December  24,  1896. 
603 
JOURN-AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
on  the  floors,  is  of  ^eat  importance,  and  must  be  seen  to  manv 
times  daily  ;  everything,  in  fact,  that  tends  to  a  quite  cool,  airy, 
and  moist  condition  of  the  atmosphere  must  be  done. 
Growth  will  then  be  rapid,  yet  the  bulbs  made  will  be  hard  and 
■olid,  the  foliage  broad  and  rustling,  and  the  flower  •pikes  strong 
and  freely  branched.  Towards  the  end  of  September  naturally  it 
will  not  do  to  leave  quite  so  much  air  on  at  night,  while  the 
shading  muat  be  gradually  diminished.  During  winter  every 
ray  of  light  possible  should  be  allowed  to  enter  the  house,  as  this 
is  the  moit  critical  time  with  all  alpine  Orchids.  The  position  of 
the  house  has  a  good  deal  to  do  with  this  of  course,  but  even  in  the 
worst  positions  much  may  be  done  by  frequently  sponging  the  glass 
inside,  and  mopping  the  outside  down  twice  or  three  times  a  week 
to  clear  oft  the  effects  of  soot  and  smoke. 
The  plants  themselves,  too,  rot  less  than  the  house,  must  be 
kept  clean  both  from  insects  and  the  dust  and  dirt  that  everywhere 
accumulate  in  time.  Scale  of  various  kinds  attack  them,  also 
thrips  and  red  spider  if  the  house  is  at  all  dry,  but  frequent 
sy ringings  with  tepid  soft  water  will  keep  them  right  in  thii  respect. 
As  noted  above,  the  plants  are  not  very  constant  in  flowering,  nor 
are  they  any  more  so  in  their  time  of  growth  and  rest.  Indeed, 
the  growth  on  some  plants  is  never  quiet,  for  as  soon  as  one  set 
of  bulbs  is  complete  a  new  set  of  growths  start. 
In  any  case  no  resting  season  as  it»nally  understood  i*  necessary, 
and  the  plants  must  be  kept  moist  all  the  year  round,  less  water,  of 
course,  being  needed  during  the  winter  months,  when  evaporation 
is  not  so  rapid.  Among  the  best  varieties  are  0.  Halli  magnificum 
and  0.  H.  nigrum  (fig.  103).  Many  other  named  varieties  exist, 
bat  space  forbids  a  full  description  of  these.  It  grows  naturally 
Hb  considerable  elevation  in  Ecuador,  whence  the  typical  form 
was  first  sent  home  in  1864.— H.  R.  R. 
WINTER  PRUNING. 
^Continued  from  page  589.) 
Dwarf  Trees.  —  Apples,  whether  as  bushes,  pyramids,  or  low 
(quarter.  18  inche«  ;  half,  3  feet)  standards,  will  need  very  little  pruning 
at  this  time  of  year  if  the.  trees  were  gone  over  early  in  July,  and  then 
had  the  growths  reguUted,  so  as  to  aecare  the  right  distance  for  the 
leading  growths,  prevent  crossing  of  the  nranches,  keeping  the  heads 
fairly  open,  and  shortening  irregularities  in  order  to  maintain  a  fair  balance 
of  vigour  and  a  good  shape.  If  much  spray  has  been  produced  it  is  a 
case  for  the  spade  in  respect  of  root-pruning  rather  than  the  knife  in 
cutting  such  back  to  about  an  inch  of  their  base  in  order  to  induce  spur 
formation,  and  keep  the  heads  sufficiently  open  to  let  sun  and  air  act 
right  through  the  trees. 
