490 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  3,  1897. 
also  wrapped  in  tissue  paper,  and  then  placed  in  the  box,  leaving  a 
small  space  between  them,  to  be  filled  with  bran  or  clean  sawdust. 
Another  layer  of  cotton  wool  is  placed  on  the  top  previous  to  applying 
the  lid. 
Another  way  is  to  wrap  tissue  paper  round  the  bottom  half  of  the 
fruit,  and  cotton  wool,  cut  into  strips,  round  the  paper.  As  this  is 
done  they  are  placed  close  to  each  other  in  a  box  in  which  cotton 
wool  has  previously  been  laid.  A  sheet  of  tissue  paper  is  then  placed 
over  them,  and  another  layer  of  wool  on  the  top.  Inferior  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  for  culinary  purposes  may  be  packed  in  any  ordinary  square 
box  lined  with  paper  and  the  bottom  covered  with  bran  or  cotton  wool. 
A  layer  of  fruit  is  placed  on  this  and  covered  well  over  with  half  an  inch 
of  bran,  a  slight  shake  given  to  the  box  causing  the  bran  to  fill  all 
crevices  between  the  fruit.  Other  layers  of  bran  and  fruit  follow  until 
the  box  is  full. 
Strawberries. — These  for  dessert  must  be  picked  when  dry,  each 
fruit  with  a  stalk  about  half  an  inch  long.  Strawberry  boxes  about 
2  inches  deep  hold  one  layer.  A  sheet  of  tissue  paper  is  spread  in  the 
box.  Their  own  leaves  are  the  beBt  to  pack  them  in,  using  one  leaf  for 
each  fruit.  It  should  be  laid  in  the  leaf  with  the  end  of  the  fruit  towards 
the  apex  and  a  twist  given  to  the  leaf  round  the  stalk  of  the  fruit.  The 
leaf  will  cover  three  parts  of  the  Strawberry.  The  fruits  are  placed  in 
the  box  as  each  is  wrapped  up,  and  as  close  together  as  possible.  In 
this  manner  the  upper  part  of  the  fruit  is  uncovered,  and  over  this  is 
spread  soft  leaves  until  the  box  is  full.  This  method  is  chiefly  practised 
in  private  gardens.  Market  growers  usually  pack  their  Strawberries  in 
punnets,  one  or  more  layers  of  fruit  in  each,  and  boxes  or  baskets  are 
made  to  hold  a  certain  number  of  punnets.  For  preserving,  Strawberries 
are  gathered  without  stalks,  and  an  ordinary  box,  lined  with  Cabbage  or 
Ehubarb  leaves,  answers  for  packing  them.  All  kinds  of  fruit  for  pre¬ 
serving  may  be  packed  in  the  same  way. — Elveden. 
v  (To  be  continued.) 
x  Tomato  Culture. 
Though  the  Tomato  was  introduced  just  before  the  Potato  it  is  only 
in  recent  years  it  has  become  so  popular  with  all  classes  and  so  largely 
cultivated.  Although  much  has  naturally  been  written  about  Tomatoes 
I  may  be  excused  for  describing  practice  that  has  given  satisfactory 
results  ;  still,  whether  in  growing  for  market,  exhibition,  or  home  con¬ 
sumption  we  should  always  try  to  improve  on  the  past,  no  matter  how 
excellent  the  results  may  have  been.  This  is  the  spirit  which  should 
animate  all  young  gardeners  in  doing  the  work  entrusted  to  them. 
Cultivation. — Our  first  seed  is  sown  about  the  middle  of  December, 
and  the  pots  placed  in  a  hotbed  till  the  plants  appear,  when  they  aro 
removed  to  a  shelf  near  the  glass  in  an  early  vinery  where  the  tempera¬ 
ture  is  seldom  under  60°.  We  sow  thinly  in  well-drained  pots  and 
pans,  and  use  equal  parts  of  loam  and  leaf  mould.  The  next  sowing  is 
made  in  January  and  February  for  growing  under  glass  ;  the  third  in 
March  for  planting  outside — strong  plants  in  6-inch  pots  with  some  fruit 
set  by  the  end  of  May.  Plants  are  raised  early  in  July  for  fruiting 
during  the  winter,  the  crop  being  set  before  the  dark  days  come. 
The  plants,  when  they  have  two  rough  leaves,  are  potted  singly  in 
3  and  6-inch  pots  and  plunged  in  a  hotbed,  the  house  having  a  tempe¬ 
rature  of  about  60°.  Those  in  5-inch  pots  are  transferred  when  nicely 
rooted  to  the  fruiting  pots  and  boxes,  not  waiting  till  the  plants  are  root- 
bound  .  Those  in  3-inch  pots  are  transferred  when  ready  to  the  6-inch 
Bize.  The  compost  used  for  potting  from  the  seedling  stage  till  the 
final  shift  is  composed  of  three  parts  loam  and  one  part  of  equal 
shares  of  leaf  mould  and  horse  droppings,  with  a  dusting  of  bonemeal. 
