64 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  20,  1899. 
Carnations  from  Mr.  C.  A.  Young,  of  West  Derby,  who  is  one  of  the  lead¬ 
ing  specialists  of  the  day,  the  visitors  were  not  slow  to  see  the  many 
good  points  they  contained. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Delphiniums. 
These  are  among  the  most  beautiful  of  perennial  border  plants,  and  at 
the  present  time  enrich  our  gardens  by  a  wealth  of  tall  spikes  of  various 
shades  of  single  and  double  blue  flowers.  The  situation  best  suited  for 
Delphiniums  is  in  the  foreground  of  shrubbery  borders,  which  affords 
them  shelter  from  strong  winds.  Although  they  will  grow  in  any  kind 
of  soil,  a  deep,  light  loam  is  preferred,  as  in  that  they  do  not  suffer  by 
want  of  sufficient  moisture,  and  can  send  their  roots  deeply  for  the  food 
they  require. 
If  extra  large  specimens  are  desired,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  dig  a  hole  for 
each  plant  and  work  in  at  the  bottom  some  decayed  manure  by  mixing  it 
up  with  a  fork,  when,  after  filling  in  again,  the  plants  may  be  inserted. 
The  best  time  to  do  this  is  in  the  spring,  just  as  the  crowx.s  begin  to  start, 
at  which  period  they  may  be  cut  through  with  a  spade  or  lifted  and 
divided,  when,  if  planted  in  positions  prepared  in  the  way  mentioned, 
they  will  soon  make  large  clumps  and  produce  a  magnificent  effect. 
Delphiniums  also  come  readily  from  seed,  which  most  of  the  single 
types  produce  freely  ;  and  this  may  be  sown  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe,  or  in 
the  spring,  at  whichever  period  may  be  the  most  convenient.  I 
should  give  preference  to  the  first-named,  as  plants  raised  during  the 
summer  will  flower  the  following  year.  In  this  case  the  seed  may  be 
sown  early  next  month  under  a  hand-light,  in  light  sandy  soil,  but  if  left 
until  March  a  little  heat  is  necessary  to  insure  germination. — F.  W.  G. 
Herbaceous  Calceolarias. 
The  Calceolaria  furnishes  us  with  a  brilliant  display  of  bloom  at  a 
time  when  the  conservatory,  in  my  opinion,  most  needs  it.  This  section 
is  very  popular  and  easily  grown,  yet  to  have  good  plants  satisfactory 
in  every  wav  the  cultivator  must  have  two  maxims  always  at  his  fingers’ 
ends — viz.,  keep  the  plants  cool  and  keep  them  clean.  If  he  follows  these 
rules,  and  the  plants  are  properly  watered  and  nourished  at  the  roots, 
success  will  follow. 
The  best  method  of  culture  I  have  found  to  be  the  following  :  If  two 
successions  of  plants  are  to  be  grown,  the  seeds  for  the  first  should  be  sowm 
about  the  middle  of  June,  the  later  sowing  the  third  week  in  July.  Sow 
in  pans  of  light  sandy  soil  previously  w-atered,  very  lightly  covering 
the  seeds  with  silver  sand  and  fine  soil.  Keep  close  and  shaded  until  the 
seedlings  appear,  w  hen  more  air  and  light  must  be  given  them.  As  soon  as 
they  are  large  enough  prick  them  out  into  boxes  2  inches  apart,  using 
similiar  soil  to  that  used  for  the  pans,  aga  n  placing  them  in  a  cool, 
moist,  and  shady-  position  until  they  have  recovered  and  are  growing 
freely.  When  they  are  ready  for  3-inch  pots  use  a  compost  a  little  heavier 
than  that  used  for  the  seedling  boxes. 
It  is  a  bone  of  contention  with  many  gardeners  whether  they  need 
shading  or  not  after  this  stage,  but  I  think  it  depends  largely  on  the 
bouse  or  frame  in  which  they  are  grown  and  the  aspect.  AYe  arrange 
ours  on  a  bed  of  moist  ashes  in  an  old-fashioned  pit,  the  sashes  and  bars 
of.  which  are  so  numerous  and  close  together  as  to  render  shading 
unnecessary.  The  young  plants  are  lightly  syringed  with  rain  water 
twice  daily  in  bright  weather,  and  the  ashes  and  stages  kept  moist.  If  it 
is  seen  that  the  plants  fag  during  bright  sunshine,  and  have  not  the  deep 
fresh  green  characteristic  of  healthy  plants,  then  shade  lightly.  What¬ 
ever  is  used  for  this  purpose,  however,  should  be  movable,  as  they  must 
have  plenty  of  light. 
