308 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
April  2,  1896. 
the  roots.  Fuchsias  that  have  attained  to  the  above  mentioned  size 
should  make  grand  specimens  some  6  or  8  feet  high  the  second  year. 
When  being  started  into  growth  in  the  spring  they  must  be  pruned 
back  slightly  and  potted  straight  away  into  12  or  14-inch  pots.  I  would 
not  advise  that  they  be  grown  after  the  second  or  third  year,  as 
young  healthy  plants  are  much  superior  to  old  specimens. 
The  following  is  a  selection  of  twelve  of  the  best  varieties  to  grow  for 
making  good  specimens,  although  there  are  many  others  well  worth 
cultivating  in  a  large  collection,  but  are  not  of  so  good  habit — 
Avalanche,  Beauty  of  Trowbridge,  Gazelle,  Improvement,  Lye’s 
Excelsior,  Lucy  Mills,  Lustre  (improved).  Mdme.  Jules  ChrStien, 
Bose  of  Castile,  Rose  of  Denmark,  Venus  Victrix,  and  Wave  of  Life. 
— H.  T.  M. 
NOTES  ON  HARDY  FRUITS. 
Pruning-  and  Trimming — Canker. 
It  is  somewhat  late  to  write  about  general  pruning,  but  there  are 
several  apparently  small  but  really  important  matters  connected  with 
the  operation  which  may  be  seasonably  noted.  At  no  time  of  the  year 
is  the  damaged  tissue  of  fruit  trees  more  quickly  restored  or  more  readily 
healed  than  in  the  period  when  growth  is  commencing,  and  for  this 
reason  I  always  make  a  practice  of  carefully  examining  all  the  trees 
under  my  charge  at  the  present  time,  no  matter  when  the  pruning  was 
performed. 
If  there  has  been  any  past  carelessness,  jagged  cutting,  leaving  too 
much  wood  above  the  buds,  or  other  effects  of  hurry  or  oversight,  the 
evils  can  be  in  some  measure  remedied  now.  A  sharp  knife  and  a  steady 
hand,  so  that  clean  surfaces  only  are  left  exposed,  will  insure  an  effec¬ 
tive  healing  before  the  sun  is  powerful  enough  to  seriously  dry  the 
substance  of  the  branch  or  shoot.  Another  advantage  follows  from  this 
attention — namely,  the  removal  in  many  cases  of  the  eggs  of  insects, 
which  are  frequently  found  between  the  bark  and  the  wood  where  long 
snags  have  been  left ;  but  care  mu9t  be  exercised  to  collect  and  burn 
the  whole  of  such  trimmings — in  fact  it  is  better,  where  trouble  has 
been  experienced  with  insect  enemies,  to  never  allow  the  severed  wood 
to  fall  to  the  ground,  placing  it  at  once  in  a  handle  basket  for  removal. 
Where  there  is  evidence  of  canker  also  1  prefer  the  spring  months 
for  excision,  cutting  away  the  diseased  portion  down  to  the  living  bark 
and  wood.  If  the  tree  be  vigorous  and  the  disease  is  restricted  to  a  few 
places  on  the  branches  complete  healing  may  result  in  one  season  ;  but 
if  it  is  in  a  more  advanced  stage  on  the  main  stem  the  recovery  is  slower, 
because  the  wound  is  of  necessity  deeper.  It  is  now  well  established 
that  the  minute  parasitic  fuDgus  Nectiia  ditissima  is  the  attendant  upon 
if  not  the  accual  cause  of  the  disease,  and  spraying  with  a  proved 
fungicide  becomes  needful  in  addition  to  the  surgical  operation  advised. 
Sulphate  of  copper  or  Bordeaux  mixture,  which  has  been  proved 
efficacious  in  Potato  disease,  and  several  others  of  fungoid  origin,  i3  also 
beneficial  for  canker,  either  painting  the  cut  surfaces  or  spraying  the 
whole  tree  in  the  ordinary  way  before  the  buds  expand.  By  attention 
to  the  improvement  of  root  conditions  and  the  matters  already  explained 
it  is  possible  to  prevent  the  extension  of  canker,  though  it  may  not 
always  be  possible  to  restore  a  badly  affected  tree. 
Nitrogenous  Manures  for  Fruit  Trees. 