The  soil  is  warmed  for  the  early  plants  before  using,  and  they  are  nor 
taken  to  a  cool  place  to  be  potted,  a  practice  by  which  many  get  chilled. 
The  soil  used  for  the  final  shift  is  the  top  spit  from  a  deer  park,  cut 
about  3  inches  deep  and  left  till  the  grass  is  decayed  before  using.. 
Room  is  left  for  top-dressing  several  times,  “  light  and  often  ”  being 
my  maxim  in  this  work. 
Boxes  are  preferred  to  pots,  the  Bize  chiefly  employed  being  30  inches 
long,  20  deep,  and  13  wide,  each  holding  three  plants.  Copious  supplies 
of  liquid  manure  are  given  when  the  roots  have  taken  firm  possession  of 
the  soil.  Soot,  cow,  sheep,  and  pigeon  manure  are  used,  varying  them 
each  week.  Occasionally  sprinkling  the  surface  of  the  soil  with  guano, 
and  a  mixture  given  some  time  ago  in  the  Journal,  of  bone  superphos¬ 
phate  eight  parts,  nitrate  of  soda  four  parts,  and  muriate  of  potash  two 
parts,  watering  in  when  used,  acted  beneficially. 
All  the  plants  are  grown  on  the  single  stem  system,  as  after  trials  it 
was  found  the  heaviest  weight  of  fruit  was  thus  obtained  from  a  given 
space.  All  side  growths  are  rubbed  out  as  they  show,  as  if  left  to  extend 
they  rob  the  plants  and  fruit.  Seldom  are  any  leaves  or  part  of  leaves 
cut  off,  as  they  are  required  if  the  plants  are  carrying  a  heavy  crop  of 
fruit  in  various  stages  of  ripening;  Some  of  the  finest  frait  (20  ozs.  in 
weight),  and  heaviest  crops  1  ever  grew  were  cut  from  pots  plunged  in  a 
bed  of  leaves  nearly  cool,  into  which  the  roots  spread  over  15  feet  from 
the  pots.  The  growth  was  strong,  and  the  leaves  very  large.  The  tiers 
of  fruit  when  colouring  touched  one  another,  and  were  compared  to 
banks  of  Onions.  Perfection  and  Frogmore  Selected  were  the  varieties 
thus  grown,  and  only  a  few  half  leaves  were  cut  off  over  the  fruit. 
— W.  T.,  Ireland.  (To  be  continued.) 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
F.  A.  Haage,  jun.,  Erfurt. — Cacti. 
J.  Peed  &  Sons,  Norwood. —  Caladiums. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Syringing  and  Cleansing  Wall  Trees. — The  liability  of  the 
shoots  of  many  wall  trees  to  be  attacked  with  insects,  chiefly  aphides,  at 
this  season  necessitates  effective  measures  being  taken  to  extirpate  them. 
Cherries,  Plums,  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Apricots,  Gooseberries,  and 
Currants  are  the  most  frequently  attacked.  The  causes  of  the  annual 
insect  invasion  are  due  to  impoverishment  of  the  roots  by  poor  or  dry 
soil,  and  unsuitable  positions.  A  few  insects  once  established  on  the 
young  Bhoots  soon  multiply  rapidly,  until  quite  a  colony  is  formed  on 
the  youngest  leaves  and  succulent  parts.  If  the  infested  shoots  are  not 
too  numerous  the  insects  may  be  destroyed  by  the  process  of  dipping 
the  ends  of  the  shoots  in  a  portable  vessel  containing  some  effective 
solution.  Softsoap  dissolved  at  the  rate  of  2  ozs.  to  the  gallon  of  water 
is  a  very  common  and  useful  insecticide,  which  ‘may  be  made  more 
potent  by  adding  1  pint  of  tobacco  water.  This  mixture  will  do  either 
for  dipping  shoots  or  for  a  general  syringing  of  the  trees,  operating  in  the 
evening  when  the  sun  is  declining. 
The  numerous  advertised  insecticides  are  also  good,  and  frequently 
more  convenient  to  prepare  for  immediate  use.  Isolated  shoots  only 
lightly  infested  with  aphides  may  be  dusted  with  tobacco  powder. 
Shortly  afterwards  wash  it  off  again  along  with  the  destroyed  insects  by 
a  vigorous  syringing  from  a  hand  syringe  or  garden  engine. 
