498 
JOURNAL  OF  IlORTTGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  14,  1900. 
observant  cultivators,  ])a8t  and  f)r68ont,  have  practised  in  some  shape  or 
other  a  system  of  manure  watorinp^  in  preference  to  employing  pure 
water  other  than  in  emergencies.  'I’lio  manure  may  belaid  on  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  ground,  and  atisorbed  into  the  soil  with  moisture,  or  it  may 
bo  applied  directly  as  a  solution  either  of  animal  exc’rcment  or  of  some 
easily  soluble  chemical  matter,  as  snperphosjdiate  of  lime  ;  but  in 
whatever  form  the  results  are  invariably  of  a  like  nature,  vegetation 
neither  declines  nor  stagnates,  but  continues  to  make  effective  pro¬ 
gress.  It  may  bo  desirable  to  submit  a  word  of  warning  not  to  overdo 
manure  when  it  is  seen  that  water  may  be  recpiin  d  repeatedly  at 
short  intervals  of  time.  As  a  matter  of  fact  very  slight  additions  of 
manure  aro  required  to  effecit  the  purjioso  in  view,  the  simplest 
material,  suj)erphosphate,  dissolved  to  the  amount  of  1  ounce  to 
no  or  GO  gallons  of  ])uro  water,  being  anqdy  sufficient  to  jireserve 
vegetation  in  vigorous  health.  Pigeons’  manure  sown  thinly  on  the 
surface  is  next  in  value  and  usefulness  to  the  above  named,  and  of 
course  w'hero  hose  watering  is  jiractised  all  manures  must  be  applied 
directly  to  the  soil.  On  this  point  1  will  only  add  that  the  importance 
of  adding  manures  to  water  cau  bo  scarcely  overestimated. 
It  is  so  generally  recognised  that  soil  cultivation  exerts  an 
influence,  perhaps  incalculable,  on  the  conservation  of  moisture  that 
it  would  ajipinar  superfluous  to  do  more  than  allude  to  it.  There  are, 
however,  one  or  two  points  that  aro  worth  elucidating,  and  which,  as 
it  appears  to  mo,  are  to  a  great  extent  overlooked.  Wo  aro  all  agreed 
on  the  point  that  deej)  stirring — trencliing — soil  is  of  first  importance, 
and  that  the  more  perfectly  soil  can  bo  juilverised  so  much  the  more 
fertile  is  it  bound  to  bo.  Put  it  is  somctuiies  forgotten  that  those 
operations  teuu  to  looseness,  which,  uncorrectod  by  compression  while 
the  soil  is  dry,  is  a  condition  by  no  moans  to  be  commended. 
Some  years  agoj  while  inspecting  the  garden  of  an  ultra-trencher, 
we  discussed  a  long  flower  border  which  annually  trenched,  at  the 
time  in  (juestion  was  daily  watered  and  seemed  to  need  the  treatment. 
I  tried  the  penetrating  power  of  my  stick  in  the  soil,  and  it  wont 
down  to  the  bottom  with  little  beyond  a  gentle  push,  indicating  the 
suppressing  of  all  attenqits  at  firming, .  and  the  reason  for  the  unre¬ 
mitting  attention  to  watering,  Jn^ot  culture  wo  are  no  doubt  more 
advanced  in  our  practice  as  regards  soil  compression  than  in  garden 
culture,  and  the  same  remark  applies  to  fruit  tree  borders.  But  flower 
beds  and  quarters  of  vegetables  should  bo  treated  in  much  the  same 
manner,  when  it  will  bo  found  that  the  power  of  the  soil  to  conserve 
moisture  has  been  thereby  very  greatly  increased,  with  the  further 
advantage  ttiat  in  this  condition  less  water  is  required  to  moisten  it 
when  it  becomes  essential. 
The  management  of  manure  and  methods  of  application  have  also 
not  a  little  to  do  with  the  question  of  watering  and  its  necessity. 
Gardeners  are  unfortunately  largely  the  creatures  of  circumstance 
with  regard  to  the  (juality  of  the  manures  supplied  for  their  using, 
but  the  control  of  its  application  is  entirely  in  their  own  hands,  and, 
as  a  rule,  its  value  as  a  conserver  of  moisture  is  much  enhanced  when 
it  does  not  lie  for  a  long  period  in  the  ground  previous  to  the  crop 
being  put  in.  It  is  also  important  that  it  be  well  incorporated 
throughout  the  soil,  and  within  easy  reach  of  the  roots,  while  beyond 
all  that  it  should  be  well  firmed  with  the  soil.  Treated  in  the  way 
above  indicated  a  I'roperfy  manured  soil  forms  a  long  standing  reserve 
of  moisture,  which  in  many  cases  will  carry  a  crop  over  a  lengthened 
drought  without  the  necessity  of  resorting  to  the  watering  can. 
Another  distinctly  advantageous  way  of  garden  management  is  to 
plant  out  comparatively  small  stock  during  dry  weather  in  preference 
to  that  which  is  large.  Waiting  for  rain  is  no  doubt  largely  the 
reason  for  all  kinds  of  vegetables  to, be  transplanted  being  allowed  to 
remain  in  seed  bed  or  where  pricked  out  till  they  become  over-large, 
llixperience  proves  that  a  small,  healthy,  well  rooted  plant  set  out  in 
the  afternoons  of  hot  weather  periods,  and  started  with  one  application 
of  water,  will  at  once  take  hold ;  while  larger  plants  require  much 
water,  and  do  not  succeed  in  the  end  so  well  as  the  smaller,  which 
has  involved  less  labour  in  its  culture.  The  value  of  surface  hoeing 
and  of  mulchings  has  so  often  been  discussed,  that  it  is  unnecessary 
to  do  more  here  than  mention  them  as  essential. — B. 
