November  30,  1890. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
475 
-  Apple  Nanny. — I  am  sorry  to  tell  “A.  E.,  Devon ”  (page  451) 
that  even  Paradise  stocks  have  not  yet  induced  early  fruitfulness,  although 
in  one  instance  this  practice  extends  ten  years  with  young  trees.  The 
variety  is,  however,  being  now  tested  by  lifting  periodically  when  budded 
on  the  English  Paradise  stock.  I  fear  it  is  much  like  Blenheim  Pippin 
in  this  respect  ;  those  who  planted  thirty  years  ago  are  now  reaping 
tenfold  more  than  those  who  planted  a  third  of  that  period  back  — 
E.  Molyneux. 
- -  Autumn  versus  Spring  Planting. — Autumn  is  undoubtedly 
the  preferable  time  in  this  country  for  general  planting  operations 
to  be  carried  out.  Young  plants  inserted  in  spring,  especially 
if  the  soil  is  light,  have  only  a  poor  chance  of  succeeding 
after  the  three  months’  drought,  to  which  especially  during  past 
years,  they  are  subjected.  Rather  plant  in  autumn,  when  the 
winter  rains  will  have  consolidated  the  soil  around  the  roots  and 
left  the  young  trees  in  the  best  possible  condition  for  starting  into  growth 
in  the  following  spring.  The  bad_  effects  of  spring  planting  have,  says  a 
contemporary,  been  widely  felt  throughout  England  during  the  past  four 
or  five  seasons.  The  planting  of  shrubs  should,  for  similar  reasons,  be 
taken  in  hand  at  once. 
-  Storing  Potatoes. — The  horticultural  department  of  the 
Oklahoma  Experiment  Station  has  been  conducting  experiments  in  the 
growing  and  storing  of  Potatoes  during  the  present  season.  While  it  is 
yet  too  early  to  say  with  certainty  that  any  given  method  will  prove  far 
superior  to  any  other,  some  results  have  been  obtained  which  indicate 
the  following  to  be  cheap  and  fully  as  effective  as  anything  else  tried  : — 
After  digging  the  Potatoes,  those  which  show  evidence  of  decay  should 
be  rejected,  and  the  sound  Potatoes  packed  in  boxes  with  dry  sand  in  a 
sufficient  amount  to  just  prevent  the  Potatoes  from  touching  each  other 
in  the  boxes.  The  boxes  should  be  placed  in  a  cool,  dry  cave,  freedom 
from  moisture  being  particularly  desirable.  While  the  station  does  not 
recommend  this  as  an  absolutely  certain  way  of  keeping  Potatoes,  it 
advises  the  trial  of  it  on  quite  an  extended  scale. 
-  Trees  on  the  Pacific  Coast.— Next  to  the  “sounding 
sea,”  are  the  “  dim  aisles  of  the  forest,”  for  filling  the  whole  being  with 
new  life.  The  salt  sea  breeze,  the  undulating  waves  of  the  ocean  and  the 
pine-clad  forest  both  bring  us  into  a  sanctuary,  where  we  listen  and 
almost  hold  our  breath  lest  we  mar  the  more  than  mortal  speech  of  the 
whispering  waves  or  the  sighing  leaves.  ’Tis  grand  to  be  for  a  time  on  the 
briny  deep  and  quaff  the  pure  air,  or  to  be  on  mountain  tops  and  inhale 
the  very  breath  of  the  growing  trees  and  fill  the  whole  being  with  newness 
of  life.  Let  us  be  grateful  for  the  breeze  of  ocean  and  for  the  breath  of 
the  mountain  Pine.  After  coming  to  California,  we  had  seen  no  running 
w  ater  or  fir  trees  until  we  took  a  camping  trip  to  the  mountains.  “  A 
glowing  scene  of  leaves  and  water  and  light,”  one  might  well  exclaim 
upon  Cayamaca  Mountains,  where  running  water  made  music,  and 
various  kinds  of  Mistletoe  with  their  pearl-like  fruit  adorned  the  Oaks, 
Cedars  and  Pines.  In  the  tenth  United  States  census  report  there  are 
given  thirteen  species  of  Pines  as  growing  east  of  the  Mississippi  River; 
twenty-three  Oaks,  six  Maples,  four  Elms,  seven  Magnolias,  eight 
Hickories,' and  six|Ash. — Mrs.  E.  E.  Orcutt  (in  “Meehan’s  Monthly.”) 
