January  28,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
81 
of  May,  are  the  most  suitable  times  for  stopping  Carnations,  certainly 
not  later  than  June. 
As  the  pots  fill  with  roots  give  another  small  shift  into  4-inch  pots, 
water  carefully,  and  give  all  the  air  possible,  removing  the  lights 
altogether  on  fine  days.  If  all  has  gone  well,  by  the  end  of  June  the 
plants  will  be  ready  for  their  final  shift  into  7  or  8-inch  pots.  This 
time  pot  very  firmly,  using  a  compost  of  turfy  loam,  rough  fibry  peat, 
and  leaf  soil  or  spent  Mushroom  bed  refuse,  in  about  equal  parts,  with 
the  addition  of  a  few  handfuls  of  bonemeal  and  charcoal,  also  plenty  of 
sand.  Some  growers  prefer  to  flower  their  Carnations  in  5-inch  pots,  in 
which  case  the  potting  into  4-inch  pots  may  be  dispensed  with.  The 
plants  should  have  plenty  of  room,  and  be  dewed  over  several  times  a 
day  with  the  syringe  during  sultry  weather,  carefully  shading  with 
tiffany  during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day.  Have  the  lights  close  at 
hand  so  as  to  be  easily  put  on  should  heavy  rains  occur.  Neatly  stake 
with  green-painted  stakes,  and  on  the  advent  of  frost  remove  the  plants 
inside,  a  low  span-roofed  structure  being,  perhaps,  the  most  suitable,  but 
avoid  fire  heating  until  absolutely  necessary. 
Beyond  tying  and  disbudding  little  more  will  be  required  except 
careful  watering  and  airing  of  the  houses  ;  50°  to  55°  by  night,  and  55°  to 
60°  by  day,  with  a  rise  of  5°  with  sun  heat  will  be  found  a  suitable 
temperature  in  which  to  flower  the  plants.  The  application  of  weak 
soot  water  once  a  week  during  the  flowering  season  will  materially  assist 
the  blooms  both  in  size  and  colour.  The  following  is  a  short  list  of 
some  of  the  varieties  grown  at  Luton  Hoo : — Mrs.  L.  de  Rothschild, 
Mdme.  Thdr&sa  Franco,  Miss  Jolliffe  (improved),  Winter  Cheer,  Vulcan, 
Lucifer,  La  Neige,  Miss  Mary  Godfrey,  Jean  Cresp,  Countess  of  Monaca. 
The  two  last  named  are  French  Tarieties,  and  are  not  generally  known. 
— Youngster. 
BURCHELLIA  CAPENSIS. 
This  is  a  beautiful  old-fashioned  plant,  and  was  very  popular  many 
years  ago,  but  it  is  seldom  seen  in  modern  gardens.  It  is  a  native  of 
South  Africa,  and  can  be  grown  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse,  but  is  much 
more  satisfactory  in  an  intermediate  temperature,  such  as  in  a  warm 
PIG.  22. — BURCHELLIA  CAPENSIS. 
conservatory  or  the  cool  end  of  a  stove,  as  it  grows  more  freely  and 
flowers  more  abundantly  than  in  a  cool  house.  The  flowers  (fig.  22)  are 
produced  in  clusters,  and  are  of  brilliant  scarlet  colour.  A  compost  of 
light  turfy  loam  and  peat  suits  the  plant  well,  and  whilst  growing 
frequent  syringing  is  beneficial.  Under  ordinary  treatment  Burchellia 
capensis  blooms  in  spring,  when  its  bright  flowers  and  fresh  green 
foliage  have  a  most  pleasing  appearance. — D. 
WKKJO^WEEK- 
iff 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Apricots. — Among  the  various  kinds  of  wall  fruits  Apricots  are  the 
first  to  bloom.  The  trees  being  very  hardy  are  easily  excited  into 
blooming,  especially  when  growing  on  warm,  favourable  aspects.  They 
need  pruning  early,  so  that  the  handling  of  the  trees  may  be  completed 
before  advance  is  made  to  the  blooming  period. 
Apricot  trees  are  subject  to  the  sudden  dying  off  of  branches,  hence 
it  is  necessary  to  frequently  unfasten  the  trees  from  the  wall,  remove 
useless  material,  and  entirely  re-arrange.  Fruit  is  produced  both  on 
spurs  and  annual  wood.  Many  of  the  Bpurs  on  Apricot  trees  originate 
naturally.  These  should  be  preserved  if  situated  in  favourable 
positions  and  at  reasonable  distances  asunder.  Artificially  formed  spurs 
are  produced  by  shortening  shoots  which  cannot  be  laid  in  for  fruiting, 
or  which,  if  retained,  would  cause  crowding.  Obviously  all  superfluous 
shoots  cannot  be  utilised  for  spur  formation.  Ill  placed,  weak,  unripe 
examples  are  not  suitable.  Growths  of  this  description  cut  out. 
Encourage  and  preserve  clean  mature  growths  of  moderate  strength. 
