18 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  4,  1900, 
WOKHfoiItheWEEK.. 
fruiting  shoots  are  wood  buds,  and  from  these  will  proceed  the  new 
growths  the  next  season.  It  may  be  necessary  to  prune  away  the  last 
season’s  fruiting  shoots  now,  though  this  ought  to  have  been  done 
immediately  the  fruit  was  gathered.  The  best  young  growth  available 
must  take  the  place  of  this,  disposing  all  not  less  than  3  inches  apart 
equally  over  the  trees.  Shoots  inconveniently  long  may  be  shortened, 
but  it  must  be  to  a  wood  bud.  A  limited  number  of  growths  that  are 
not  wanted  for  laying  in  at  full  length  may  be  shortened  to  form  spurs. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Preparing  Soil  for  Planting  Fruit  Trees.— Thorough  and  complete 
preparation  of  the  soil  should  always  precede  the  planting  of  fruit 
trees,  especially  choice  varieties.  It  is,  however,  waste  of  time  and 
space  to  plant  other  than  the  best  varieties  of  any  kind  of  fruit  tree. 
Some  of  the  best  succeed,  nevertheless,  better  than  others.  These 
must  be  noted  by  observation  or  inquiry  in  the  neighbourhood,  or 
varieties  about  which  there  are  doubts  may  be  tested  by  planting  and 
growing  a  few  before  establishing  many. 
Whether  planting  a  large  plot  or  inserting  only  a  single  tree,  deep 
working  of  the  soil  is  essential.  A  square  plot  of  ground  intended  for 
fruit  ought  to  be  prepared  in  the  following  manner : — First  divide  it 
into  two  equal  parts.  At  the  end  of  one  of  these  divisions  take  out  a 
trench  two  spits  deep,  and  2  feet  wide.  Wheel  the  soil  thus  taken  out 
to  the  same  end  of  the  corresponding  division.  The  first  spit  of  the 
next  trench  ought  also  to  be  wheeled  away.  Break  up  the  bottom  of 
the  first  trench  well,  and  add  some  decayed  manure  if  the  soil  is  very 
poor,  as  it  most  likely  will  be.  The  second  spit  of  the  second  trench 
may  then  be  turned  over  upon  it,  also  the  first  spit  of  the  third  trench. 
This  method  admits  of  the  layers  of  soil  being  retained  in  the  same 
position  as  formerly,  thus  insuring  that  the  best  soil  is  not  buried  and 
the  worst  brought  to  the  surface.  The  work  proceeds  in  this  manner 
to  the  other  end  of  the  first  division,  when  the  first  spits  of  the  next 
division  are  used  to  complete  it. 
Finally  a  finish  can  be  made  at  the  end  where  the  soil  is  placed. 
Positions  for  isolated  trees  must  be  prepared  by  excavating  a  circle 
6  to  8  feet  in  diameter.  Throw  out  the  two  spits,  break  up  the  bottom, 
and  return  the  soil.  If  planting  is  to  be  done  immediately  the  ground 
should  be  firmed  by  treading,  but  this  must  be  done  before  rain  falls, 
or  when  the  surface  is  quite  dry. 
Planting  Fruit  Trees. — Although  autumn  is  the  best  time  for 
planting,  yet  trees  will  succeed  well  if  they  are  planted  in  the  course 
of  the  following  weeks  in  dry,  mild  weather.  The  holes  for  the 
reception  of  the  roots  must  be  prepared  wide  and  shallow.  The 
trees  ought  to  have  healthy  fibrous  roots,  and  these  must  be 
preserved  from  injury  by  not  exposing  them  long  out  of  the  soil. 
If  the  trees  are  growing  in  nursery  quarters  which  are  handy  to  the 
site  for  planting  they  should  not  be  lifted  until  the  position  for  planting 
them  is  ready.  When  procured  from  a  distance  lay  the  trees  in 
moist  soil  as  soon  as  received,  and  should  the  roots  have  become  very 
dry  plunge  in  water  to  plump  up  the  tissues.  Prune  away  all 
damaged  parts.  In  planting  spread  the  roots  out  to  their  full  extent, 
the  best  plan  being  to  form  a  slight  convex  mound  of  soil  and 
distribute  the  fibres  over  it,  a  layer  at  a  time.  Sprinkle  fine  soil 
over  the  roots  from  the  stem  outwards,  so  as  to  secure  the  placing  of 
the  fibres  in  one  direction.  The  next  layer  may  then  be  spread  and 
treated  in  the  same  way,  the  uppermost  roots  being  covered  with 
4  inches  of  soil.  Stake  standard  trees  at  once  to  prevent  strong  winds 
disturbing  the  roots,  and  mulch  with  3  inches  of  littery  manure. 
