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September  29,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
ridiculous  is  the  lact  that  trees  of  the  proper  kind  to  plant — maidens 
two  years  old  — are  cheaper  now  than  they  ever  have  been  before; 
so  cheap  in  fact  that  no  one  having  the  least  interest  in  the  garden 
could  grudge  the  few  shillings  for  their  purchase.  The  trouble  of 
planting  is  very  little  if  gone  about  in  a  proper  way,  and  there  is 
really  no  sound  reason  why  these  wasteful  old  trees  should  remain  ; 
cumbering  the  ground  that  should,  with  a  little  care,  provide  good 
fruit  in  abundance. 
Preparation  of  the  soil  for  planting  may  begin  at  any  time  during 
late  summer,  the  earlier  the  better  in  fact,  and  it  is  quite  economical 
to  prepare  quarters  in  spring,  take  a  surface  crop  of  some  kind  off 
during  the  summer,  and  plant  as  soon  in  autumn  as  possible.  The 
soil  in  this  case  is  thoroughly  consolidated,  while  if  left  until  the  end 
of  the  summer  droughty  weather  may  set  in,  and  heavy  soil  especially 
turns  up  in  big  lumps  that  a  good  deal  of  Avet  will  not  soften.  Where 
fruit  trees,  such  as  Apples  and  Pears,  have  been  grown  it  is  Avisest  to 
give  the  land  at  least  a  couple  of  years’  rest  under  some  other  crop, 
but  this  is  not  always  possible. 
For  instance,  in  our  garden  we  are  doing  away  Avith  several  old 
espalier-trained  Apples,  Plums,  and  Pears,  but  have  to  plant  pyramids 
in  the  same,  or  nearly  the  same,  ground.  All  the  difference  is  that 
the  borders  will  be  made  a  couple  of  yards  Avider,  and  as  the  old  soil 
is  doubtless  deprived  of  most  of  the  constituents  necessary  for  fruit 
production,  part  of  this  will  be  wheeled  away,  and  its  place  taken  by 
new.  If  the  necessary  amount  of  soil  were  at  command  I  should 
renew  the  border  entirely,  but  this  in  a  walk  80  yards  long  is  rather 
a  big  item. 
Soils  vary  considerably,  and  so  does  their  management.  Here  it  is 
heavy  and  adhesive,  yet  poor  from  years  of  neglect.  I  turned  the 
lumps  up  roughly  to  get  a  good  baking  while  the  tropical  sunshine 
lasted.  Then  a  little  later,  after  a  soaking  rain,  these  lumps  will  break 
down  freely  and  unite  with  the  nevv  soil,  making  a  friable  medium  for 
planting  in.  A  lighter  sandy  soil  would  of  course  be  more  easily 
managed,  as  this  would  mix  freely  with  the  newr  material  at  once. 
Sandy  soils  are  usually  warmer,  and  though  requiring  more  feeding, 
give  richer  colour  in  fruit  of  Apples  and  Pears. 
Without  going  here  into  the  merits  and  demerits  of  trained  espalier 
trees,  it  may  be  allowed  that  Avithout  question  the  loose  open  style  of 
tree,  such  as  are  adopted  by  market  groAvers,  gives  the  maximum  of 
iruit  with  a  minimum  of  trouble  and  expense.  Such  trees  are 
useful  in  various  positions,  and  encourage  the  natural  habit  of  fruit 
production.  There  are  a  few  kinds  that  fruit  fairly  Avell  on  trees 
snipped  and  cut  back  annually,  but  the  majority  prefer  to  fruit  as 
Nature  intended  them  to.  Consequently  I  can  with  every  confidence 
recommend  intending  planters  not  to  buy  large  expensive  trained  trees 
of  Apples  and  Pears,  Plums,  and  other  fruits,  but  to  obtain  well-rooted, 
clean,  small  specimens  two  years  at  most  from  the  graft. 