-  Early  Potatoes. — As  the  Chiswick  Garden  authorities  have 
determined  to  have  a  trial  of  first  early  Potatoes  next  year  in  the 
Gardens — a  very  desirable  one — I  should  like  to  suggest,  if  it  be  possible 
and  space  will  allow,  that  two  plantings  of  each  variety  take  place  at 
intervals  of  a  month.  It  is  so  much  the  rule  to  plant  early  var’eties, 
even  where  it  may  not  be  possible  to  furnish  needful  protection,  quite 
early  that  the  tubers  have  to  face  a  cold  soil,  and  the  tops  when  they  come 
through  the  ground  a  cold,  and  not  unfrequently,  especially  at  night,  a 
very  cold  atmosphere.  Neither  of  these  conditions  is  favourable  to 
Potato  production.  This  early  p'anting  usually  takes  place  in  March. 
Now  I  would  like  to  see  at  Chiswick  one  row  planted  of  a  variety  in 
March,  say  the  last  week,  and  one  at  the  end  of  April.  That  would 
enable  a  fair  judgment  to  be  obtained  as  to  the  very  best  date  for  such 
planting  and  the  results.  Given  a  favourable,  that  is,  a  warm  open 
spring,  no  doubt  the  March  planting  would  prove  the  best.  But  then 
bow  very  seldom  do  we  havesueh  springs,  and  how  very  often  is  April 
and  the  first  half  of  May  very  cold  and  productive  of  white  frosts.  Under 
such  conditions  Potato  plants  are  greatly  checked,  and  not  infrequently 
seriously  injured.  The  late  April  plantings  might  escape  such  troubles, 
and  find  the  soil  then  several  degrees  warmer  than  it  would  be  in 
March.  Obviously  it  does  not  follow  that  early  planting  conduces 
in  all  cases  to  early  crops,  and  it  may  be  that  later  planting  with  more 
favourable  conditions  is  after  all  the  better  practice. — A.  Kingston. 
-  Apple  Hillier’s  Easter  Orange. — I  should  like  to  draw 
the  attention  of  planters  to  this  Apple,  which  is  destined  to  make  a  big 
reputation  in  the  near  future.  In  appearance  it  much  resembles  Cox’s 
Orange  Pippin,  and  from  its  name  is  intended  for  that  period  of  the  year 
when  undoubtedly  good  Apples  of  any  section  are  somewhat  scarce.  It 
has  an  attractive  appearance,  and  should  prove  a  boon  to  those  who 
require  late  fruit.  I  have  lately  seen  much  of  this  Apple,  and  think  so 
well  of  it  that  I  intend  to  give  it  a  fair  trial. — E.  M. 
-  Privet  and  Bryony.  —  Most  people  look  upon  the  Privet 
as  a  shrub  apt  to  make  a  good  deal  too  much  of  itself,  and  the  Bryony 
as  a  troublesome  weed  ;  but  as  sometimes  seen  they  are  beautiful.  A  tell 
Privet  bush,  growing  in  a  rough  part  of  our  shrubbery,  has  been 
covered  all  the  summer  with  the  long  Vine-like  shoots  and  tendrils  of  the 
Bryony,  and  now  the  leaf  is  off,  the  brilliant  clusters  of  berries  against 
the  bronzed  leaves  of  the  Privet  form  a  strikingly  pretty  little 
picture. — R. 
-  Picking  and  Stealing. — You  will  see  by  the  trade  paper 
enclosed  that  the  Editor  has  reprinted  an  article  of  mine  from  last  week’s 
Journal  without  having  the  courtesy  to  acknowledge  the  source  from 
whence  it  was  obtained.  I  thought  you  would  like  to  know  this. — 
The  Writer.  [The  omission  referred  to  may  have  been  accidental, 
and  if  so  the  Editor  of  the  paper  in  question  will  do  what  is  right  in  the 
matter.  Only  needy  editors  of  weak  low-class  journals  deliberately  steal 
matter  from  their  contemporaries.] 