The  clear  and  concise  remarks  of  “  Azota”  (page  283)  upon  this 
subject  greatly  interested  me,  and  I  hope  will  be  the  means,  as  my  first 
note  stated,  of  inducing  some  discussion,  and  concentrating  more 
attention  upon  an  important  subject.  Perhaps  I  might  illustrate  my 
view  of  the  service  rendered  by  nitrogenous  manures  by  two  practical 
examples.  First,  in  potting  a  strong  growing  plant  we  employ  a  com¬ 
post  that,  as  nearly  as  we  can  judge,  contains  all  the  essentials  for  its 
development ;  but  if  there  are  subsequent  signs  of  partial  exhaustion, 
or  at  a  time  when  there  is  likely  to  be  a  strain  upon  the  plant’s 
resources,  either  of  flowering  or  fruiting,  wo  supply  a  stimulant  in  the 
shape  of  liquid  manure  with  considerable  advantage.  Of  course  this 
liquid  contains  more  than  nitrogenous  aid,  but  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  it  is  to  the  ammonia  we  are  chiefly  indebted, 
The  other  example  was  furnished  some  years  ago  in  a  season  when  I 
had  many  thousands  of  Lobelias  to  raise  from  cuttings,  and  a  very  small 
stock  to  start  with.  Some  of  the  varieties  were  in  one  house,  and  others 
in  an  adjoining  one,  separated  only  by  a  partition,  the  conditions  as  to 
heat,  light,  &c.,  being  identical.  In  one  of  these  the  paths  and  pipes 
were  daily  sprinkled  with  weak  diluted  liquid  manure,  and  in  this  case 
more  than  twice  the  growths  were  obtained  in  the  same  period  of  time, 
though  the  varieties  were  equally  free  in  habit  under  ordinary  circum¬ 
stances.  My  view  of  this  was  that  a  portion  of  the  ammonia  evaporated 
during  the  day  was  deposited  from  the  air  at  night  both  on  foliage  and 
soil,  reaching  the  roots  in  a  readily  assimilable  form. 
In  the  case  of  fruit  trees  we  require  a  fertile  soil,  which  should 
contain  the  substances  named  by  “Azota but  if  from  any  circumstances 
leaf  development  is  checked,  or  insufficient  for  the  subsequent  health  of 
the  tree,  nitrogenous  manures  will  give  the  stimulus  that  is  needed  to 
tide  over  the  difficulty.  Whether  it  is  wise  to  wait  for  this  exhaustion 
before  applying  sulphate  of  ammonia  or  nitrate  of  soda  is  another 
question,  but  it  seems  more  reasonable  to  endeavour  to  prevent  it  by 
smaller  and  regular  applications.  Judgment  must  be  exercised  in  this 
as  in  all  other  matters  connected  with  gardening,  and  we  have  much  to 
learn  on  the  subject  of  manures. 
Where  chemical  manures  are  employed  for  fruit  trees  or  plants 
erroneous  conclusions  are  frequently  arrived  at  from  employing  too 
large  quantities.  In  a  recently  published  work  I  was  surprised  to  see 
the  following  mixture — ie.,  kaiuit  (five  parts),  magnesium  sulphate 
(two  parts),  and  superphosphate  (two  parts),  recommended  to  be  applied 
to  Plum  trees  at  the  rate  of  7  lbs.  per  tree  after  pruning,  and  22  lbs.  in 
March,  on  an  area  equal  to  the  spread  of  the  branches.  Allowing  4  square 
yards  per  tree  for  young  specimens,  or  16  for  older  ones,  this  is  an 
enormous  application  per  acre.  Is  it  a  mistake,  or  what  was  the  result 
of  such  a  course  of  manuring  ? 
Apple  IIormead  Pearmain. 
Can  any  reader  tell  me  anything  about  the  origin  of  this  excellent 
Apple?  Dr.  Hogg,  in  his  most  valuable  Manual,  mentions  the  synonym 
Arundel  Pearmain,  but  does  not  state  whether  it  is  known  in  Sussex  by 
that  name.  Perhaps  Messrs.  Cheal  may  have  some  knowledge  of  it.  I 
have  formed  a  very  high  opinion  respecting  its  merits  as  a  culinary 
Apple.  It  is  a  medium  size,  very  even  in  shape,  slightly  conical ;  the 
eye  is  shallow,  and  it  becomes  a  clear  yellow  tint,  without,  in  my  case, 
any  tinge  of  colour  whatever.  It  is  as  firm,  juicy,  and  pleasantly  acid 
a3  anyone  could  desire  at  the  present  time,  and  will  keep  for  another 
month  at  least.  The  tree  is  moderately  productive,  and  appears  to  be 
quite  hardy. 
Pear  Nain  Vert. 
I  find  that  this  variety  was  raised  from  seed  over  fifty  years  ago,  and 
has  been  tried  since  1859  for  dwarfing  purposes,  and  M.  Leroy  mentions 
having  a  specimen  of  Belle  Angevine  eight  years  old  on  this  stock,  which 
remained  very  dwarf,  and  still  produced  very  large  fruits.  No  tidings 
have,  however,  reached  me  that  it  is  grown  in  England  now. — British 
Gardener. 
TABLE  DECORATIONS. 
