316 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  12,  1900 
Tlie  Young  Gardeners’  Doniain. 
Bits  for  tl|e  Botliy. 
The  Foreman.  {Continued  from  ^oage  254.) 
The  first  taste  of  power,  though  it  be  but  a  foretaste  of  full 
authority  yet  to  come,  is  exhilarating  to  those  who  whilst  serving  are 
ambitions  to  command.  The  foreman’s  position,  forming,  as  it  does,  a 
connecting  link  with  that  of  the  head  gardener,  is  admirably  adapted 
to  the  purpose  of  equipping  a  young  man  to  rule  both  wisely  and  well. 
In  the  bothy  the  foreman,  as  such,  will  recognise  a  wider  field  of 
infiuence  ;  its  attendant  responsibility  he  may  possibly  overlook.  It  is 
well  for  him  to  see  this  responsibility,  and  to  accept  it,  if  he  will,  for 
it  is  not  compulsory.  He  may,  if  he  chooses,  selfishly  take  a  high  seat 
and  look  down  upon  his  young  comrades  of  the  craft,  to  the  youngest 
of  whom  the  earlier  steps  of  a  good  gardener’s  career  are  only  as  yet 
faltering  ones.  The  question  is.  Should  a  foreman  accept  this  responsi¬ 
bility  ?  Is  he  his  brother’s  keeper  ?  Some  may  answer,  “  Oh  !  there 
is  time  enough  to  show  my  authority  when  I  am  a  head  gardener.”  It 
is  an  answer  which  was  literally  given  by  one  young  man,  but  in  reality 
it  is  no  answer  at  all.  He  was  one,  it  may  be  added,  who  whilst 
enforcing  obedience  during  working  hours,  was  unable  to  command 
respect  at  any  time  by  his  utterly  indifferent  attitude  and  lack  of 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  others. 
Should  the  foreman  unsympathetically  deny  to  his  young  brother 
that  aid  it  is  his  prerogative  as  an  elder  to  give,  he  also  deprives 
himself  of  the  exercise  of  a  power  which,  in  its  moral  force,  would 
eventually  be  to  him  a  tower  of  strength.  The  great  lone  land  of 
selfishness  is  an  impoverished  country,  and  for  those  who  choose  to 
abide  in  it,  it  is  able  to  starve  out  all  that  is  good  and  noble  in  human 
nature.  Oh  !  That  each  and  every  foreman  gardener  could  grasp  the 
spirit  of  this — these  poor  words,  so  feebly  expressed  ;  and  by  his 
courteous  and  dignified  behaviour,  by  that  innate  acknowledgement 
that  he  is  from  hence  his  brother’s  keeper,  wisely,  consistently — aye, 
even  nobly,  complete  his  term  of  bothy  service  ;  and  thus  armoured, 
pass  on  and  out  into  the  great  battle  of  life  beyond.  Never  has  been, 
nor  ever  will  be,  the  force  of  example  so  powerful  a  lever,  or  so  easily 
applied  as  it  is  now,  for  at  this  period  of  life  the  footsteps  of  those 
immediately  in  front  create  the  deepest  impressions,  and  are  the  most 
readily  followed  by  young  travellers  in  the  rear. 
In  some  cases  the  initial  stages  of  the  foremanship  are  beset  with 
little  stmnblingblocks,  trifles  truly,  but  sufficient  to  cause  small  side 
slips  it  is  as  well  to  avoid.  These  more  often  occur  where  the  position 
is  filled  from  the  ranks  in  the  same  bothy,  and  familiarity  with  the 
journeymen  has  merged  into  a  little  contempt  for  him  as  a  foreman. 
In  common  justice,  however,  to  the  bothy,  it  must  be  said  this  feeling  is 
oftener  displayed  by  the  outside  department  than  from  the  inside  ;  this, 
too,  from  old  hands  cynically  disposed  towards  one  whom  they  now 
regard  as  being  “dressed  in  a  little  brief  authority.”  Why  men  who 
are,  to  say  the  least,  old  enough  to  know  better  should,  by  presuming  on 
long  service,  and  perhaps  a  too  delicate  forbearance  on  the  young  man’s 
part,  try  to  make  things  as  unpleasant  as  possible  for  him,  is  not  easy  to 
say,  but  is,  unfortunately,  a  fact  not  so  uncommon  as  might  be  supposed. 
