2 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  6,  1889. 
of  the  parent  plant,  but  there  is  really  very  little  difference  in  the 
appearance  of  the  fi nit  on  all  these,  except  in  a  few  instances  where 
each  is  still  true  to  the  original.  The  bulk  of  the  plants  are  prodigious 
croppers,  the  fruit  being  round,  very  slightly  ribbed,  and  the  flower 
trusses  are  borne  in  great  clusters  instead  of  single  trusses,  each  pro¬ 
ducing  from  twelve  to  twenty  fruits.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  single 
truss  varieties,  such  as  Ham  Green,  will  have  to  make  room  for  those 
which  bear  large  clusters  of  flowers,  as  the  latter  are  invariably  the 
heavier  croppers.  Close  attention  to  selection  may,  perhap®,  in  time 
result  in  the  production  of  sorts  which  bear  such  beautifully  smooth 
fruits  as  Chtmin  Rouge  in  large  clusters.  This  variety,  which  is  so 
largely  grown  for  market,  is  perfect  in  size  and  shape,  but  there  are 
many  that  bear  heavier  crops  of  fruits  and  also  weigh  better. 
Many  groweis  adopt  the  plan  of  growing  only  one  variety,  which 
they  improve  by  selection  each  year.  This  practice  has  undoubtedly 
some  advantages,  not  the  least  being  that  fruits  of  uniform  size  and 
quality  can  be  depended  upon ;  but  to  my  mind,  when  the  same  stock 
is  grown  year  after  year,  the  productive  qualities  of  any  particular 
variety  deteriorate;  there  is  nothing  like  the  introduction  of  fresh 
blood  to  maintain  vigour  and  productiveness.  Instead  of  growing 
only  one  variety,  why  not  grow  two — such  as  Frogmore  and  Cbemin 
Rouge,  or  Up-to-Date  and  Lawrenson’s  No.  3,  then  artificial  or  natural 
fertilisation  should  be  the  curse  of  combining  in  the  progeny  the 
good  qualities  of  the  several  varieties,  and  the  “mixture”  of  blood 
would,  I  ffel  certain  from  observation,  have  the  result  of  maintaining 
the  vigour  of  our  stocks,  and,  if  possible,  giving  us  still  more  pro¬ 
ductive  varieties.  There  must,  I  suppose,  be  a  limit  to  possibilities 
on  this  point,  but,  judging  from  the  improvements  gradually  being 
made,  we  have  not  yet  reached  the  climax. 
Feeding  is  an  important  matter  in  bringing  heavily  cropped  plants 
through  satisfactorily.  Those  who  plant  in  a  good  depth  of  soil 
perhaps  find  their  plants  are  inclined  to  grow  too  strongly  in  the  early 
stages,  and  therefore  do  not  begin  to  feel  till  a  good  proportion  of  the 
fruits  attain  a  considerable  size.  Our  plants  grow  very  strongly,  so 
strongly  in  fact  that  visiting  growers  express  the  opinion  that  they 
should  fear  getting  only  a  poor  set  with  such  vigorous  plants;  but 
I  find  such  misapprehensions  quite  unnecessary  in  our  own  case,  as 
results  show,  and  we  begin  to  feed  as  soon  as  the  fruits  on  the  first  plants 
are  as  large  as  beans. 
Rut  it  should  be  stated  that  the  plants  are  all  grown  in  borders 
15  inches  in  width  and  9  in  depth,  and  they  are  planted  in  ordinary 
garden  soil  not  very  rich.  The  fruit  sets  so  freely  that  unless  feeding 
is  practised  thus  early  the  plants  cease  to  grow  as  rapidly  as  I  like 
them.  Chemical  manures  are  used  as  a  top-dressing,  and  liquid 
manure  is  given  occasionally.  If  these  are  too  freely  used  as  the  fiuits 
are  approaching  ripeness  they  become  soft,  but  by  ventilating  liberally 
and  cutting  the  fruits  before  they  are  quite  ripe  this  defect  is  avoided. 
When  one  considers  the  enormous  quantities  of  Tomatoes  sent  to 
our  markets  it  must,  I  think,  be  conceded  that  this  industry  is  one  of 
the  most  important  connected  with  horticuUure,  and  I  think — when 
well  carried  out — one  of  the  most  profitable,  as  with  reasonable 
attention  a  full  crop  may  be  secured  with  certainty,  and  with  just  as 
much  certainty  disposed  of,  though  sometimes  at  rather  too  low  a 
figure.— H.  Donkin. 
