604 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAOE  GARDENER. 
December  24,  18i)6. 
per  acre  being  saitable,  and  for  aupplying  potaab  muriate  of  that 
substance  acts  better  than  kainit — why  it  is  difficult  to  tell,  unless  the 
chloride  (ioes  over  more  or  less  to  ammonia,  while  in  that  of  kainit  it 
merely  enters  into  combination  with  acids  ;  anyhow,  muriate  (chloride) 
of  potash  is  better  than  kainit  for  stone  fruits  generally,  and  half 
quantity  suffices — namely,  '■  ^  to  2^  cwt.  per  acre.  Both  dissolved  bones 
and  muriate  of  potash  should  be  used  in  winter  or  very  early  in  the 
spring,  and  at  the  latter  time  rape  dust  (East  Indian,  oil  extracted), 
4  to  8  cwt.  per  acre,  acts  grandly  the  whole  season,  and  is  batter 
perhaps  for  this  fruit  than  chemical  substances  such  as  nitrate  of  soda 
and  sulphate  of  ammonia.  Dissolved  bones,  muriate  of  potash,  and  rape 
dust  require  to  be  lightly  turned  under  to  prevent  loss  of  the  first  and 
last  in  ammonia,  and  to  get  the  potash  diffused  through  the  soil.  If 
nitrate  of  soda  is  used  1.:  should  be  when  the  trees  start  into  growth  in 
the  spring. 
Pears  require  similar  treatment  to  Apples.  They,  however,  spur  more 
as  a  rule,  especially  on  Quince  stocks  or  when  double  grafted,  the 
branches  being  only  so  many  cordons  studded  from  base  to  summit,  when 
they  are  sufficiently  far  apart  to  let  light  and  air  reach  them,  with  spurs. 
Here,  again,  there  is  the  tantalising  profusion  of  blossom  in  spring,  and 
little  or  no  fruit  following.  Thinning  the  spurs,  in  such  cases,  often 
leads  to  a  good  setting  of  the  fruit,  and  as  the  spurs  are  brittle  they  can 
be  broken  off  very  well  with  the  hand.  In  some  cases,  however,  the 
secateur  or  knife  is  necessary. 
In  the  matter  of  cleansing  the  tops,  what  has  been  advanced  under 
Apples  applies  to  Pear  trees.  As  to  manure,  they  are  as  fond  of  stable  or 
farmyard  manure  on  light  soils  as  any  other  fruit,  and  though  they  must 
have  phosphates,  that  of  basic  ciuder  phosphate  does  n  t  answer  on  light 
and  calcareous  soils  nearly  as  well  a?  that  of  bone  meal  or  dissolved  bones 
or  fish  meal.  This  (fish  meal)  appears  better  even  than  boces,  and  is 
good  alone,  through  supplying  phosphate  of  lime  and  ammonia  in  about 
suitable  proportions  to  Pear  tree  needs  ;  but  “  white  fish  ”  meals  only 
should  be  used,  as  the  common  contain  too  large  a  percentage  of  oil.  Five 
to  10  cwt.  per  acre  is  a  good  dressing  of  fish  meal,  and  with  to  3  cwt. 
per  acre  of  sulphate  of  potash  added,  makes  all  right  for  Pear  trees,  as 
the  fish  meal  contains  iron,  alumina,  magnesia,  and  carbonic  acid,  so 
that  the  mixture  comprises  due  proportions  of  the  minorelements  as  well 
as  the  major  substances  required  as  manure.  Acting  slowly,  fish  meal, 
with  the  sulphate  of  potash,  should  be  applied  in  winter  or  very  early 
spring,  putting  under.  To  help  matters  a  little,  superphosphate  and 
sulphate  of  ammonia  may  be  applied  early  in  the  spring. 
On  loams  and  strong  soils  basic  cinder  does  excellently  also  on  land 
rich  in  vegetable  matter  ;  but  kainit  does  not  appear  to  suit  Pear  trees 
on  such  soil,  sulphate  of  potash  being  better.  In  most  soils  chlorine 
seems  to  be  held  to  the  prejudice  of  crops,  but  in  light  land  is  different, 
the  rains  washing  the  chlorides  away.  Rape  dust  supplies  about  all  that 
is  required  by  Pear  trees  on  strong  soils  ;  there  not,  as  a  rule,  being  any 
deficiency  of  potash  or  other  mineral  elements,  but  a  little  bone  super¬ 
phosphate  may  be  added  with  advantage. 
