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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  22,  1900. 
when  there  are  larger  stocks  of  individual  and  trusted  varieties  than 
from  smaller  gatherings  of  greater  range.  For  cooking  purposes  this 
is  even  more  true  than  when  applied  to  dessert  Apples.  Variety  in 
the  daily  dessert  is  alwa^'S  more  or  less  welcome,  but  in  cooking  it  is 
not  so  when  the  best  for  the  particular  purpose  is  on  supply.  It  is 
quite  unnecessary  to  particularise  those  which  in  ordinary  cases  are 
out  of  season,  but  mention  might  be  made  of  a  few  that  are  still  fresh 
and  indispensable. 
Though  small,  the  old  Cockle's  Pippin  is  an  invaluable  dessert 
Apple  for  present  use;  ordinary  samples  possess  no  particular  external 
beauty,  but  its  ciispness,  clear-coloured  flesh,  and  delicate  flavour 
combine  to  make  it  a  favourite  with  those  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to 
possess  a  supply.  Mannington’s  Pearmain  is  another  good  Apple  that 
ought  to  be  freely  grown;  its  habit  makes  it  especially  suitable  for 
garden  culture  in  bush  form.  Ribston  Pearmain  is  not  often  met 
with,  but  is  a  splendid  keeper,  and  has  a  tine  appearance  as  well  as 
flavour  to  recommend  it.  Court  Pendu  Plat  is  good,  though  not  equal 
to  the  last  named  in  quality,  but  it  has  the  rare  merit  of  flowering 
after  many  others  are  over,  and  thus  escapes  the  destruction  of  its 
flowers  by  frost, 
Cobham  still  retains  its  freshnes-,  as  also  does  Newtown  Pippin. 
Claygate  Pearmaiu  has  furnished  beautiful  samples  from  Christmas 
until  now.  When  well  coloured,  this  is  au  ideal  winter  dessert  Apple, 
the  appearance,  size,  and  quality  being  all  that  can  be  desired,  as  is 
also  the  character  of  the  trees’  growth.  Sturmer  Pippin  has  been  so 
often  praised  that  more  need  not  be  given  here.  Reinette  du  Canada, 
too,  if  carefully  harvested,  is  good  lor  both  dessert  and  cooking 
purposes.  Gathered  too  soon,  however,  it  is  easily  spoilt  through 
shrivelling.  Allowed  to  hang  on  the  trees  as  long  as  it  is  safe,  the 
fruit  lasts  well  into  the  spring  months. 
In  the  matter  of  co  king  Apples,  much  depends  on  the  trees,  soil, 
and  fruit  store  whether  they  keep  satislactorily,  this  applying  even  to 
those  that  are  reputed  late.  From  old  trees  that  are  deeply  rooted 
large  fruits  do  not  keep  well;  indeed,  by  midwinter  many  become 
spotted,  a  direct  indication  of  a  short  season  of  uselulne.ss.  Young 
trees  with  their  roots  near  the  surface  produce  clean  and  better  keeping 
fruit.  Some  soils,  notably  those  with  a  cold,  clayey  subsoil,  are  not 
good  for  producing  late  Apples,  unless  the  roots  are  kept  near  the 
surface  by  periodical  lifting  or  root-pruning.  Lane’s  Princ;  Albert, 
Wellington,  Northern  Greening,  Norfolk  Beaufin,  and  Easter  Pippin 
are  good  late  cooking  Apples.  Norfolk  Stone  Pippin  is  a  regular 
bearing  variety,  and  though  not  of  high  quality,  or  large  in  size,  is 
valuable,  because  it  rarely  fails  to  bear.  There  is  no  other  that  can 
be  so  well  depended  on  in  these  gardens  to  produce  a  crop,  and  more 
often  a  heavy  than  a  light  one. 
Size  of  dessert  Apples  has  often  been  a  debatable  question,  though, 
generally  speaking,  it  yet  remains  unsettled,  for  there  are  few  who 
admit  the  necessity  of  large  Apples  for  the  purpose,  or  appreciate 
them  at  the  table.  Though  this  is  true  as  alfectiiig  the  dining-room, 
the  case  is  often  different  when  visits  are  paid  to  the  fruit  room. 