Pruning. — The  natural  spurn  need  no  attention  whatever.  Growths 
issuing  from  the  artificial  spurs  may  be  shortened  closely.  Select  the 
best  of  the  mature  annual  shoots  for  retaining,  shortening  them  back  to 
points  where  the  wood  is  ripe,  and  a  wood  bud  present.  Wood  buds  are 
distinguished  from  fruit  buds  by  their  long  pointed  character.  They  are 
usually  situated  between  two  bloom  or  fruit  buds,  the  whole  being 
known  as  triple  buds.  Some  shoots  have  only  single  buds,  which  may 
be  wood  or  bloom  buds.  As  a  rule  such  shoots  are  unripe  or  lack  vigour. 
Considering  this,  it  is  desirable  not  to  employ  them  too  freely. 
Use  a  sharp  knife  in  pruning.  The  face  of  the  cuts  should  be  away 
from  the  buds.  This  will  direct  moisture  away  from  them  and  prevent 
possibility  of  decay.  When  re-arranging  the  trees  dispose  the  principal 
branches  equally  over  the  available  space.  Lay  in  the  secondary 
branches  between,  and,  lastly,  the  young  growths,  those  being  preferred 
which  spring  from  the  upper  sides  of  branches.  ' 
Peaches  and  Nectarines.  —  '£he  treatment  of  these  fruits  is 
similar  to  Apricots.  There  is,  however,  one  important  difference  in  the 
general  management.  Young  wood  is,  as  a  rule,  selected,  and  laid  in 
more  largely  for  producing  the  fruit.  Moreover,  Peaches  and  Nectarines 
do  not  form  natural  spurs  nearly  so  readily  as  Apricots.  Artificial  spurs 
require  time  for  their  formation,  but  young,  well-ripened  annual  wood 
bears  the  following  year.  Thus  the  pruning  and  training  is  rendered 
simple,  and  the  loss  of  branches  from  any  cause  can  speedily  be  made 
good. 
Pruning. — None  but  thoroughly  clean  and  healthy  branches  should 
be  allowed  to  remain.  Cut  out  partially  diseased  or  gummed  portions 
below  the  affected  parts.  Exhausted  branches  remove  entirely.  Shoots 
that  have  borne  the  previous  crop  ought  to  be  cut  out  in  autumn.  If 
still  remaining  remove  now  close  to  the  base  of  the  reserved  shoot. 
Weak  and  immature  wood  is  better  dispensed  with  entirely. 
The  selection  of  the  young  growths  for  fruiting  is  the  same  as  for 
Apricots.  Apportion  the  ripest  and  best  situated  for  training  in.  Shoots 
requiring  shortening  ought  to  be  pruned  to  where  the  triple  buds  are 
situated.  Comparatively  short,  mature  growths  may  be  left  full  length, 
provided  the  terminal  bud  is  a  wood  bud.  Shoots  having  unripe 
extremities  need  this  portion  removing,  and  any  too  long  for  the  position 
assigned  them  in  training  must  be  shortened  accordingly. 
Cleansing-  Treatment. — The  importance  of  commencing  growth 
with  clean  trees  cannot  be  over-estimated.  Stone  fruit  trees  are  subject 
to  attacks  from  green  and  black  fly.  They  attack  the  trees  early  in 
summer,  infesting  the  tips  of  young  shoots.  Later  in  the  season  red 
spider  frequently  proves  troublesome  to  the  principal  leaves,  chiefly 
appearing  on  trees  in  hot  aspects  during  dry  weather.  Much  may  be 
done  at  this  season  to  prevent  these  pests  infesting  the  trees  if  pre¬ 
cautions  are  taken  to  dress  the  stems,  branches,  and  shoots  with  some 
effective  insecticide  which  will  cleanse  the  bark.  Sulphur  is  an 
excellent  antidote  to  red  spider.  A  simple  mixture  of  it  with  softsoap 
and  water  affords  a  dressing  inimical  to  the  pest,  also  to  any  other  which 
may  be  lurking  in  angles  and  crevices  or  clustered  round  the  buds.  The 
addition  of  a  little  soot  and  clay  to  thicken  and  colour  the  mixture, 
bringing  it  to  the  consistency  of  thin  cream,  proves  useful  when  applying 
the  dressing.  It  causes  the  solution  to  adhere.  The  mixture  must  be 
laid  on  with  a  brush,  working  it  in  one  direction  from  the  base  of  shoots 
upwards  when  dealing  with  the  young  growth.  This  obviates  the  risk 
of  dislocating  the  buds. 
When  the  trees  are  dry  the  re-arrangement  and  fastening  of  the 
branches  can  be  proceeded  with: 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  Houses. — The  prevalence  of 
cold  north-easterly  wind  and  a  murky  sky  are  not  favourable  conditions 
under  which  to  accelerate  development,  or  is  anything  gained  by  hurrying 
’  the  trees  in  the  early  stages  of  growth  ;  but  often  the  crop  is  lost  by 
