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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  26, 1895. 
being  to  clothe  the  stems  with  fruiting  spurs.  These  side  growths 
servo  to  swell  and  strengthen  the  stems,  and  also  produce  good 
fruit  until  overshadowed  by  the  heads.  I  first  saw  the  plan 
adopted  on  a  large  scale  at  Toddington,  and  quite  recently  noted 
how  well  Apples,  Plums,  and  Damsons  were  behaving,  under 
similar  treatment,  at  Orsett  in  Essex.  Trees  that  had  been  planted 
four  years  were  carrying  heavy  crops  up  the  stems,  and  the  heads 
were  well  furnished  with  fruit.  It  was  also  satisfactory  to  see 
the  stems  stout  and  straight,  not  one  in  a  hundred  ever  having 
required  a  stake  to  support  it.  When  standards  have  their  stems 
denuded  of  side  shoots  before  these  have  had  time  to  perform 
their  proper  functions  they  are  weakened,  and  must  be  well  staked 
or  they  become  crooked.  Trees  are  supplied  by  one  or  more  of 
our  go-a-head  nurserymen  with  heads  already  formed  and  side 
growths  well  set  with  fruit  buds,  but  why  they  should  be  termed 
“  amateurs’  trees  ”  is  to  me  a  mystery.  They  ought  to  be  every¬ 
body’s  trees. 
When  extra  fine  Apples  only  fetch  Is.  6d.  per  bushel  there  is 
little  encouragement  for  planting  trees  on  dwarfing  stocks,  and  I 
am  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  the  naturally  grown  low 
standards  in  cultivated  orchards  that  both  now  and  at  all  times 
give  the  best  results.  These  extra  large  fruit  are  plentiful  enough, 
and  do  not  fetch  more  than  half  the  price  obtained  for  showy  and 
comparatively  small  samples.  We  never  hear  anyone  recommending 
planting  small  trees  of  Yellow  Ingestre,  Fletcher’s  Seedling  (what 
I  believe  to  bo  Nonpareil),  or  Duchess'  Favourite  Apples,  or 
Hessle  Pear  with  a  view  to  keeping  them  restricted  in  growth,  for 
the  simple  reason  they  would  not  pay  for  the  trouble.  Yet  these 
are  the  varieties  that  are  “  rent  ”  payers.  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin 
succeeds  well  on  the  Paradise  stock  ;  but  where  these  produce  a 
peck  or  less,  the  freely  grown  trees  on  the  Crab  stock  are  this 
season  producing  bushels  of  fine  handsome  growth. 
Trees  of  dwarfing  stocks  are  excellent  for  small  gardens  and 
where  variety  is  desirable  ;  but  those  who  would  make  fruit  growing 
pay  should  plant  low  standards,  prune  rather  freely  till  good  heads 
are  formed,  and  then  rest  content  with  occasional  foreshortening 
of  straggling  branches  and  thinning  out  where  crowded.  Cordons 
and  mioiature  trees  generally,  if  properly  managed,  produce  fine 
fruit ;  but  in  these  days  of  low  prices  quantity  as  well  as  quality 
is  essential. 
Grass  orchards  are  mostly  met  with  in  the  provinces,  that  is  to 
say,  well  away  from  London.  The  trees  in  these  are  more  remark¬ 
able  for  their  stunted  appearance  and  the  heavy  crops  of  inferior 
frait  they  produce  than  for  anything  else.  Doubtless  they  would 
do  better  if  manured  more  freely,  and  pay  better  accordingly. 
Yigorous  young  trees  are  few  and  far  between,  and  are  likely  to 
be  so  long  as  tho  owners  of  orchards  adopt  the  foolish  plan  of 
planting  afresh  in  the  old  sites.  A  few  barrowfuls  of  fresh 
compost  will  not  long  support  growing  trees,  and  what  is  there  for 
the  roots  to  find  once  they  reach  the  outsides  of  the  holes  first 
dug  for  them  ?  It  is  much  better  to  prepare  a  wholly  fresh 
site  for  an  orchard  ;  it  is  also  a  mistake  to  turf  or  allow  the  soil 
about  newly  planted  trees  to  become  grassed  over. 