Large  Apples  or  Pears  are  commonly  chos  n  if  it  be  of  good  appear¬ 
ance,  in  preference  to  a  smaller  one.  In  this  case  there  is  freedom 
from  lormal  etiquette,  and  if  a  large  Apple  proves  too  much,  it  can  be 
thrown  aside  when  the  appetite  is  appeased  without  lurther  thought. 
Nor  is  quality  in  such  cases  so  strictly  essential — indeed,  one  with  a 
showy  complexion  is  more  tempting  than  a  really  good  quality  fruit 
unpossessed  of  skin  beauty.  I  had  ample  testimony  during  the  past 
winter  bearing  on  this  particular  subject.  ’  C.x’s,  Ribstons,  Blen¬ 
heims,  Claygates,  a  d  other  high  quality  sorts  were  passed  over  in 
the  fruit  room  for  Hcary  Morning,  which  in  appearance  is  simply 
perfection — that  is  when  it  is  in  its  best  form.  Mr.  Bunyard  considers 
the  quality  t  o  indifferent,  that  although  he  has  it  in  stock,  he  does  not 
include  it  in  his  catalogue. 
Although  quality  st  ould  be  made  the  first  essential,  1  think  I  have 
advanced  sufficient  to  show  that  high  flavour,  when  concealed  beneath 
an  unattractive  skin,  is  not  so  appreciated  as  it  should  be  ;  aud  it  is 
only  another  cate  of  the  grower  and  consumer  being  slightly  in 
conflict.  There  ate  certainly  two  classes  of  consumers — one  that  will 
prize  quality  at  all  costs  ;  the  other  is  beguiled  by  handsome  appear¬ 
ance  more  than  by  flavour.  This  is  not  only  true  of  Apples,  but  of 
nearly  all  other  fruits  as  well ;  and  the  same  principle  applies  to  other 
comestibles.  Who,  for  instance,  amcng  pui chasers  would  pick  out 
all  the  small  eggs  out  of  the  basket,  because  they  were  of  better  value 
than  ihe  larger?  and  how  often  does  one  hear  the  remark  that  the 
brow'n- shelled  are  richer  than  the  white? 
Tnere  is  no  doubt  that  colour  in  Apples  can  be  improved  by  treat¬ 
ment  of  the  trees,  bo  h  in  summer  and  winter.  The  produce  from 
trees  allowed  to  become  den  ely  crowded  can  bear  no  comparison  with 
fruits  from  brai.ches  so  disposed  that  the  sun  can  readily  reach  the 
fruit.  Summer  pruning  in  trees  sufficiently  vigorous  as  to  require  it 
makes  a  considerable  difference  to  the  matured  fiuit,  so  much  so, 
indeed,  that  in  extreme  cases  I  have  known  Apples  to  be  almost 
entirely  unrecognisable.  Ro  t-pruning  has  a  wonderful  influence  on 
the  colour  of  Apples;  big  thong-like  roots,  penetrating  deeply  into- 
the  sub-oil,  are  not  productive  of  this  desirable  feature — at  any  rale 
in  garden  trees ;  and  their  existence  certainly  adds  to  the  labour  of 
summer  and  winter  pruning  of  the  branches. — W.  S.,  Rood  Ashton. 
- - - 
Ifardy  Annuals. 
As  a  general  rule  these  require  to  be  sown  where  they  are  intended 
to  bloom.  Very  early  sowing  should  be  avoided,  for  nothing  is  gained 
by  doing  so,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a  very  indifferent  display  will  be 
the  result.  Early  in  spring  the  ground  is  cold  and  often  wet,  and 
these  conditions  combined  sometimes  destroy  vitality,  and  under  such 
circumstances  the  germination  of  the  seeds  committed  to  the  soil  is 
always  slow.  It  may  happen  that  mild  fine  weather  prevails  in 
spring ;  and  when  the  gardener  takes  advantage  of  this  to  sow  the 
various  kinds  of  hardy  annuals  early,  the  steds  of  some  come  up  in  a 
few  days,  but  others  remain  m  the  ground  a  long  time,  and  in  many 
cases  do  not  germinate  at  all.  All  seeds  require  a  certain  degree  of 
heat  to  germinate ;  below  that  point  they  will  not  do  so,  but  when 
placed  in  contact  vith  moisture  the  same  chemical  process  takes  place 
within  the  seed,  from  the  absorption  of  water,  as  if  the  seed  were 
being  transformed  into  a  plant.  When  the  chemical  elements  of  a 
seed  are  thus  changed,  without  growth  or  germination  taking  place, 
its  vitality  is  gone;  hence  the  importance  of  keeping  seeds  dry  whilst 
in  a  temperature  unsuited  to  their  germination. 