NEGLECTED  CREEPERS. 
Picturesque  dwellings  are  not  only  rendered  prettier  by 
judiciously  planted  and  trained  creepers,  but  many  a  severely  pdain 
building  is  redeemed  from  downright  ugliness  by  natural  drapery. 
The  late  spell  of  drought,  however,  emphasises  the  fact  that  not  rarely 
is  the  little  attention  they  demand,  and  which  their  important  position 
entitles  them  to  receive,  wanting  in  their  hour  of  need.  Some  there 
are,  certainly,  of  such  vigorous  constitution  and  cleanly  habit  as  to  be 
able  to  hold  their  own  against  all  the  ills  that  creepers  are  heir  to, 
such  as  the  Wistaria,  which,  by-the-by,  I  have  never  seen  affected 
with  spider,  fly,  or  any  other  kind  of  beastie,  but  these  are  the  exception 
rather  than  the  rule. 
Evergreens,  chiefly  represented  by  Ivies,  make,  too,  a  brave  fight 
against  hard  times,  but  the  insidious  red  spider  vexes  them  sorely,  and 
often  entails  that  unhappy  appearance  which  spells  neglect — this  on 
the  sunDy  side  which  for  a  dwelling  is  generally  the  most  important 
position.  Rhe  projecting  eaves  of  buildings  not  seldom  deprive 
creepers  of  their  due  share  of  heaven-sent  moisture,  and  given  such 
good  Ivies  as  pedata,  conglomerata,  and  scutiformis,  with  golden, 
silver,  and  tricolored  varieties,  they,  surely,  are  worthy  of  a  little 
attention  from  the  ministering  hand.  It  is  an  excellent  plan,  imme¬ 
diately  after  the  annual  spring  trimming,  to  give  the  whole  a 
thorough  washing.  On  the  larger  scale,  with  lofty  buildings  and  fire 
extinguishing  appliances  to  hand,  if  water  is  applied  with  some  force 
from  the  hose-pipe  it  is  able  to  dislodge  all  dust,  dirt,  or  debris  which 
a  season  collects,  and  is  both  a  cure  for  present  evils  as  well  as  a 
preventive  of  others  to  come.  On  the  smaller  scale  the  garden  engine 
or  syringe  will  do  the  work  effectively. 
The  present  time,  however,  is  our  immediate  concern,  and  more 
drastic  measures  may  be  necessaiy  ’o  rout  the  enemy.  Softsoap,  in  a 
solution  of  from  2  to  4  czs.  to  the  gallon  of  water,  applied  in  the  cool 
of  the  evening  is  a  simple  and  safe  r<medy,  and  if  used  warm  is  more 
effective.  It  should  not  be  overlooked  that  troubles  above  often 
proceed  from  causes  below,  poverty  as  well  as  drought  being  account¬ 
able  for  dirt  and  disease.  A  thorough  soaking  to  the  roots,  following 
on  a  forking-up  of  the  surface  soil,  to  which,  if  the  plants  are  strong,  a 
liberal  sprinkling  of  chemical  manure  may  be  given,  will  prove  to  be 
both  grateful  and  comforting  to  the  starved  recipients. 
With  climbers,  in  no  case  is  neglect  more  apparent  than  where 
Roses  are  employed.  Banksian  Roses  seem  to  escape  fairly  well,  but 
although  their  good  qualities  comprise  cleanly  habits  and  a  practically 
evergreen  nature,  they  are  rarely  seen.  It  is,  alas  !  pitiful  to  note, 
as  one  often  does,  fine  old  bushes  of  multiflora  and  others  of  that  ilk 
struggling  under  a  burden  of  aphis.  A  good  washing  of  quassia 
water,  with  which  a  little  softsoap  has  been  incorporated,  is  cheap  and 
effective,  and  one  thorough  cleansing  will  probably  be  found  sufficient 
for  a  season,  owing  to  the  bitter  properties  of  the  quassia  being 
retained  for  some  time  on  the  plants.  Not  less  is  neglect  too  often 
apparent  in  the  way  of  a  little  judicious  pruning,  training,  and  tying; 
such  simple  matters  not  seldom  being  deferred  until  a  hopeless  tangle 
leaves  little  alternative  to  that  of  shearing  off  the  whole  mass  to  the 
bone. — Invicta. 
BLOSSOM  BUD  FORMATION. 
The  Editor  wrote,  on  page  467,  “  Mr.  Abbey  seems  to  be  resting.” 