-  Preserving  Eruit  in  Colours.— Experiments  in  preserving 
fruits  in  their  natural  colours  have  been  in  progress  at  the  Texas 
Experiment  Station.  Professor  Price  says  he  now  has  125  varieties  of 
Grapes  gathered  last  year  and  preserved.  Most  of  them  look  nearly  as 
well  as  they  did  when  gathered  from  the  Vines.  However,  it  is  found 
that  2  per  cent,  solution  of  formaldehyde  discolours  acid  Grapes.  Quite 
an  improvement  was  discovered  in  adding  enough  common  soda  to  the 
material  to  neutralise  the  acid  in  the  Grapes,  but  even  this  does  not  moke 
a  complete  preserving  material  for  the  more  acid  varieties. 
-  Horticultural  Club.  —  The  usual  monthly  meeting  and 
conversazione  was  held  on  Tuesday  evening  at  the  rooms  of  the  Club, 
Hotel  Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  when  there  was  a  good 
attendance  of  members.  The  subject  for  discussion  was  “The  Eruit  Crop 
of  1899,”  which  was  opened  by  Mr.  Alfred  H.  Pearson  in  a  practical  and 
instructive  paper,  which  we  give  on  page  466.  A  most  valuable 
discussion  followed,  in  which  such  experts  as  Mr.  George  Bunyard,  Mr. 
Monro,  Mr.  Alfred  Rivers  and  others  joined.  It  was  much  appreciated 
by  all  present,  and  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  Mr.  Pearson 
for  his  paper. 
-  Birds  and  Eruit  Buds. — As  the  time  is  fast  approachii  g 
when,  according  to  past  experience,  we  may  expect  to  have  our  Goose¬ 
berry,  Plum,  Pear,  and  outdoor  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  denuded  of 
their  fruit  buds  again  by  the  bullfinches,  I  should  esteem  it  a  favour  if 
any  of  your  correspondents  would  give  advice  as  to  the  best  dressing  to 
apply  to  the  trees  to  prevent  their  eating  the  buds.  Shooting  or  trapping 
may  prevent  their  destruction  to  some  extent,  but  even  then  the  trees  are 
in  jeopardy,  and  not  by  any  means  safe  from  attack.  Gardens  in  this 
district  suffered  severely  last  winter,  and  consequently  there  was  little 
fruit  in  the  summer. — R.  M.,  Babington,  Bath. 
METEOROLOGICAI.  OBSERVATIONS  AT  CHISWICK . 
— Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens -height  above 
sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
O 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
-  • 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
<x> 
u 
1899. 
November. 
a  • 
0^3 
S.2 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Rain. 
At 
At 
At 
Is.® 
a  § 
H 
3 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest.  | 
1-ft. 
deep. 
2-ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
E.S.E. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
ins. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Sunday  ..19 
43.1 
42T 
46-1 
36  T 
— 
45-6 
48'5 
51  *7 
27-4 
Monday.  .20 
W.N.W. 
41-9 
40-7 
48-5 
31-8 
— 
44-2 
48'3 
51-5 
24-3 
Tuesday  21 
Wed’sday  22 
N.N.W. 
37-6 
37-2 
46-3 
32'5 
— 
44-2 
47-9 
51-2 
24-0 
W.N.W. 
46'9 
45-0 
49-0 
36-7 
— 
44-7 
47'8 
61 T 
27-5 
Thursday  23 
W.N.W. 
45-9 
43-0 
49'8 
43-9 
— 
45-5 
47-8 
50-9 
31'0 
Friday  . .  24 
s.w. 
48-2 
45-1 
50-2 
43-8 
— 
45-9 
47-8 
60-6 
30-7 
Saturday  25 
s.w. 
48  T 
45'9 
51-7 
46  T 
— 
46-5 
— 
47'9 
60-5 
37-8 
Means  .. 
44-5 
42-7 
48-8 
38-7 
Total 
45-2 
48-0 
61 T 
29-0 
The  weather  has  been  dull  and  dry,  no  rain  having  fallen  since  the 
9th  inst. 