Water  carefully  at  first,  and  always  try  to  keep  the  roots  moderately 
moist.  Give  abundance  of  air  when  the  young  plants  are  growing  freely, 
but  care  must  be  taken  to  avoid  draughts.  Examine  them  frequently,  and 
should  green  fly  attack  them,  either  dip  in  an  insecticide  or  fumigate  at 
once.  Repot  them  as  they  require  it,  never  allowing  them  to  get  root- 
bound  and  starved  ;  this  is  unavoidably  in  some  cases  the  cause  of  failure. 
The  earliest  plants  should  be  in  the  flowering  pots  not  later  than  the 
first  week  in  October,  so  that  they  will  become  fairly  established  ere  the 
dull  short  days  arrive.  The  soil  for  the  final  potting  should  be  one-half 
light  loam,  the  remainder  good  leaf  sod  and  old  Mushroom  bed  refuse, 
only  enough  sand  being  added  to  keep  the  whole  porous.  Avoid  a  close 
stagnant  atmosphere  at  all  times,  in  the  winter  especially,  watering  with 
great  care,  and  remove  decaying  leaves  as  often  as  possible. 
A  cool  house  from  which  frost  is  excluded  will  be  best  during  the 
winter,  as  they  can  have  better  attention  and  more  light  and  air  than 
wmuld  be  the  case  if  they  were  in  cold  frames.  Fumigate  the  plants 
whenever  green  fly  attacks  them,  as  success  largely  depends  on  their  being 
clean  and  healthy.  The  later  plants  can  winter  in  5-inch  pots  and  be 
potted  finally  in  January.  Some  will  require  pinching  once  during  their 
growth,  others  will  grow  into  good  specimens  naturally.  My  experience 
shows  them  to  be  gross  feeders  ;  liquid  manure  and  artificials  applied 
judiciously  promote  vigorous  growth,  enabling  them  to  resist,  to  a  large 
extent,  their  worst  enemy — i.e.,  green  fly.  Feeding  should  commence 
as  soon  as  the  roots  are  well  round  the  sides  of  the  flowering  pots. 
Subsequent  treatment  will  consist  in  keeping  tbe  plants  free  from  insect 
pests  and  removing  dead  or  decaying  leaves.  Keep  them  near  the  glass, 
and  never  employ  fire  heat  except  to  keep  out  lrost.  As  the  flower 
stems  grow  support  them  with  thin  light  stakes,  which  should  be  hidden 
by  the  foliage  as  much  as  possible.  A  fine  effect  can  be  produced  by 
grouping  or  banking  them  in*  the  conservatory  and  edging  with  Ferns 
and  grasses. — Nil  Desperandum, 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Shortening  Young  Shoots  of  Fruit  Trees. — Wall  fruit  trees,  piincipally 
Apples  and  Pears,  trained  bushes  and  pyramids  of  these  fruits  in  the 
open,  must  con'inue  to  be  subjected  to  the  necessary  pruning  for  reducing 
the  length  of  the  summer  growths.  When  fruit  trees  are  trained  in  a 
particular  form  the  number  of  the  main  branches  is  limited,  or  should  be, 
to  just  sufficient  for  defining  the  outline.  This  is  carried  out  gradually 
in  the  early  stages  of  growth,  and  continued  year  by  year  until  the  tree 
is  large  enough,  or  has  filled  the  space  allotted  to  it  for  the  extension  of 
main  branches. 
Fr.,m  the  second  year  of  the  existence  of  a  main  branch  and  its 
leading  extensions  side  shoots  are  thrown  out,  and  these,  except  under 
the  most  favourable  conditions,  extend  longer  than  is  desirable.  It  is  the 
custom,  therefore,  at  this  season  to  summer-prune  or  stop  rampant  shoots 
of  this  character,  in  order  that  the  vigour  which  Is  wasting  in  long 
growth  may  be  concentrated  on  the  leaves  at  the  base,  for  supplying  the 
greatest  amount  of  nutrient  matter  for  potential  fruit  buds. 
Some  fruit  trees  show  an  equalised  balance  of  wood  growth  and  root 
action,  hence  the  production  of  long  summer  shoots  does  not  take  place, 
but  instead  short  stubby  growth,  with  a  plump  central  bud,  develops. 
Such  trees  require  no  pruning,  except  perhaps  in  the  way  of  thinning- 
out.  Others  may  produce  foth  kinds  of  growths.  The  lortg  growths 
ought,  therefore,  to  be  shortened  back  to  four  good  leaves,  or  removed 
entirely.  If  there  is  still  space  to  fib,  train-in  the  leading  shoot  without 
shortening.  Strong  shoots,  which  start  from  the  old  wood  in  any  part  of 
tbe  tree,  should  be  closely  cut  out  unless  it  is  necessary  to  fill  space. 