The  Fruit  Prospects- 
Tiieric  can  scarcely  be  two  opinions  as  to  the  coming  season’® 
prospects,  at  any  rate  in  the  southern  and  western  parts  of  England. 
What  may  come  from  eastern  and  northern  counties  is  not  yet  much 
known  to  those  resident  in  the  west,  but  n(f  doubt  evidence  will  soon 
be  furnished  bearing  on  that  point.  Gooseberries,  the  earliest  of 
British  fruits  to  be  used  in  a  green  state,  are  said  to  be  everywhere 
abundant,  and  this  is  reported  from  the  largest  market,  so  that 
all  counties  are  presumably  favoured  alike.  Even  in  Gooseberries 
there  aro  exceptions,  for  in  my  own  case  there  are  many  trees  bearing 
scanty  cro])8,  while  others  are  fully  laden,  proving  that  the  same  frost 
resistance  is  not  given  to  all  alike,  and  frost,  though  not  severe* 
occurred  at  the  flowering  period.  All  were  full  of  promise  at  that 
time,  and  appeared  so  for  a  little  while  after,  but  further  examination 
showed  stationary  and  falling  berries  in  goodly  numbers.  One  of  the 
worst  olfendrrs  in  this  respect  was  Whinham’s  Industry,  and  of  this  I 
have  a  fairly  largo  number  of  trees,  some  young,  others  old,  but  all 
carrying  light  crops.  Others  are  most  satisfactory,  and  the  berries 
at  this  early  date  seem  larger  than  usual. 
Strawberries  in  the  winter,  and  until  the  flowering  period  was 
advancing,  made  a  very  indifferent  jiromise,  but  later  the  flower 
trusses  have  developed  wonderfully,  and  have  been  a  sheet  of 
blossi.m.  Even  small  late  planted  runners  are  making  a  surprising 
effort  to  fruit,  and  their  present  condition  could  not  have  been 
estimated  early  in  the  year.  In  other  gardens  I  saw  a  week 
ago  very  fine  leaf  growth  and  promise,  and  felt  disappointed  in  the 
comparisons  drawn  between  beds  here  and  those  inspected  elsewhere-. 
That  feeling,  however,  has  to  tome  exftnt  subsided,  and  give 
favourable  weather  I  arn  of  the  opinion  quite  as  good  a  Strawberry 
crop  awaits  us  as  in  previous  years. 
I’eaches  and  Apricots  outdoors  are,  and  have  been,  so  profusely 
set  that  severe  thinning  has  been  resorted  to,  and  will  need  still 
further  attention.  Apricots  in  particular  being  very  thickly  clustered. 
The  weather,  though  far  from  genial,  was  free  from  frost  during 
blossoming  time.  Ripened  wood  brought  about  by  the  tropical  sun 
of  last  summer  and  autumn,  and  the  subseriuent  heavy  rainfall,  tend 
largely  towards  this  satisfactory  prospect,  and  this  applies  to  all  other 
open  air  fruits,  many  of  which  languished  for  want  of  root  moisture 
last  year.  The  amount  of  energy  distinctly  visible  now  is  scarcely 
credible  when  reflection  is  made  on  wilted  and  suffering  tree  and 
Strawberry  growth  in  the  previous  year.  There  must  be  a  great 
power  in  the  winter’s  rain  in  restoring  impaired  vitalit}'. 
Apples  generally  are  well  fruited,  though  some  that  bore  freely 
last  season  flowered  more  thinly  this.  This  is  a  trait,  however» 
common  to  many  sorts — alternate  years  of  fruit  and  scarcity. 
Cockle’s  Pippin,  Court  Pendu  Plat,  Hoary  Morning,  and  King  of 
Pij)pina  are  instances  where  dearth  follows  plenty.  Many  others  are- 
bO  thickly  set  that  severe  thinning  must  of  necessity  arise.  Eearn’s 
Pippin,  Mannington’s  Pearmain,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Beauty  of  Bath, 
and  Erogmore  Prolific  aro  densely  crowded  with  swelling  fruits.  Pears 
aro  more  uniform — that  is,  viewed  from  their  i)re8ent  appearance. 
The  more  precocious  of  the  Plums  happened  to  meet  the  same  fate 
as  Gooseberries,  but  those  later  in  bloom  escaped  injury.  On  the  Avest 
wall  there  is  a  much  heavier  crop  than  on  that  opposite — east.  Oi> 
the  latter  aspect  the  trees  were  earlier  in  bloom  when  slight  frosts 
occurred  to  damage  them.  Washingtons  on  both  aspects  present  a 
striking  difference  in  their  crops — one  needs  severe  thinning,  the  other 
is  very  sparse  in  fruit;  the  same  difference  appearing  between  Oullins 
Golden  on  a  west  and  south  wall.  Cherries,  both  dessert  and  Morello, 
are  crowded  with  fruit  on  the  walls,  and  standard  trees  promise 
bountifully.  For  the  past  eight  years  I  have  not  seen  such  freedom 
in  outdoor  Figs  as  this  season.  Quinces  and  Medlars,  standard  Plums 
and  Damsons,  all  vie  with  each  other  in  flower  production.  Red  and 
White  Currants  will  be  plentiful,  and  in  some  gardens  Black  also;  but 
there  are  cases  where  these  are  not  so  freely  cropped.  Raspberries- 
look  well,  and  there  should  be  a  record  crop. — W.  S.,  Rood  Ashton. 