“Resting”  implies  work  done,  but  searchers  tor  truth  in  matters  still 
obscure  have  never  done.  Blossom  bud  formation  was  discussed  in 
the  Journal  of  Horticulture  several  years  ago,  though  the  terms  were 
somewhat  differently  expressed  than  in  the  present  case. 
1,  What  is  a  blossom  bud  ?  A  flower  bud,  as  confined  exclusively 
to  the  Apple  and  Pear  (to  which  Mr.  Picker’s  original  article  solely 
refers)  is  a  terminal  or  axillary  one,  containing  one  or  more  incipient 
flowers  within  the  leaves.  Thus  the  blossom  bud  of  an  Apple  or 
Pear  is  a  compound  bud — it  contains  flowers  and  leaves.  The 
flowers  are  distinct — wrapped  up  in  their  own  floral  leaves,  and 
situated  within  the  ordinary  leaves,  which  have  an  outer  covering  of 
scales.  All  the  rudiments  of  the  future  flowers  and  leaves  are  found 
in  such  bud,  not  only  in  spring  but  at  the  fall  of  the  leaf. 
The  flowers  are  perfect — the  central  axis  represents  a  definite 
number  (though  variable  in  different  buds)  of  flowers,  each  flower 
with  a  determinate  amount  of  ovaries  and  ovules  with  appropriate 
pistillate  organs,  which,  with  the  outer  covering,  form  the  fruit, 
this  bearing  externally  and  at  its  apex  the  calyxes,  petals,  and 
stamiuate  organs  of  fructification. 
2,  How  is  it  formed  ?  By  transfoimation  of  the  growing 
point  or  central  axis  into  a  series  of  pomes  instead  of  stems,  which 
bear  within  them  the  counterpart  of  the  parent — root,  stem,  every¬ 
thing — subject  to  the  quickening  influence  of  the  pollinary  element. 
It  originates,  like  a  leaf  bud,  in  the  horizontal  or  cellular  system,  and 
is  formed  under  the  bark  at  the  extremity  of  the  medullary  rays.  The 
bud  usually  forms  at  the  base  of  leaves,  as  in  the  case  of  spurs,  or  in 
the  axil  of  a  leaf,  as  occurs  in  some  cases  when  the  buds  on  tbe  current 
year’s  growth  develop  into  blossom  buds,  whether  terminal  or  lateral. 
In  principle  the  bud  is  formed  by  the  leaf — or,  rather,  the  matter 
it  elaborates,  and  which  the  plant  concentrates  for  a  definite  purpose. 
In  the  case  of  a  wood  bud  for  an  increase  of  parts  of  the  parental 
plant,  and  in  that  of  a  blossom  bud  for  reproductive  purposes.  But 
the  leaf  doctrine  receives  very  little  countenance  from  the  fact  that 
stems,  underground  or  aerial,  can  produce  buds,  and  these  both  leaf 
and  flower.  In  tracing  the  matter  the  more  we  become  involved  in 
inherent  tendency,  which  is  practically  governed  by  environal  circum¬ 
stances. 
3,  What  helps  and  what  hinders  its  production  ?  This  is  con¬ 
trolled  both  by  inherent  tendency  and  external  circumstances,  nut 
more  by  the  former  than  the  latter.  Some  Apples  and  Pears  are 
notoriously  prolific.  The  Hawthornden  race  of  Apples  bear  early,  but 
Blenheim  Pippin  and  ihe  Russet  tribe  are  slow  in  coming  into  bearing. 
Richness  of  soil,  a  climate  favourable  for  growth,  severe  manipulation, 
and  the  like,  promote  growth.  On  the  other  hand,  relative  poorness 
of  soil,  drought  as  opposed  to  wetness,  checks  to  growth  resulting 
from  root  pruning,  and  the  concentration  of  force,  as  induced  by  the 
employing  of  so-called  dwarfing  stocks,  induce  blossom.  Manures, 
too,  exert  an  influence.  Nitrogenous  kinds  prevent  or  defer  blossom 
bud  formation,  while  even  potassic  forms,  without  lime,  also  promote 
leaf  development.  Lime,  however,  with  phosphatic  and  magnesian 
elements,  incites  fruitfulness  in  many  cases. 
4,  If,  and  in  what  way,  a  blossom  bud  can  be  changed  into  a 
growth  bud  ?  Still  adhering  strictly  to  Apples  and  Pears,  I  may  say 
that  of  many  buds  examined  for  various  reasons,  but  more  especially 