The  great  advantage  in  having  the  ground  ready  is  that  the  trees 
may  on  arrival  be  planted  at  once  if  the  weather  is  suitable.  Very 
wet  weather  is  much  worse  than  dry  for  planting,  and  frost  of  course 
also  puts  an  end  to  it.  In  very  dry  weather  the  trees  must  be 
unpacked  a  few  at  a  time  and  the  roots  put  in  order.  The  pruning 
consists  of  cutting  out  entirely  all  roots  that  have  been  badly  bruised 
in  lifting,  and  smoothing  all  spade  cuts  with  a  keen  knife.  Then 
place  the  roots  in  water  for  a  few  minutes. 
Plant  as  near  the  surface  as  possible,  even  if  a  slight  rounding  off 
is  necessary  to  cover  the  top  roots  to  a  depth  of  about  3  inches.  These 
small  trees  Avill  not  need  large  holes  in  ground  that  has  been  cultivated, 
but,  if  planting  in  the  grass  holes,  a  yard  and  ia  half  should  be  opened 
some  time  in  advance  of  planting.  Whatever  the  description  of  soil,  it 
is  essential  that  the  roots  be  well  spread  out  horizontally,  and  that 
plenty  of  fine  soil  is  worked  in  among  them.  In  sheltered  gardens 
staking  will  hardly  be  necessary  if  the  roots  are  properly  firmed  and 
the  soil  trodden  well  as  it  is  placed  about  them.  It  is  much  better 
notwithstanding  this  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  and  place  some  neat  stakes 
as  soon  as  planting  is  done. 
An  important  point  too  often  lost  sight  of  in  staking  or  otherwise 
supporting  trees  is  to  see  that  they  are  not  hung  up,  as  it  were,  on 
account  of  the  soil  siuking.  The  stake,  of  course,  is  driven  down  into 
firm  soil,  and  cannot  sink,  so  that  if  a  tree  is  tied  firmly  to  it  it  strains 
the  ties,  and  cannot  sink  Avith  the  soil.  Leave  the  ties  a  little  loose, 
and  the  tree  settles  Avith  the  soil.  A  good  soaking  of  Avater  should 
follow  planting  and  staking,  and  a  mulch  of  half-decayed  manure 
laid  on. 
When  many  trees  have  to  be  handled,  they  should  be  unpacked 
and  laid  in  rotation,  with  labels  plainly  visible,  so  that  a  little  soil 
may  be  throAvn  over  the  roots  and  the  heads  protected  if  necessary. 
Half  an  hour's  drying  in  a  cold  wind  is  worse  than  a  month  of  the 
coldest  Aveather  after  planting,  so  only  sufficient  trees  should  be  taken 
out  at  a  time  to  last  the  planters  a  few  minutes,  the  rest  being  kept 
covered,  if  only  Avith  a  mat  over  the  roots.  Where  rabbits  are  likely 
to  be  troublesome,  straw  cases  from  wine  bottles  form  an  excellent 
temporary  protection,  but  tarred  string  or  Avire  must  be  used  for 
fixing  them,  or  the  rabbits  tear  them  off  easily. — H.  R.  Richards. 
LIL1UMS. 
In  common  with  our  old  friend,  “  D.,  Deal,"  I  have  a  great 
weakness  for  these  beautiful  flowers.  Some,  I  grant,  are  hopelessly 
disappointing,  and  our  friends  in  the  trade  seem  to  have  yet  to  learn 
that  a  good  way  of  disgusting  an  amateur  with  bulb  culture  is  by 
sending  bulbs  which  produce  a  fair  amount  of  leaves,  but,  alas  !  no 
bloom.  How  often  with  Liliums  this  is  the  case  those  only  who  have 
dabbled  somewhat  freely  in  these  lovely  plants  can  judge.  Why  do 
not  our  friends  at  once  reply,  “  The  smaller  priced  bulbs  are  very 
doubtful  as  to  bloom.”  Well,  those  who  like  myself  ride  their  hobby 
Avith  a  tight  rein  and  strong  curb  would  probably  reason,  it  will  be 
economy  to  have  tAvo  bulbs  at  Is.  6d.  each,  rather  than  three  at  Is. 
