JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
295 
September  26,  Isas'” 
should  be  thrown  amongst  the  pots  and  the  atmosphere  kept 
moderately  moist.  tJnder  such  treatment  the  plants  advance 
rapidly  and  luxuriantly. — Grower. 
FRUIT  CULTURE. 
To  a  gardener  who  is  strongly  attached  to  his  calling,  especially 
if  he  happens  to  be  what  is  generally  termed  “  an  all-round  man,” 
there  is  probably  no  work  connected  with  his  duties  that  is  more 
interesting,  or  for  which  he  has  a  greater  fondness,  than  planting 
fruit  trees.  The  falling  of  leaves  and  the  ingathering  of  fruit 
announce  to  us  that  the  season  will  soon  be  here  for  such  work  to 
commence.  Where  it  has  not  already  been  done  no  time  should  be 
lost  in  making  a  close  examination  of  every  tree  in  the  garden,  at 
the  same  time  noting  all  such  as  are  in  an  unsatisfactory  state,  and 
deciding  what  remedial  measures  are  to  be  applied  in  each  case.  It 
is  seldom  indeed  that  we  find  every  tree  in  such  a  satisfactory  con¬ 
dition  as  we  desire.  Where  there  is  a  tendency  to  over-luxuriance 
and  the  production  of  wood  instead  of  fruit,  root-pruning  must  be 
resorted  to. 
When  it  so  happens  that  the  trees  which  are  in  this  condition 
have  been  undisturbed  for  a  number  of  years,  it  will  in  some 
cases  take  three  or  four  seasons  to  accomplish  the  desired  result, 
and  the  work  must  be  proceeded  with  gradually — the  first  season 
operating  on  one  side  of  the  tree  only  ;  this  being  done  by  digging 
out  a  trench  at  a  reasonable  distance  from  the  trunk,  and  cutting 
through  all  roots  which  come  in  the  way.  Worx  out  all  the  soil 
from  amongst  the  roots  with  a  four-pronged  fork,  at  the  same  time 
severing  all  the  large  ones  taking  a  downward  course.  Afterwards 
cut  off  with  a  sharp  knife  all  jagged  ends  and  those  roots  which 
have  been  bruised  during  operations.  Fill  in  with  soil,  and 
tread  it  down  as  the  work  proceeds,  finishing  off  with  a  mulching 
of  half-decayed  stable  manure,  and  in  the  event  of  the  soil  being 
of  a  porous  nature  give  a  good  soaking  of  water.  The  following 
year  adopt  the  same  plan  with  the  other  half  of  the  tree. 
When  trees  are  comparatively  young  and  unproductive  they  may 
with  safety  be  entirely  lifted  and  replanted  the  first  season  of  their 
being  root-pruned  ;  but  with  old-established  trees,  especially  if  they 
are  growing  in  what  are  termed  strong  soils,  the  treatment  recom¬ 
mended  above  will  be  found  much  the  best.  Although  we  say  this 
by  way  of  an  inducement  to  keep  on  the  safe  side,  we  have  success¬ 
fully  lifted  and  transplanted  old  trees  in  one  season  ;  but  of  course 
more  care  and  caution  is  required,  otherwise  the  result  might  have 
been  the  reverse  of  satisfactory.  With  Apricots,  Apples,  Pears,  and 
Plums  there  are  probably  more  failures  due  to  over-luxuriance 
than  to  any  other  cause.  It  should  therefore  at  all  times  be 
regarded  as  a  matter  of  the  highest  importance  to  adjust  where 
necessary  the  balance  of  power  between  root  and  branch. 
There  is  another  source  of  disappointment  besides  the  one  we  | 
have  alluded  to,  and  by  no  means  an  uncommon  one,  and  with  . 
which  fruit-growers  are  well  acquainted — viz.,  “  the  yellows,”  as  it 
is  termed  in  gardening  phraseology.  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  ; 
owing,  it  may  be,  to  their  more  tender  constitutions,  are  more 
liable  to  this  disease  than  any  other  kind  of  fruit  grown  in  our  i 
climate.  The  causes  of  its  appearance  are  various,  but  may  be 
attributed  chiefly  to  badly  drained  soils  and  to  those  of  a  hungry 
poverty-stricken  nature. 