A  covering  of  grass  effectually  excludes  warmth  and  air  from 
the  roots,  and  also  prevents  much  moisture  from  reaching  them. 
The  least  that  can  be  done  is  to  keep  a  circle  6  feet  in  diameter 
free  of  grass  or  weeds  for  the  first  four  years,  though  an  annual 
winter  mulching  of  strawy  manure  might  be  given  with  advantage. 
Some  of  tho  grandest  young  trees  of  Apples,  Potts’  Seedling, 
Warner’s  King,  Stirling  Castle,  and  Frogmore  Prolific  I  have  yet 
seen  are  in  a  cultivated  orchard — that  is  to  say,  in  rows  with  spaces 
between  occupied  with  bush  fruit,  vegetables,  and  root  crops.  One 
large  break  was  grassed  down  to  provide  packing  material  and 
green  food  for  horses,  and  here  the  rows  of  trees  were  decidedly 
inferior.  Ail  were  treated  similarly  at  the  outset,  and  their  intelli¬ 
gent  experienced  owner  attributes  the  great  difference  in  their 
appearance  to  the  state  of  the  surface  soil.  This  winter  they  will 
be  experimented  on. — W.  Iggulden. 
GREENHOUSE  RHODODENDRONS. 
For  some  time  this  useful  class  of  plants  was  much  neglected 
in  private  gardens,  but  during  late  years  their  cultivation  has 
extended.  These  plants  are  amongst  tho  moat  useful  we  possess 
either  for  cutting  or  other  kinds  of  decoration,  and  should  be 
largely  grown  in  every  garden.  If  no  better  accommodation  can 
be  given  a  cold  frame  will  suit  them  well.  Some  kinds  do  well 
when  grafted,  others  succeed  best  on  their  own  roots. 
When  propagation  is  effected  by  means  of  grafting,  clean  stocks 
should  be  selected  and  established  in  2  or  3  inch  pots  ready  for 
attaching  in  the  spring,  say  about  the  month  of  February.  The 
tops  of  the  previous  year’s  wood  should  be  used  for  the  scions. 
The  system  of  grafting  should  either  be  saddle  or  side  grafting, 
similar  to  that  employed  for  Roses  or  fruit  trees.  The  former  I 
consider  the  most  successful  mode.  Little  art  is  required  in 
saddle-grafting.  The  cut  of  the  stock  or  scion  must  be  clean  and 
done  with  a  sharp  knife,  so  that  the  two  fit  exactly  together,  being 
made  secure  by  means  of  worsted.  Some  employ  clay  or  grafting 
wax  round  the  union  after  the  scion  and  stock  are  placed  together, 
but  this  is  optional,  and  by  no  means  indispensable.  After  the 
operation  of  grafting  is  performed  the  plants  should  be  placed  in 
a  close  frame  where  a  slight  bottom  heat  can  be  given,  and  the 
top  heat  maintained  at  45°  to  50°  until  the  stock  and  scion  are 
thoroughly  united.  The  plants  must  be  shaded  from  bright  sun, 
kept  well  watered,  and  dewed  with  the  syringe  twice  daily. 
When  the  stock  is  increased  by  means  of  cuttings  they  can  be 
inserted  at  once,  selecting  short  growths  of  nearly  ripened  wood. 
Pots  8  inches  in  diameter  should  be  prepared  by  half  filling  them 
with  crocks,  and  the  remainder  with  sandy  peat  pressed  in  firmly. 
About  half  an  inch  depth  of  silver  sand  must  be  placed  over  the 
surface.  Place  the  talle.st  cuttings  in  the  centre  and  the  dwarf 
ones  round  the  sides,  leaving  sufficient  room  for  the  bell-glasses, 
which  should  be  placed  over  them  after  a  good  soaking  of  water 
has  been  given.  The  pots  containing  the  cuttings  should  be 
plunged  in  any  moisture-holding  material  in  a  cold  frame 
until  cold  weather  sets  in,  when  the  temperature  if  possible  should 
be  maintained  at  from  40°  to  45°.  The  bell-glasses  will  not  require 
to  be  removed  for  a  long  time,  as  but  little  water  will  be  needed, 
and  sufficient  can  be  given  by  syringing  over  the  glasses  occasionally. 