As  a  means,  too,  of  maintaining  the  trees  regularly  clean  and  pre¬ 
venting  the  establishment  of  insects  frequent  syringing  with  clean  water 
in  warm  weather  is  indispensable.  Root  moisture  must  be  kept  up 
according  to  the  weather  and  demands  of  the  trees.  This  is  an  important 
precaution  against  ill  health.  Some  trees  may  be  slightly  affected  with 
mildew,  a  remedy  for  which  is  sulphide  of  potassium,  half  ounce  to  a 
gallon  of  water. 
Training  and  Treatment  of  Young:  Truit  Trees. — Regular 
attention  in  training-in  the  young  shoots  of  recently  planted  wall  treea 
is  a  most  important  point  in  laying  a  foundation  of  branches,  ana 
properly  filling  in  the  space  available.  As  far  as  possible  the  branches 
should  be  developed  equally.  This  may  be  accomplished  by  judiciously 
suppressing  the  strong  shoots  and  encouraging  the  weaker.  If  not 
desirable  to  shorten  or  reduce  the  length  of  any  rampant  leaders  depress 
them  and  elevate  the  weaker  to  more  upright  growth.  In  laying  in  the 
shoots  for  furnishing  allow  each  abundant  room.  Fan-trained  trees  may 
have  all  the  wood  possible  laid  in  on  these  lines.  The  principals  should 
be  trained  far  enough  apart  to  admit  secondary  branches  and  lateral 
shoots.  Wood  of  medium  strength  is  in  most  cases  to  be  preferred  to 
strong  sappy  growths.  Maintain  the  foliage  clean  and  healthy  by 
syringing  in  warm  weather. 
Trees  trained  in  restricted  forms  for  the  most  part  require  extension 
of  the  branches  already  originated,  with  possibly  some  additional  in 
suitable  positions.  The  leaders  of  each  branch  ought  to  extend  un¬ 
checked,  but  the  side  shoots  advancing  into  long  growths  must  be 
summer  pruned.  Fruit  spurs  will  then  have  a  chance  of  forming  at 
tneir  base.  Shoots,  however,  forming  spur  growths  in  a  natural  manner 
should  obviously  be  left  alone. 
Apply  water  at  intervals  to  the  roots  of  trees  where  the  ground  dries 
quickly  and  the  roots  are  liable  to  suffer.  With  young  trees  repeated 
heavy  waterings  ought  to  be  avoided.  It  is  more  desirable  to  mulch  the 
surface  with  littery  manure  after  a  copious  application.  This  arrests 
evaporation,  and  the  trees  benefit  from  the  more  regular  moisture  in  the 
soil  accordingly. 
Established  Wall  Trees. — Laying  in  Wcod. — The  reserved  shoots 
of  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Apricots,  Plums,  and  Cherries  must  be  selected 
and  carefully  laid  in  along  the  desired  direction  they  aie  intended  to  be 
trained.  It  is  not  necessary  that  they  be  permanently  secured  to  the 
wall  or  trellis  at  present,  but  they  ought  to  be  retained  in  position. 
They  can  temporarily  be  fixed  by  the- aid  of  pliable  young  shoots  cut  in 
suitable  lengths.  Lay  them  across  the  growths  desired  to  be  secured, 
fixing  the  ends  underneath  the  strong  branches.  Superfluous  shoots 
must  be  dealt  with  by  shortening  or  cutting  out. 
Outdoor  Vines. — Tying  and  stopping  the  side  shoots  of  Vines  on 
walls  or  trellises  demands  now  frequent  attention.  Disbudding  having 
been  effectively  carried  out,  there  should  remain  on  each  spur  not  more 
than  two  shoots.  One  of  these  ought  to  be  showing  a  bunch  of  fruit. 
The  other  may  probably  do  so  too,  but  it  is  not  necessary  that  both  carry 
a  bunch.  If  the  shoot  nearest  the  main  rod  bears  the  bunch  and  is 
retained  the  other  may  be  dispensed  with.  Should,  however,  the  con¬ 
trary  be  the  case,  both  shoots  may  be  preserved,  the  lower  one  affording 
prominent  buds  for  pruning  to  in  winter.  Stop  the  fruiting  shoots  one 
or  two  leaves  beyond  the  bunch,  according  as  room  is  available.  Shoots 
retained,  but  which  are  not  showing  fruit,  stop  at  the  seventh  leaf. 
Those  required  to  extend  into  long  canes  for  filling  vacancies  do  not  stop 
until  they  have  attained  a  length  of  3  or  4  feet.  A  fresh  leader  may 
then  be  allowed  to  grow  unchecked.  The  ripest  portion  of  such  canes, 
and  which'will  be  fruitful  the  following  year,  will  be  that  below  the 
stopping  point  this  season.  The  principal  leaves  must  be  carefully  pre¬ 
served,  but  the  lateral  growths  issuing  from  their  axils  may  be  broken  outs. 