In  very  bad  cases  the  best  plan  to  adopt  is  to  destroy  the  trees 
and  plant  young  ones  ;  but  if  it  is  a  mild  form,  or,  say,  of  two  or  three 
years’  standing,  then  undoubtedly  the  best  and  safest  course  to  take 
is  to  lift  the  roots  entirely,  bring  them  nearer  to  the  surface,  and 
plant  in  fresh  soil,  which  may  consist  of  good  turfy  loam  mixed 
with  charred  rubbish  and  a  little  well-decomposed  stable  manure. 
On  Peach  walls  where  the  disease  we  are  now  dealing  with  has  made 
its  appearance  measures  should  be  taken  as  soon  as  the  leaves  fall 
to  prevent  its  recurrence  for  some  years  to  come. 
Presuming  that  the  border  which  it  is  contemplated  to  take  in 
hand  is  well  drained,  the  work  should  be  begun  at  one  end  by  taking 
out  a  trench  2  feet  wide  and  18  inches  deep,  taking  a  distance  from 
the  wall  of  about  5  feet.  The  top  spit  and  the  loose  soil  should  be 
worked  to  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  mixing  along  with  it  and  filling 
up  to  about  6  inches  above  the  surface  with  such  compost  as  that 
recommended  above  ;  and  in  the  event  of  the  natural  soil  of  the 
garden  being  of  a  highly  calcareous  nature  a  little  peat,  if  it  can 
be  obtained,  will  be  found  good  to  add  thereto.  As  the  trenching 
proceeds  tread  down  the  soil  moderately  firm,  lifting  and  replanting 
the  trees  at  the  distance  of  about  15  feet  from  each  other,  not  for¬ 
getting  to  finish  off  with  a  mulching  of  stable  manure.  The  branches 
may  be  tied  up  and  slung  to  the  wall,  securing  them  in  their  posi¬ 
tions  early  in  the  new  year. 
Concerning  young  trees  received  from  the  nursery  we  would 
strongly  urge  the  importance  of  having  the  ground  for  their  recep¬ 
tion  piepared  before^-rnd,  so  that  wheu/ they  arrive  tier  mry  be 
planted  with  the  least  possible  delay.  It  i.s  equally  important  to 
dispatch  orders  early  ;  then  the  trees  may  be  expected  to  come  to 
hand  early,  and  be  planted  before  winter  weather  arrives.  Neglect 
on  this  point  not  unfrequently  ends  in  trees  arriving  with 
roots  very  much  frozen,  and  the  ground  in  which  they  are  to 
be  planted  frozen  also,  and  altogether  in  an  unworkable  state. 
Coming  now  to  small  fruits  the  Strawberry  is  perhaps  the  most 
important.  The  ground  where  these  are  to  be  planted  should  be 
trenched  and  heavily  manured  to  a  depth  of  fully  18  inches  if  the 
best  results  are  desired,  and  such  should  always  be  the  object  in 
view,  for,  as  the  old  adage  says,  “  What  is  worth  doing  is  worth 
doing  well.”  July  and  August  we  have  found  to  be  a  very  good 
time  for  making  new  beds,  making  use  of  plants  which  have  been 
forced.  These  get  well  established  before  winter,  and  yield  a  full 
crop  the  following  season.  Of  course,  beds  may  be  planted  now, 
but  they  will  not  bear  such  a  good  crop  next  year  as  those  planted 
earlier.  Give  them  plenty  of  space,  say  3  feet  between  the  rows 
and  18  inches  in  them. 
Raspberries  next  demand  attention.  They  often  fail  and  yield 
the  least  satisfactory  results  from  occupying  the  same  quarters  for 
too  long  a  time.  They  like  liberal  treatment  and  rather  a  moist 
situation.  With  us  the  canes  grow  from  9  to  10  feet  high,  and  are 
I  as  thick  as  one’s  thumb,  producing  fruit  of  a  presentable  appearance 
i  and  of  good  quality.  Our  modus  operandi  consist  of  trenching  the 
!  ground  2  feet  deep  and  giving  plenty  of  strong  manure,  planting 
;  stools  with  two  or  three  canes  to  each  6  feet  apart  each  way  as  soon 
i  as  the  leaves  have  fallen. 