Laying  in  Young  Growths  of  Fruit  Trees. — Many  wall  fruit  trees, 
not  including  Apples  and  Pears,  bear  the  most  freely  and  profitably  on 
young  wood.  This  may  be  produced  one  year,  and  bear  fruit  the  next. 
This  is  the  case  with  Apricots,  Peaches.  Nectarines,  and  Morello  Cherries, 
but.  as  a  rule,  with  Plums  and  Sweet  Cherries  the  current  year’s  shoots 
require  mere  than  one  season  to  produce  (Tuit  buds.  When  laying  in 
wood  for  bearing  one  thing  must  bo  guarded  against,  and  that  is  crowd¬ 
ing.  Morello  Cherries  may  have  the  shoots  more  thickly  placed  than 
other  stone  fruit0,  but  after  all  there  is  little  lost  by  having  the  shoots 
thinly  placed  so  that  they  may  be  thoroughly  well  ripened.  Better  crops 
result  from  a  limited  number  of  well-managed  growths  than  lrom  a  crowd 
of  superfluous  shoots  and  leases. 
Lay  in  Morello  Cherry  sheots  3  or  4  inches  apart,  and  Peach  and 
Nectaiine  shoots  6  inches.  Plum  and  Sweet  Cherry  growths  are  invariably 
long  and  comparatively  slrontr,  hence  should  be  allowed  more  room. 
Regular  attention  roust  be  paid  to  young  trees  in  the  course  of  forma¬ 
tion.  The  leading  growths  must  have  no  obstructions  to  direct  extension. 
Currants. — The  summer  stopping  of  Red  and  White  Currants  ought 
now  to  be  completed.  Shorten  to  three  pairs  of  leaves.  The  stopping 
will  improve  the  bushes  in  appearance,  as  the  points  of  shoots  are 
frequently  infested  with  fly,  or  in  some  cases  disfigured  by  blistered 
foliage.  The  pruning  removes  this,  and  admits  light  and  air  to  the  fruits. 
Black  Currants  are  beat  pruned  after  the  crop  has  been  gathered.  A  good 
selection  of  strong  growths  should  be  retained  for  future  bearing,  cutting 
out  a  proportion  of  the  older  wood,  especially  anv  exhausted  by  bearing. 
A  copious  watering  w  ill  tend  to  ripen  the  crop  where  that  is  not  accom¬ 
plished,  and  a  mulching  ol  rich  manure  is  beneficial. 
Ripening  Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Fruit  docs  not  ripen  properly 
unliss  a  due  amount  of  moisture  is  available  for  the  roots.  This  should 
bo  accorded  by  copious  supplies  of  water  and  an  application  of  liquid 
manure,  followed  bv  a  mulching.  Admit  sun  to  the  fruit  by  drawing 
aside  such  leaves  as  would  shade  it.  Superfluous  wood  ought  to  be 
removed,  this  relief  being  of  assistance  in  th^  ripening  of  the  fruit. 
Protect  with  hexagon  netting  where  birds  are  liable  to  attack  tbe  crop. 
Watering  and  Feeding  Fruit  Trees. — In  order  to  assist  fruit  trees  in 
supporting  and  nourishing  a  good  crop,  it  is  very  important  that  the  trees 
do  not  suffer  from  insufficiency  of  water.  An  adequate  amount  of 
moisture  in  the  soil  is  desirable  before  applying  special  food  in  the  form 
of  artificial  stimulants,  or  even  liquid  manure.  Soil  that  is  dry  and  hard 
on  the  surface  must  be  lightly  forked  over,  without  disturbing  the  roots. 
A  liberal  mulching  of  manure  may  be  spread  over  the  roots,  as  it  serves 
to  retain  the  water  when  applied  until  it  gradually  percolates  into  the 
ground.  When  the  soil  has  thus  been  moistened  fertilisers  may  with 
advantage  be  given  ;  4  ozs.  to  the  square  yard  of  a  general  artificial 
manure  may  be  distributed  and  well  watered  in.  When  liquid  manure  is 
readily  obtainable  a  liberal  supply  should  be  afforded  after  a  copious 
watering.  Trees  bearing  heavy  crops,  and  those  with  light  crops,  but 
making  poor  growth  of  wood,  are  benefited  the  most. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Cherry  House. — The  trees  have  now  plumped  the  buds,  and  the  leaves 
are  not  capable  of  much  further  effort  in  elaborating  the  sap,  and  storing 
it  in  the  buds  and  adjacent  wood,  therefore  any  undue  excitement  will 
cause  the  trees  to  restart  into  growth.  This  must  be  guarded  against 