Like  “  D.,  Deal,"  I  have  done  nothing  with  Humboldti.  I  started 
it  in  a  pot  in  the  greenhouse,  and  three  stems  appeared,  very  promising, 
larger  than  my  little  fiuger,  and  I  planted  it  out  with  little  disturb¬ 
ance.  The  plants  grew  till  they  were  6  or  8  inches  high,  and  then 
these  promising  heads  were  blind.  I  appealed  to  the  firm  that  sup¬ 
plied  me,  a  Avell-known  name  in  the  Lily  world,  and  the  reply  was 
it  rarely  bloomed  the  first  year,  so  in  patience  I  lived  in  hope.  If 
anything  this  year  the  heads  thrown  up  Avere  smaller,  and  sooner 
went  blind  than  before ;  I  doubt  if  it  will  ever  appear  again.  Then 
concolor,  Coridion,  and  Wallacei  are  sold,  or  offered  rather,  as  “  bulbs 
naturally  small.”  Well,  whether  natural  or  not,  concolor  has  never 
Avith  me  given  a  bloom — planted  at  once  in  the  open,  and  this  bulb 
appeared  good  — when  it  was  covered  over,  it  at  the  same  time  bid  me 
adieu ;  we  never  renewed  our  acquaintance.  Coridion  sent  up  under 
glass  two  or  three  stems  about  9  inches  high,  pretty  foliage.  But 
what  good  is  that?  After  failing  altogether  with  Wallacei,  I,  two 
years  ago,  put  the  bulb  into  a  deep  pot,  and  several  stronger  stems 
showed ;  but,  alas !  no  bloom.  I  left  these  in  the  pot,  and  last 
autumn  disturbed  the  soil  till  I  came  to  several  bulbs,  shook  this  loose 
soil  out,  top-dressed,  and  Avaited.  Probably  as  many  as  ten  heads 
showed  up  this  year,  and  they  appeared  larger  than  I  had  ever  seen 
them  before.  I  watered  freely ;  they  are  said  to  be  moisture-loving 
kinds,  and  on  one  of  these  heads  I  had  a  bloom.  It  is  worth  some 
trouble,  very  beautiful,  and  if  only  every  shoot  had  presented  me  with 
one  or  two  floAvers  it  would  have  been  a  glorious  sight.  This  year  I 
propose  as  gently  as  1  can  to  remove  the  loose  top  soil,  get  a  larger 
and  equally  deep  pot,  and  move  the  bulbs  with  the  remaining  mass 
of  earth.  This  Lily  is  so  charming  that  it  deserves  some  extra  care. 
These  three  Lilies  are  so  much  alike  in  growth  and  foliage  that  I  fancy 
(theory  not  practice,  mind)  that  similar  treatment  may  suit  all  of 
them.  This  year  I  have  bloomed  L.  Krameri,  a  very  elegant  Lily, 
but  flimsy  in  growth. 
The  members  of  the  speciosum  group  are  all  fairly  hardy,  but 
planted  outside  and  left,  they  have  gradually  deteriorated,  and  several 
I  do  not  expect  to  see  again.  I  agree  with  “  D.,  Deal,"  that  Mel¬ 
pomene  is  much  the  most  valuable,  and,  I  fancy,  the  hardiest,  and  is 
so  superior  to  rubrum  and  roseum  that  I  have  discarded  the  two  latter. 
Of  the  whites  I  prefer  the  old  album  ;  I  like  the  contrast  of  the  dark 
reddish-brown  pollen,  though  it  may  tint  one’s  nasal  organ  somewhat 
if  the  perfume  be  carelessly  inhaled,  and  perhaps  gain  you  a  character 
which  you  are  not  anxious  to  possess.  There  is  no  other  difference  in 
the  album  novum  unless  it  be  that  the  latter  has  narrower  petals;  not 
an  advantage,  surely.  L.  Ivrsetzeri  is  poor  compared  to  either  of  these. 
Excluding  Henrvi  of  the  speciosum  group,  I  am  content,  and  if  I 
may,  would  advise  others  to  be  content  with  these  two.  I  see  no 
difference  in  rubrum  and  roseum,  and  Melpomene  is  such  a  vast 
improvement  on  these  in  colour,  size  and  vigour,  that  in  a  small 