Pruning  Pyramid  and  Bush  Apples  and  Pears.— If  the  main 
branches  are  sufficiently  wide  apart  so  that  there  is  no  crowding  in 
summer,  the  winter  pruning  will  resolve  itself  into  shortening  back  the 
side  shoots  to  one  or  two  of  the  lowest  buds.  Where,  however,  old 
spurs  have  extended  to  an  undue  length  it  will  be  advisable  to  gradually 
shorten  them,  or  remove  altogether  a  few  clumps  in  order  that  the 
rest  may  be  disposed  more  thinly,  and  thus  receive  in  better  measure 
the  benefits  of  light  and  air.  A  mistake  often  made  in  the  training  of 
these  forms  of  trees  is  originating  too  many  branches.  None  should 
be  nearer  together  than  a  foot,  as  the  subsequent  side  growth  duly 
shortened  each  summer  and  winter  will  occupy  much  of  the  intervening 
space. 
Pruning  Standard]  Fruit  Trees. — The  simplest  and  best  manner  of 
pruning  standard  trees  is  to  thin  out  the  branches  where  they  are  too 
thickly  placed  or  interlace  with  one  another.  A  few  years  of  neglect 
in  pruning  will  soon  produce  a  quantity  of  unnecessary  wood,  but  trees 
rightly  managed  from  a  young  state  do  not  need  much  annual  pruning 
to  maintain  them  in  good  condition.  Shortening  the  branches  is 
altogether  bad  practice,  as  it  induces  the  formation  of  more  wood, 
which  crowds  the  trees.  Removing  branches  entirely  will  not  do  so, 
provided  growths  that  may  issue  from  near  the  cut  parts  are 
promptly  rubbed  out  the  following  spring. 
Pruning  and  Training  Morello  Cherries. — The  growths  of  Morello 
Cherries  are  slender,  and  fruit  is  best  produced  on  the  wood  which 
was  made  the  previous  year.  The  young  shoots  are,  as  a  rule,  freely 
produced,  therefore  a  selection  of  the  best  must  be  made  when  pruning 
and  nailing  in  to  walls  or  tying  to  trellises.  Both  wood  buds  and 
blossom  buds  are  produced  on  the  shoots,  but  it  may  happen  that  all 
the  buds  on  a  shoot  will  be  blossom  buds  except  the  terminal  bud. 
Such  shoots  must  not  be  shortened,  as  wood  growth  beyond  the  fruit  is 
essential  to  perfect  the  latter.  As  a  rule,  however,  the  basal  buds  on 
Cucumbers. — Young  plants  coming  into  bearing  should  not  be  over¬ 
cropped,  and  they  will  be  assisted  by  removing  staminate  as  well  as 
superfluous  pistillate  flowers  as  they  appear.  Plants  in  bearing  will 
require  to  be  examined  at  least  twice  a  week,  removing  all  weakly 
and  exhausted  shoots,  reserving  as  much  of  the  young  growths  as 
there  is  room  for  them  to  expand  their  foliage,  overcrowding  tending 
greatly  to  disaster,  inasmuch  as  it  must  end  in  denuding  the  plants  of 
a  large  extent  of  foliage.  Stop  the  shoots  at  one  or  two  joints  beyond 
the  show  of  fruit,  allowing  young  plants  more  freedom,  yet  keeping 
the  trellis  evenly  covered  without  overcrowding.  The  temperature  at 
night  should  be  65“^  to  70°,  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  with  a  rise  of 
10°  or  more  from  sun  heat,  admitting  a  little  air  at  80°  if  the  external 
air  be  moderately  warm  and  soft,  but  if  cold  and  sharp  it  is  better  to 
allow  the  temperature  to  advance  a  little  higher  than  admit  too  much 
dry  cold  air,  even  when  the  suu  is  powerful.  Close  early  in  the 
afternoon,  so  as  to  utilise  the  sun  heat,  a  temperature  of  90°  to  100° 
from  that  source  being  beneficial  rather  than  otherwise. 
Root  action  will  be  encouraged  by  light  top-dressings  of  turfy  loam 
and  sweetened  horse  droppings  in  equal  parts,  sprinkling  a  little  of  a 
mixture  of  superphosphate  three  parts,  nitrate  of  potash  (powdered) 
two  parts,  and  soot  five  parts,  mixed,  over  it  occasionally.  Water  or 
liquid  manure  should  be  supplied  as  required,  but  avoid  excessive 
supplies,  and  be  moderate  in  damping  down  and  syringing  at  this 
season.  Sprinkling  the  floor  and  other  surfaces  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon  with  light  syringing  on  very  fine  days  will  be  sufficient. 
