to be eminently suitable for 
outdoor culture in this country. 
One advantage is they make a display oi 
bloom over a much longer period tha! 
any other type of carnation, and they t-an 
be had in flower from the time they are pui 
out until autumn frosts check their growUi. 
Now is the best time to plant out per¬ 
petual carnations for a summer display. 
The best plants for the purpose are tho^ 
struck from cuttings twelve months ago, as 
they are strong healthy plants in oin. pot, 
with a number of blossom buds ready to 
expand. This is the best type of plant ta 
use for the purpose, although specimens 
that were rooted early in the w inter can be 
planted, but these do not commente lo 
flow'er until later in the summer. Planu 
that are required for summer bedding 
be treated accordingly if they are to gire 
the best results. They may be pincln>l 
later than those grown for winter flower¬ 
ing, and should be kept cool all the win¬ 
ter, even a cold frame, provided that damp 
can be expelled, will suit them well. 
The soil must be well pre^red for 
by adding a suitable quantity of manure, 
and cultivating it deeply. Bone-meal is a 
valuable ingredient 'to incorporate with 
the soil, and it should be thoroughly mixe! 
in as cultivation proceeds. Heavy, reten¬ 
tive soil is not ideal for carnations, arl 
when this has to be dealt with, it is neces¬ 
sary to add a liberal supply of coarse saml. 
wood ashes, and old moitar nibble, so as te 
bring it to a more friable and porous con¬ 
dition. See that the plants are quite mnus: 
at the roots before being turned out of m 
pots, for if planted in a dry condition i. 
will be difficult to moisten the soil aboiu 
the roots again. Plant firnilv. 
allow a distance of fifteen . 
tween the plants, as they produce the 
effect when planted fairly dosely.^^P 
the shoots neably tied as 
and also pay attention to ^ 
i-emove dead blooms promptly. A\ater rcg- 
larly during hot, dry weather: Iiq^ 
stimulants can be given with advan - 
Plv the hoe between the plants occasiona i. 
If it is desired, a little more space ™ . 
be allowed betweeen the plants, and ^ 
ground carpeted with iresine or a _ ^ 
thera ; beds so arranged always pre 
smart, neat appearance. , 
In Wlusion. I would feoommeml ^ 
planting out of old stock plants 
flowered during the winter: any 
of ground will accommodate V 
will produce a quantity of bloon 
As regards varieties, the ; 
erood bedding plants: 
May Day, Winsor ® 
Enchantress, pink; \V hite 
white; and Mikado, 
Pentas 
soft-wooded flowering shrub, * p 
bloomed at almost any mooted, 
the young wood are quite easi y pinchi®^ 
may-^be g?own on into biuA.t 
the points once or twice to Wi** 
growth, then allowing them to 
•fKii sirifk nn«t tlicir bCS- , 