As  soon  as  the  cuttings  are  rooted  they  must  be  potted  singly  in 
small  pots,  and  kept  close  in  a  frame  until  they  have  commenced 
to  root  afresh,  and  must  then  be  exposed  to  more  air  to  gradually 
harden  them  to  be  grown  under  cool  treatment.  The  grafted 
plants  when  the  scion  and  stock  are  thoroughly  united  may  be 
treated  similarly. 
The  hardening  process  must  be  gradual  or  a  severe  check  is 
sure  to  follow.  The  operation  must  be  done  with  much  care,  then 
the  young  plants  will  continue  growing.  When  severely  checked 
in  their  early  stages  they  often  fail  to  grow  satisfactorily.  When 
they  have  been  hardened  to  cool  treatment  and  have  filled  the 
small  'pots  with  roots  the  plants  should  be  transferred  to  5-inch. 
This  size  will  be  large  enough  for  the  first  season  after  grafting. 
The  plants  should  be  wintered  in  a  greenhouse  or  frame,  where  free 
ventilation  can  be  ensured. 
The  second  season  the  object  should  be  to  obtain  two  growths, 
which  can  be  accomplished  by  starting  them  early  in  the  season 
by  means  of  a  little  heat,  giving  at  the  same  time  sufficient 
air  to  cause  a  sturdy  growth.  The  first  growth  should  be  completed 
by  the  beginning  of  July,  and  must  have  for  a  short  time 
abundance  of  air  until  the  flower  buds  are  visible,  which  is  sure 
to  be  the  case  with  free-flowering  kinds  such  as  Princess  Alice. 
The  flower  buds  must  be  removed  and  the  plants  kept  close  again 
until  they  commence  growth,  which  must  be  pushed  on  until 
completed.  Flower  buds  may  by  chance  be  formed  on  this 
second  growth,  and  can  be  allowed  to  develop  if  deemed  necessary. 
This  is  not  altogether  advisable  when  the  plants  are  small  ;  in  fact, 
they  will  make  greater  progress  the  following  year  if  not  allowed 
to  flower.  The  freedom  with  which  many  kinds  flower  render 
them  in  a  small  state  very  attractive  for  vases  and  decoration 
generally.  Where  plants  for  such  purposes  are  in  request,  and 
good-sized  specimens  are  needed,  they  can  be  allowed  to  flower  and 
only  make  one  growth  a  season.  Moderate-sized  plants  are  best 
for  greenhouse  or  conservatory  decoration,  and  should,  until  they 
attain  a  fair  size,  make  two  growths  a  season.  This  is  an  advantage 
and  saves  valuable  time. 
Potting  must  be  done  carefully  from  time  to  time  as  the  plants 
require  it.  To  grow  greenhouse  Rhododendrons  saccessfully  every 
attention  must  be  paid  to  this  matter,  as  if  allowed  to  become 
root-bound  the  wood  hardens,  and  in  consequence  growth  is  weak 
and  slow.  They  must  not,  however,  be  overpotted,  or  the  evil  will 
be  as  great  as  if  the  plants  are  in  too  small  pots.  The  pots  must 
be  well  and  carefully  drained  and  the  soil  pressed  firmly  in.  The 
soil  most  suitable  is  good  fibry  peat  with  plenty  of  coarse  sand  to 
keep  it  porous.  They  also  do  well  in  a  mixture  of  loam  and  peat, 
but  the  former  is  preferable. 
Watering  must  be  carefully  done,  especially  after  the  plants  are 
first  potted,  but  they  must  not  suffer  from  the  want  of  water  during 
any  season  of  growth.  If  allowed  to  become  dust-dry  they  soon 
fail  to  do  satisfactorily  ;  they  also  refuse  to  grow  luxuriantly  if 
water  stagnates  about  their  roots.  During  the  growing  season  the 
plants  should  be  liberally  syringed,  which  will  keep  down  thrips, 
the  only  insect  I  know  that  attacks  them.  Cultivators  of  these 
plants  will  not  grow  them  satisfactorily  on  dry  shelves,  where  I 
have  seen  them  placed  in  more  than  one  garden.  They  should 
stand  upon  some  cool  moisture-holding  material,  such  as  ashes  or 
gravel.  During  the  summer  or  growing  season  plenty  of  water 