That  young  men,  themselves,  are  not  always  blameless  in  the  matter 
goes  without  saying,  otherwise  it  would  be  superfluous  to  broach  the 
matter  here.  Some  feel  too  acutely  the  dignified  burden  of  the 
foremanship  which  is  placed  on  their  comparatively  youthful  shoulders, 
and  carry  it  very  ungracefully  in  their  anxiety  to  display  an  authority, 
which  may,  indeed,  be  very  limited,  on  every  possible  occasion.  This 
is  a  mistake.  One  can  esteem  the  aspirant  who  rises  to  the  dignity  of 
his  office,  but  should  he  take  a  step  beyond  and  pose  for  what  he  is  not, 
then  good  taste  and  common  sense  being  conspicuous  by  their  absence, 
a  good  deal  of  unnecessary  and  unpleasant  friction  ensues. 
As  no  man  is  deemed  to  be  a  prophet  in  his  own  country,  so  the 
foreman  may,  still,  never  be  recognised  or  obtain  his  proper  status  until 
a  change  is  made  to  fresh  fields  and  pastures  new.  However  that  may 
be,  it  is  a  critical  period  of  a  young  gardener’s  life,  and  there  is  no 
reason  why  he  should  show  undue  haste  to  take  up  his  full  commission, 
the  doing  of  which  might  be  more  or  less  inimical  to  his  prospects. 
From  being  a  foreman  in  one  situation,  and  again  taking  the  same  post 
in  another,  possibly  a  larger  garden,  many’’  advantages  are  obtained. 
Here,  in  all  probability,  his  duties  will  be  extended,  his  knowledge 
increased,  and  new  social  connections  formed,  as  well  as  an  unqualified 
recognition  accorded  to  his  position.  He  will  find  here  a  new,  fresh 
chapter  to  the  closing  volume  of  bothy  life,  every  page  of  which  is  of 
the  greatest  importance.  The  advisability  of  prolonging  this  stage 
rather  than  curtailing  it  will  be  obvious  to  a  man  of  sense,  and  sooner 
or  later  the  opportunity  will  arrive  for  leaving  the  bothy  for  good  and 
all.  As  a  rule  the  best  opportunities  seem  to  cdtne  later — when  a  man 
has,  as  far  as  possible  under  the  circumstances,  proved  his  capability 
and  general  worthiness.  Most  young  men  cannot  at  this  period  regard 
life  other  than  from  its  more  serious  side,  nor  afford  to  despise  any 
hints  or  helps,  however  small,  as  aids  to  an  end,  hence  a  little  further 
consideration  of  matters  which  are  so  important  may  not  be  deemed 
irrelevant  by  them  from — The  Old  Brigadier, 
(To  be  concluded.) 
el 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
Protecting  Wall  Trees. — From  the  time  the  blossoms  expand  to 
when  the  fruit  has  attained  a  fair  size  protection  ought  to  be  afforded 
choice  wall  fruit.  The  protection,  however,  must  not  be  overdone,  or 
the  trees  will  be  weakened  and  the  young  fruit  will  fall.  Unless  the 
protecting  material  of  a  close  and  heavy  character  is  drawn  from  the 
trees  during  the  prevalence  of  favourable  weather,  the  probability  is 
that  more  harm  than  good  will  result  from  its  use.  Stormy  wet  weather 
and  keen  frosts  injure  the  essential  orgrans  of  the  flowers  and  prevent 
fruit  setting.  Apricots,  Peaches,  and  Nectarines  require  attention  first, 
and  if  movable  material  is  utilised  the  arrangements  should  be  carried 
out  in  good  time.  In  some  cases  a  double  or  treble  thickness  of  fish 
netting  is  found  to  be  siiffioient  in  warding  off  frosts.  If  this  is  used 
it  may  remain  as  a  permanency  during  the  time  protection  is  necessary, 
because  it  neither  excludes  light  nor  air. 
Apples  and  Pears  frequently  bloom  when  the  weather  is  unsettled, 
but  only  the  blossoms  of  small  restricted  trees  in  the  open  and  wall 
trees  can  be  dealt  with.  Protection  is  most  needed  when  the  blooms 
are  fully  expanded  and  the  anthers  are  ripe  for  distributing  their 
pollen.  After  that  it  may  be  dispensed  with,  as  the  young  embryo 
fruit  is  not  so  tender  as  that  of  stone  fruits. 