Beyond  shortening  growths  to  induce  others  to  push  at  the  right  place 
to  furnish  the  trees,  cutting  out  where  there  is  danger  of  crowding,  and 
shortening  side  shoots  to  promote  a  close  formation  of  spurs,  the  trees 
will  need  nothing  more  in  the  way  of  winter  pruning,  for  every  manipula¬ 
tion  then  made  means  so  much  vigour  diverted,  and  will  take  the  form 
of  more  growth  instead  of  spur  formation.  If  the  growths  are  strong 
severe  winter  pruning  implies  a  laxariant  spread  of  leaves;  if  moderately 
vigoroas  and  the  pruning  is  judicioas,  there  will  be  no  consequences 
but  what  promote  the  well-being  of  the  tree  in  respect  of  both  fruit  and 
spurs  for  continued  production  ;  and  if  weakly  in  growth,  somewhat 
severe  pruning  in  the  matter  of  thinning  the  spnra  where  too  crowded 
will  make  improvement  all  round. 
In  the  matter  of  dressing  for  Apple  trees  dusting  with  quicklime 
whilst  damp  is  still  the  safest  and  best  thing  for  the  heads.  It  frees  , 
them  from  overgrowths  of  lichen  and  moss,  cleanses  them  from  pests  of 
many  kinds,  and  the  lime  does  good  to  the  land.  In  case  of  mussel  scale 
a  dressing  of  lye  made  from  wood  ashes,  using  jnst  enough  water  to 
cover  them,  and  leaving  for  two  or  three  days,  then  using  the  clear 
liquid  with  a  brush,  is  the  oldest  and  cheapest  remedy.  Failing  this  a 
wash  of  caustic  soda  and  pearlash,  a  quarter  pound  each  to  six  gallons 
of  water,  is  strong  enough  to  apply  with  a  brush,  or  if  sprayed  on  it  may 
be  used  at  double  strength.  This  is  really  a  very  old  wash  for  fruit 
trees  to  cleanse  them  from  overgrowths  of  both  a  vegetable  and  animal 
nature,  the  thing  being  to  get  it  under  the  scales  of  the  mussel  insect 
(Mytilapsis  pomorum)  and  addle  the  eggs,  whilst  making  quick  work  of 
hyl^rnating  pests,  even  aphis  and  chermes  in  the  eggs.  Both  the  lime 
and  caustic  wash  are  cleanly,  leaving  nothing  on  the  trees  that  can 
possibly  injure,  but  profit  them.  They  mast  be  applied  in  mild  weather, 
and  when  the  trees  are  quite  dormant. 
As  for  root  dressings,  vigorous  trees  will  only  become  exuberant  and 
more  unprofitable  by  manurial  applications,  especially  of  nitrogenic, 
potassic,  and  humic,  such  as  stable  or  farmyard  manure.  Moderate 
growing  trees,  however,  profit  by  an  occasional  dressing  of  manure, 
placing  it  on  the  surface  after  removing  the  weeds  and  loose  soil  about 
an  inch  thick  as  far  as  the  branches  extend,  and  then  covering  very 
lightly  with  fresh  soil  from  the  spaces  between  the  rows.  Well  made 
manure  is  better  than  raw,  as  there  is  less  danger  of  encouraging,  root 
pests,  and  the  elements  are  in  better  form  for  taking  in  by  the  roots. 
Cheapness  is  a  main  factor  in  manuring,  hence  basic  cinder  phosphate, 
sapplying  phosphoric  acid  and  lime,  is  much  in  repate ;  5  to  10  cwt. 
per  acre  is  not  too  much  to  apply  in  the  autumn  or  winter.  For  afford- 
ing  the  other  elements  needed  by  Apple  trees,  kainit,  yielding  potash, 
magnesia  and  soda,  with  sulphur  and  chlorine,  are  cheap,  2^  to  6  cwt. 
not  oversetting  Apple  trees.  This  also  should  be  applied  in  the  autumn 
or  winter,  and  with  the  basic  cinder  phosphate  should  be  dug  in,  always 
without  injury  to  the  roots.  Nitrogenic  substances  have  to  be  provided, 
and  for  light  and  calcareous  soils  nitrate  of  soda  is  unequalled,  2  to 
3  cwt.  per  acre  being  supplied  when  the  buds  of  the  trees  commence 
moving.  This  will  get  in  fast  enough,  and  will  not  vol.atiliee  like 
sulphate  of  ammonia,  which  is,  perhaps,  best  for  loams,  applying  to 
2  cwt.  per  acre,  and  early  in  spring  or  late  winter  putting  under 
lightly.  Instead  of  kainit  on  good  loams  half  quantity  of  double 
sulphate  (potash  and  magnesia)  should  be  used,  and  for  light  soils  half 
the  quantity  of  dissolved  raw  bones  should  be  used  instead  of  basic 
cinder  phosphate. 