Gooseberries  and  Currants  are  all  the  better  for  not  occupying 
the  same  ground  for  too  long  a  time.  Young  bushes  always  pro¬ 
duce  the  finest  fruit,  and  planting  should  be  done  in  anticipation 
of  the  old  ones  failing.  In  conclusion,  we  would  strongly  impress 
upon  the  minds  of  those  who  contemplate  planting  fruit  trees  the 
importance  of  paying  close  attention  to  the  following  points — 
viz.,  avoid  deep  planting,  stake  and  tie  securely  all  such  trees  as 
require  it  as  soon  as  they  are  planted,  and  give  a  mulching  to  the 
surface  of  3  or  4  inches  of  half-decayed  manure. — J.  H. 
THE  MANCHESTER  BOTANIC  SOCIETY  AND 
ALLOTMENTS. 
Permit  me  to  bring  under  the  notice  of  your  readers  the  initiation 
of  a  forward  movement  in  relation  to  this  most  important  subject.  Its 
object  may  be  described  as  to  assist  rural  effort  in  connection  with  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil.  It  is  well  known  that  during  the  last  few  years 
a  very  large  number  of  persons  have  become  tenants  of  small  allotments 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  large  towns.  On  the  5th  of  last  month  Mr. 
Gladstone,  speaking  upon  this  subject,  said  :  “  There  never  was  a  period 
in  the  history  of  this  country  when  rural  effort  in  relation  to  the  soil 
deserved  greater  support,  and  those  who  render  help  in  this  direction 
are  public  benefactors.” 
The  Council  of  this  Society  proposes  to  bold  an  annual  exhibition  in 
the  Old  Trafford  Gardens  on  a  very  large  scale  of  the  productions  grown 
by  the  tenants  of  small  holdings,  at  which  prizes  will  be  awarded  for 
the  fruits,  flowers,  vegetables,  poultry,  cheese,  and  butter  brought 
forward.  Prizes  will  also  be  given  to  the  growers  of  window  plants  in 
our  large  towns.  The  counties  embraced  within  the  sphere  of  this  effort 
will  be  Lancashire,  Cheshire,  and  Derbyshire.  We  are  all  familiar  with 
the  old  saying  that  “  the  hope  of  reward  sweetens  labour,”  and  there 
can,  I  think,  be  no  doubt  whatever  that  this  special  effort  will  be  the 
means  of  stimulating  the  poorer  classes  of  society  in  their  endeavours 
to  excel  in  producing  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables.  The  Council  is 
of  opinion  that  it  is  the  proper  and  legitimate  work  of  the  Society 
it  represents  to  introduce  and  carry  out  this  project. 
In  order  hopefully  to  inaugurate  this  important  scheme  in  a  compre¬ 
hensive  way  an  annual  outlay  of  £200  will  be  necessary.  To  meet  this 
expenditure  a  special  fund  is  being  established,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
£5000  will  be  raised  for  this  beneficent  purpose.  It  may  be  added  that 
a  donor  of  £25  to  this  fund  will  become  a  life  member,  or  be  entitled 
to  nominate  one.  Knowing  that  the  late  lamented  Prince  Consort  forty 
years  ago  took  a  lively  interest  in  this  ■  subject,  I  took  the  liberty  of 
bringing  the  matter  under  the  notice  of  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty  the 
Queen,  and  had  the  honour  of  receiving  the  following  reply. 
Balmoral,  September  2nd,  1895. 
Dear  Sir, — I  am  commanded  by  the  Queen  to  en.dose  a  cheque  for  £25 
as  a  donation  towards  the  purpose  referred  to  in  your  letter  of  the 
21st  August.  I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours  faithfully, 
Fleetwood  J.  Edwaeds. 
Since  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  and  as  the  result  of  several  letters  I 
have  written  to  ladies  and  gentlemen  interested  in  the  subject,  I  am 
pleased  to  state  that  nearly  £1000  has  been  promised.  A  general  appeal 
will  shortly  be  made  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  districts  concerned, 
together  with  the  list  of  the  donors,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  result  will 
be  commensurate  with  the  beneficence  of  the  undertaking. — Bruce 
Findlay,  Royal  Botanic  Gardens,  Manchester,  19th  Septemher,  1895. 
[An  admirable  undertaking,  and  Mr.  Findlay'  ia  to  be  congratulated 
,  on  the  excellent  beginning  be  bas  in  cTryi  g 't  out  on  a  s  ui.d 
'  bas‘“.l 