The  middle  of  April  I  have  found  to  be  a  good  time  for  sowing 
hardy  annuals.  The  temperature  of  the  ground  is  then  raised  con¬ 
siderably  by  the  sun’s  rays,  and  there  is  less  probability  of  the  soil 
being  saturated  with  moisture,  or  the  seeds  receiving  a  check  through 
snow,  frosty  weather,  or  cold  drenching  rains.  From  the  middle  of 
April  to  the  first  week  in  May  I  consider  the  most  advisable  time  of 
sowing,  and  if  possible  a  moist  period  just  succeeding  dry  w^eather 
should  be  chosen.  When  the  air  is  dry  seeds  of  all  kinds  do  not 
germinate  so  well  as  in  moist  cloudy  weather.  If  it  were  possible  to 
know  exactly  when  rain  would  fall  after  dry  weather  it  would  be  well 
to  sow  the  day  before;  for  it  is  all  the  better  to  put  in  seeds  when  the 
ground  can  be  worked  without  making  it  into  mud,  a"  such  a 
condition  is  unquestionably  prejudicial  to  the  success  of  any  kind 
of  seeds. 
New  seeds  of  all  kinds  are  preferable  to  old  for  certainty  of 
growth,  for  producing  a  stronger  plant  and  a  larger  amount  of 
flower,  and  new  seed  of  all  hardy  annuals  is  decidedly  preferable  to 
old.  It  germinates  sooner  and  with  greater  certainty;  the  plants  are 
stronger,  will  bear  more  hardships,  and  produce  finer  flowers  and  in 
greater  profusion. 
The  next  point  to  be  attended  to  in  the  cultivation  of  annuals  is 
to  have  the  soil  in  a  condition  suitable  for  the  germination  of  seeds 
and  the  healthy  development  of  the  plants.  How  often  do  we  see 
the  borders  only  dug  a  few  days  before  the  seeds  are  sown,  without 
any  attention  being  paid  to  having  the  soil  well  pulverised,  so  that  it 
will  in  the  spring  fall  like  so  much  flour  after  a  shower  of  rain? 
The  foil  where  annuils  are  intended  to  be  grown  should  be  dug 
deeply  in  the  autumi,  and  left  rather  rough,  so  that  air  and  frost 
may  readily  act  upon  it.  A  dressing  of  leaf  mould  dug  in  in  the 
autumn  is  very  beneficial.  If  the  ground  is  at  all  heavy  it  will  be 
much  improved  by  forking  it  over  on  dry  frosty  mornings.  This  may 
be  considered  troublesome,  but  it  is  only  what  all  plants  require  in 
order  to  grow’  well,  ind  annuals  are  either  worth  growing  well  or 
not  at  all. 
Just  forking  over  borders  in  front  of  shrubs,  and  sowing  annuals 
there  without  any  firther  attention,  is  one  of  the  best  means  of 
making  them  poor.  They  may  grow  and  do  well  whilst  young, 
and  their  wants  small  but  when  these  increase  the  soil  is  too  firm 
for  the  roots  to  penetnte  to  any  dep^tb,  or  if  they  do  the  ground  is 
already  occupied  by  he  roots  of  the  shrubs,  and  very  little  food 
indeed  remains  for  the  annuals.  I  have  heard  them  termed  weeds, 
which  they  undoubtedy  are  as  often  cultivated ;  but  bestow  upon 
them  the  care  necessar;  for  their  proper  development,  and  they  will 
in  their  season  be  founc  inferior  to  no  bedding  plant  receiving  double 
the  amount  of  attention  and  expenditure. 
In  sowiug  the  surfaie  should  be  well  pulverised  with  the  rake, 
and  a  little  of  the  soil  dawn  to  two  points,  so  as  to  leave  a  space  of 
the  size  required  for  the  patch,  which  should  not  be  more  than  1  foot 
or  less  than  6  inches  icross,  and  the  patches  should  not  be  closer 
together  taan  1  foot  in  my  direction.  The  seeds  are  best  sown  thinly 
in  the  centre  of  the  ptch,  and  more  thickly  round  the  edges.— 
Practice. 
.(To  be  continued.) 