Cherries. — Though  the  Morello  may  be  treated  on  the  last  year’s 
wood-bearing  system  on  walls  and  trellises,  it  does  excellently  on  the 
free-and-easy  modern  system  of  pruning,  the  thing  being  to  check 
rambling  growths  by  stopping  in  July  and  to  keep  the  head  fairly  open, 
catting  out  worn-out  limbs  and  giving  place  to  young  and  promising. 
This,  with  removing  dead  spurs,  keeps  the  trees  in  a  decent  form  and 
excellent  bearing  state.  But  good  as  this  is,  it  is  as  nothing  compared  with 
PIG.  lO.'l.— ODOXTOGLOSSU.M  HALI.I  NIGRUM, 
the  regularity  of  the  Kentish  on  calcareous  gravels,  the  trees  being  very 
accommodating  in  the  matter  of  space  and  in  needing  attention. 
Hearts  and  Bigarreaus  hate  the  knife.  It  makes  them  gum  and 
produce  little  beyond  leaves.  The  regulation  of  their  growths  should  be 
attended  to  early  in  autumn — a  hint  we  had  from  Messrs.  Rivers  and 
Son — then  the  gumming  is  reduced  to  a  minimum,  always  provided  the 
soil  is  calcareous  or  sandy,  and  the  trees  are  not  attempted  to  be  kept 
from  bearing  by  cramping.  Cleans  also  do  not  approve  of  being  haggled 
by  the  knife,  therefore  treat  them  a  sort  of  intermediate  between 
those  that  will  not  have  it,  as  the  Hearts  and  Bigarreaus,  and  the  spur 
bearers,  as  the  Duke  race.  But  some  Geans  are  neither  that  nor  Hearts 
or  even  Dukes,  but  a  sort  of  go  between,  if  not  something  of  all,  so  that 
some  judgment  is  necessary.  If  the  trees  spur  well  there  is  little  trouble, 
as  they  cluster  all  along  the  branches,  and  beyond  cutting  back  side 
growths  to  an  inch  of  their  base  the  whole  art  is  otherwise  to  let  well 
alone.  Duke  Cherries  altogether  spur  too  freely,  being  often  very 
delightful  in  spring  with  profuse  blossom,  but  only  set  a  fruit  here 
and  there.  Thinning  the  spurs  often  makes  considerable  difference,  and 
as  they  are  brittle  may  be  broken  off,  always  early  in  the  autumn,  as  the 
wounds  then  dry  quickly.  What  other  pruning  is  needful  is  easily  done 
with  the  knife,  keeping  the  branches  far  enough  apart  to  let  light  and 
air  pass  through  them  freely. 
Of  all  trees  Cherries  detest  interference  with  the  roots.  On 
calcareous  gravels  and  sandy  soils  they  appear  to  like  nothing  so 
much  as  animal  manures.  The  annual  or  biennial  manuring  with 
stable  or  farmyard  mannre  an  inch  thick  keeps  fruitful  trees  all  right, 
but  does  not  improve  anything  but  mere  growth  where  the  trees  are 
luxuriant.  In  the  case  of  moderate  growers  it  comes  as  very  favour¬ 
able  to  the  growth  of  fruit  and  continued  bearing,  but  to  keep  on  with 
it  appears  to  lead  away  from  fertility.  For  that  reason  a  change  in 
manuring  is  often  very  satisfactory. 
Basic  cinder  phosphate  do  not  appear  of  much  use  on  calcareons 
and  sandy  soils,  bat  on  l&nd  of  a  more  humid  nature,  such  as  loams  and 
clays,  especially  the  moory,  it  acts  well.  Bone  superphosphate,  there¬ 
fore,  should  be  used  on  calcareous  gravels  and  sandy  soils,  2J  to  5  cwt. 