It  is  not  often  that  I  take  up  my  pen  with  the  intention  of  attempt¬ 
ing  to  pose  as  a  critic,  but  the  bare  idea  of  seeing  coloured  paper 
recommended  as  a  covering  for  pots  placed  on  the  dinner  table 
slightly  upset  my  equilibrium,  so  I  gave  “  O.  M.”  the  merest  hint  that 
his  able  article  in  the  “  spring  number  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture" 
would  have  been  better — more  high-class  I  mean — had  it  contained  no 
reference  to  that  detestable  crinkled  paper. 
I  am  glad  to  find  by  his  reply  (page  277)  that  he  considered  my 
criticisms  to  be  “  very  mild.”  It  could  scarcely  be  otherwise,  “  0.  M.,” 
for  I  had  read  not  long  before  that  charming  contribution  about  the 
delights  of  spring  from  the  pen  of  “  The  Missus,”  and  I  felt  in  a 
particularly  “gentle”  frame  of  mind;  that  temporary  gentleness  has 
now  departed,  and  given  place  to  alertness,  for  I  notice  “  0.  M.”  is 
falling  back  on  the  favourite  resource  of  trying  to  prove  how 
impracticable  my  suggestion  is,  except  for  the  favoured  few.  Now,  I 
am  bold  enough  to  assert  that  nine-tenths  of  the  gardeners  who  have 
much  table  decoration  to  do,  find  no  serious  difficulty  in  obtaining  moss 
in  abundance.  Although  we  use  an  enormous  quantity  annually,  the 
whole  of  it  is  obtained  from  a  shady  corner  of  the  pari,  not  more  than 
4  acres  in  extent  ;  we  have  no  need  to  draw  on  the  woods  for  a  supply. 
Next  I  have  to  deal  with  the  peculiar  assertion  that  moss-bound 
pots  are  “  too  formal.”  If  so,  how  much  more  strongly  does  the  remark 
apply  to  a  vase,  cup,  or  bowl  1  As  a  parting  shot  we  are  told  that 
“  crinkled  paper  ”  can  be  used  to  be  very  effective.  I  will  not  for  a 
moment  disparage  the  effectiveness  of  it,  but  it  is  altogether  out  of 
harmony  with  high-class  decorations.  A  paper  collar  is  effective  in  its 
way,  but  could  anyone  wearing  such  reasonably  claim  to  be  considered 
well  dressed  ?  I  trow  not,  and  I  know  there  are  many  who  would  not 
tolerate  “crinkled  paper”  on  their  dinner  table.  Do  withoutit,  “  0.  M.;” 
its  use  is  a  blemish  on  your  art. — On-looker. 
Any  writer  of  an  article  in  a  special  number  lays  himself  open  to 
rather  severe  criticism,  as  in  such  instances  notes  are  read  with  more 
than  usual  interest.  Enough  has  been  already  written  about  the  special 
number  of  the  Journal  to  show  that  the  unique  effort  was  fully  appre¬ 
ciated.  Now,  I  read  the  special  number  through  twice — the  first  time 
only  scanning  the  work  of  able  pens  and  the  second  going  more  into 
detail,  and  I  am  sure  the  various  writers  will  forgive  me  if  I  add  with 
some  views  of  criticism. 
In  reading  over  the  notes  from  “  0.  M.”  on  table  decorations,  I  was 
much  struck  with  the  great  point  he  made  of  the  use  of  crinkled  paper 
for  hiding  pots  used  for  the  adornment  of  dinner  tables.  Nor  indeed 
have  I  since  been  surprised  to  see  that  his  remarks  have  called  forth 
several  short  notes  of  criticism. 
“  O.  M.”  even  goes  so  far  as  to  recommend  the  various  shades  of  paper 
suitable  for  different  plants  ;  well,  there  may  perhaps  be  some  little  in 
that,  especially  if  the  Editor  could  see  his  way  to  circulate  the  article 
amongst  waitresses  in  restaurants  whose  idea  of  harmony  between  foliage 
and  paper  is  certainly  sufficient  to  make  one  look  on  the  latter  article 
from  a  decorative  point  of  view  as  something  to  be  beneficially  dispensed 
with.  “0.  M.,”  however,  may  have  a  superior  faculty  for  blending 
natural  artificial  decoration  so  as  to  produce  an  effect  congenial  to 
refined  tastes ;  happy  is  he  if  such  is  the  case,  as  he  can  give  his  brother 
gardeners  a  long  lead  in  that  branch  of  the  art.  In  these  days  of 
elegance  and  informality  in  decorations  the  use  of  paper  for  hiding  pots 
on  the  dinner  table  seems  to  be  something  quite  out  of  character— some¬ 
thing  that  has  been,  but  is  now  shelved  among  other  relics  of  old  days. 
The  mention  of  tinted  paper  reminds  me  of  the  Oddfellows’  Club 
dinner  at  a  village  inn  I  was  once  in  the  habit  of  attending.  There 
crinkled  paper  was  used  to  an  almost  unlimited  extent  by  the  landlady 