Where  winter  Cucumbers  are  not  grown,  or  the  supply  from  April 
forwards  is  obtained  from  frames,  seeds  should  now  be  sown  to  raise 
stock  for  planting  next  month,  either  in  houses  or  manure- heated  pits 
or  frames ;  the  fermenting  materials  for  the  latter  should  now  be  in 
course  of  preparation  for  making  up  the  beds.  If  no  convenience 
exists  for  raising  the  plants  a  bed  of  fermenting  materials  should  be 
made  up  forthwith,  the  seed  to  be  sown  as  soon  as  the  bed  affords  a 
suitable  temperature  of  70°  to  75°  top  heat,  and  85°  to  90°  bottom  heat. 
Plants  from  this  sowing  will  be  suitable  for  house  planting,  also  pits 
and  frames,  to  afford  a  supply  of  fruit  from  about  the  middle  of  April 
through  the  summer. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  House. — The  trees  started  last 
month  are  advanced  in  blossoming.  When  the  flowers  are  fully 
expanded  the  night  temperature  should  be  maintained  at  50°  to  55° 
iu  mild  weather  (5°  less  when  the  weather  is  severe),  55°  by  day 
as  a  maximum  in  severe  weather  by  artificial  means  when  the  sky 
is  overcast,  65°  by  day  from  sun  heat,  and  if  the  air  be  mild  a  few 
degrees  more  may  be  allowed  with  free  ventilation.  Syringing  the 
trees  must  cease  when  the  blossoms  show  colour,  but  a  genial  atmo- 
sphere  should  be  secured  by  damping  the  floor  and  border  in  the 
morning  and  early  afternoon  of  bright  days,  having  recourse  to  an 
occasional  sprinkling  of  such  surfaces  only  in  dull  weather.  Tentilate 
freely  when  the  external  conditions  are  favourable,  and  when  the  pollen 
is  ripe  choose  the  warmest  and  driest  part  of  the  day,  preferably  before 
or  within  an  hour  of  the  sun  passing  the  meridian,  for  aiding  its  dis¬ 
tribution  by  shaking  the  trees  or  trellis,  or  taking  a  camel-hair  brush 
or  feather  and  gently  applying  the  pollen  to  the  stigmas.  If  there  be 
a  deficiency  of  pollen  of  any  variety  it  may  be  taken  from  those  that 
afford  it  plentifully  and  applied  to  the  stigmas  of  the  flowers  sparsely 
furnished  with  that  essential  of  fertilisation  and  securing  of  a  good 
set  of  fruit.  The  inside  border  must  not  be  neglected  for  water,  but 
avoid  making  the  soil  sodden  by  needless  applications,  especially  of 
liquid  manure,  and  afford  sufficient  protection  to  the  outside  border 
for  the  exclusion  of  frost. 
Second  Early  House. — This  is  the  first  in  most  establishments  being 
planted  with  trees  of  Hale’s  Early,  Stirling  Castle,  Royal  George,  or 
Dymond  Peaches,  Rivers’  Early,  Lord  Napier,  Elruge,  or  Humboldt 
Nectarines  to  afford  ripe  fruit  at  the  end  of  May  or  early  in'Juue,  and 
should  now  bo  started.  Damp  the  trees  and  house  two  or  three 
times  a  day,  but  the  former  must  be  allowed  to  become  fairly  dry 
before  nightfall,  and  in  dull  weather  the  syringing  should  be  omitted, 
or  had  recourse  to  occasionally  only.  Turn  the  heat  on  in  the  morning 
so  as  to  secure  50°  through  the  day,  ventilating  at  that  temperature 
and  allowing  it  to  rise  from  sun  heat  to  65°  with  free  ventilation. 
Sufficient  fire  heat  at  night  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  40°  to  45°  will 
bring  the  trees  on  quite  fast  enough.  The  inside  borders  must  be 
brought  into  a  thoroughly  moist  state  by  repeated  waterings  if  neces¬ 
sary,  but  where  the  roof-lights  have  been  removed  water  will  not  be 
required  until  the  fruit  is  set  and  swelling  freely.  The  outside  border 
should  be  protected  with  litter,  a  covering  not  to  heat  but  to  prevent 
chill  from  snow  and  the  soil  being  frozen. 
Later  Houses. — These  should  be  put  in  order  forthwith,  and  if  any 
trees  are  swelling  their  buds  more  rapidly  than  is  desired,  a  covering 
of  mats  over  the  lights  will  prevent  the  temperature  being  raised  by 