Light  poles  may  be  erected  over  pyramid  and  espalier  trees,  tying 
them  together  at  the  top  and  fixing  at  such  an  an-rle  as  will  keep  the 
material  used  for  protection  clear  of  the  trees.  It  will  then  be  an  easy 
matter  to  stretch  tiffany  or  scrim  canvas  over  on  cold  frosty  nights, 
removing  it  in  the  daytime.  Walls  afford  some  protection  as  a  rule  to 
the  blossoms  of  trees  growing  against  them,  but  unless  situated  close 
to  the  wall  surface  they  are  not  absolutely  safe,  those  projecting  at  a 
distance  being  liable  to  injury.  A  simple  means  of  protection  is  that 
of  laying  poles  against  the  wall  and  stretching  material  over  them. 
Strawberries.— -Piantingr. — There  is  still  time  to  plant  Strawberries 
if  stock  is  available  from  nursery  beds,  or  even  as  small  plants 
brought  in  without  any  soil  attached  to  their  roots.  1  n  the  latter  case 
spread  out  the  fibres,  covering  carefully  with  fine  soil  and  making 
firm.  Afterwards  afford  a  liberal  soaking  of  water.  Both  these  and 
stronger  plants  inserted  this  spring  must  'have  the  blooms  picked  out 
as  they  show.  Also  cut  off  runners  and  hoe  frequently  between  the 
rows. 
Treatment  of  Fruiting  Straicherries.  —  Hoe  down  weeds  between 
the  rows,  afterwards  laying  a  mulching  of  strawy  manure  which, 
however,  should  contain  some  short  material.  The  latter  will  furnish 
nutriment  for  the  roots  when  washed  by  rain,  while  the  long, 
strawy,  undecomposed  parts  will  provide  a  clean  bed  for  the  ripe  fruit. 
Soot  scattered  round  the  crowns,  but  not  among  them,  proves  highly 
beneficial  in  banishing  slugs  and  other  insects.  Before  applying  the 
mulching  fork  in  3  ozs.  of  superphosphate  to  the  square  yard.  This  is 
admirable  for  inciting  root  action.  To  have  an  immediate  effect  upon 
growth  apply  nitrate  of  soda  I  oz.  to  the  square  yard.  Also  give 
liquid  manure  occasionally,  and  more  freely  after  fruit  has  set. 
Young  Strawberry  Plantations. — The  removal  of  the  flower  trusses 
from  all  but  early  autumn  inserted  plants  should  be  practised.  A 
heavy  mulching  of  rich  manure  ought  not  to  be  applied  to  young  and 
vigorous  Strawberries  growing  in  good  soil  the  first  year,  as  it  will  be 
likely  to  cause  superabundant  leafage.  For  the  present  frequently 
hoeing  the  surface  soil  between  the  plants  will  induce  a  steady  growth. 
When  the  hot  weather  arrives  a  light  mulching  of  flaky  manure  may  ha 
given,  which  will  tend  to  keep  the  soil  moist. 
Planting  Outdoor  Figs. — Well  drained  soil  of  a  calcareous  character 
must  be  provided  for  Figs,  and  the  position  for  planting  ought  to  be  a 
warm  and  sheltered  wall.  The  border  need  not  be  more  than  6  feet  in 
width  for  a  high  wall.  Make  the  soil  very  firm  before  planting,  which 
may  be  carried  out  now. 
Pruning  and  Training. — Maiden  trees,  which  are  the  best  to  plant, 
should  be  shortened  to  15  inches.  When  growths  push  select  two  of 
the  best  and  encourage  them  to  grow  strongly,  and  as  far  as  possible 
equal  in  vigour.  The  following  season  shorten  each  shoot  back  half 
its  length,  and  allow  two  strong  breaks  from  each  to  form  main  branches. 
From  these  the  fruiting  shoots  may  extend,  chiefly  from  the  upper 
sides  of  the  branches,  and  must  be  left  at  full  length  for  fruiting, 
Eich  year,  however,  some  may  be  shortened  closely  back,  while  others 
are  left  at  full  length  to  be  in  their  turn  pruned  back.  By  this  method 
shoots  are  produced  one  year  to  be  fruited  the  next. 
Disbudding. — Young  fruit  trees’  which  start  vigorously  into  growth 
usually  push  more  growths  than  it  is  desirable  should  extend.  Dis¬ 
budding  or  rubbing  off  young  shoots  when  quite  small  offers  a  ready 
means  of  regulating  the  position  of  shoots  for  forming  a  shapely  tree. 
The  operation  may  be  commenced  as  soon  as  the  buds  burst,  first 