Plums  neither  make  good  bushes  nor  pyramids.  They  aim  either  at 
growing  straight  up  or  forming  spreading  heads.  Under  any  circum¬ 
stances,  the  more  they  are  pruned  the  more  unprofitable  they  become, 
it  is  only  a  matter  of  prune  and  produce  growths  and  leaves.  Still  some 
regulation  is  necessary.  If  left  to  themselves  the  trees  become  too  full 
of  wood,  some  crossing  of  branches  occurs,  too  many  are  formed  in  some 
places  too  few  in  others,  so  that  timely  attention  to  thinning,  to  prevent 
crowding,  removing  wrong-direction  growths  to  advantage  proper, 
shortening  to  secure  well-furnished  heads,  and  all  so  placed  as  to  give 
every  part  an  equal  share  of  sunlight.  This  is  very  simple,  and  does 
not  require  a  large  amount  of  skill,  being  more  a  matter  of  judg¬ 
ment  and  kno'.vledge  of  habit.  Thus  no  hard  and  fast  rule  is  given ;  for 
necessity  for  pruning  is  more  a  matter  of  conformity  than  anything  else, 
and  is  a  mere  bagatelle  in  labour  on  the  free  system  as  compared  with 
that  of  restriction.  This  may  be  a  necessity  of  space,  and  even  when  it 
is  the  subjects  should  be  chosen  more  with  regard  to  habit  than  indis- 
criminativeness  of  variety. 
No  amount  of  either  summer  or  winter  pruning  will  keep  trees 
fruitful  that  naturally  require  much  more  room  than  that  accorded  to 
become  characteristically  fertile.  Root-pruning  may  do  it ;  even  then 
the  trees  will  push  both  suckers  from  the  roots  and  spray  from  the 
older  branches  in  rebellion  to  the  stunting  processes.  Then  by  all  means 
thin  where  crowded,  shorten  side  growths  to  an  inch  of  their  base,  reduce 
straggling  growths  to  maintain  an  even  balance  and  due  furnishment, 
keeping  the  heads  perfectly  free  from  dead  spurs.  Beyond  this  do  not  go 
with  Plum  trees  if  fruit  be  wanted. 
In  the  matter  of  cleanliness  Plum  trees  are  never  as  bad  as  others 
for  lichen  and  moss,  but  the  lime  dressing  is  never  thrown  away,  as  aphis 
eggs  and  red  spider — a  fearful  plague  this  year — need  quietus  to  get 
clear  crops  of  fruit.  The  caustic  soda  and  pearlash  wash  answers  just  as 
well  as  the  lime,  only  the  latter  does  more  good  to  the  land.  Anyway, 
do  something  to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  insect  invasion  in  the  spring, 
then  there  will  be  less  reason  to  find  fault  with  the  east  winds,  which 
usually  dry,  are  no  mean  agent  in  counteracting  the  “soft  glow  of 
moisture  ”  from  the  west,  which  frequently  follow  a  stinging  frost  and 
blacken  the  fruit  grower’s  prospects. 
The  Plum  likes  a  stiff  soil  and  plenty  of  phosphoric  acid,  potash,  and 
iron;  even  moor-pan  laud,  if  it  is  broken  through  by  drains  so  as  to 
get  rid  of  the  water,  grows  Plums  grandly,  for  they  hug  the  surface  of 
the  earth  with  their  densely  fibrous  roots,  and  fruit  in  proportion  to  the 
sturdiness  of  the  growth,  Basic  cinder  phosphate,  6  to  10  cwt.  per 
acre,  supplies  phosphoric  acid,  lime,  iron,  manganese,  and  magnesia,  so 
that  a  good  many  substances  are  had  slowly  for  little  money.  As  for 
potash,  it  appears  best  had  by  applying  muriate,  li  to  3  cwt.  per  acre, 
following  these,  both  supplied  in  autumn  or  winter,  with  sulphate  of 
ammonia,  1^  to  3  cwt.  per  acre,  early  in  the  spring,  as  the  lime  by  that 
time  has  become  less  powerful  for  dissipating  ammonia.  On  light  land 
bone  meal  or  fish  meal  can  be  used  advantageously,  and  even  kainit,  with  , 
a  following  of  nitrate  of  soda  in  the  spring. 
But  Plums  like  humus,  hence  the  roots  keep  well  up  so  as  to  push  ^ 
into  it  if  any  debris  be  there,  or  any  is  supplied  in  the  shape  of  stable 
or  farmyard  manure.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  overdo  tbe  dressing, 
or  the  trees  will  strive  to  use  it  by  pushing  fresh  growths  from  the  old  ^ 
branches,  and  thus  making  matters  worse  instead  of  better.  Digging 
of  any  sort  is  not  relished  by  surface  rooting  trees,  yet  a  light  pointing  * 
over  does  no  harm,  and  is  often  necessary  to  let  rain  and  air  enter  ^ 
freely.  Twenty  tons  of  well  made  stable  or  farmyard  manure  per  acre  II 
seldom  hurts  fruit  trees  of  any  kind,  and  when  they  crop  heavily  and  are 
wanted  to  do  so  regularly  40  tons  per  acre  is  frequently  given.  This 
may  only  occur  occasionally,  say  trienuially,  but  with  the  chemical 
manures  the  trees  respond  liberally  in  favourable  seasons.  j 
As  regards  birds  eating  the  buds,  those  of  dwarf  trees  may  occasion-  .  1 
ally  suffer.  Bullfinches  have  seldom,  and  sparrows  never,  interfered  i 
with  the  buds  of  Apple  and  Peat  trees,  while  not  a  Cherry  bud  has  ^ 
disappeared.  This  is  my  experience.  In  other  cases  it  may  be  different,  * 
for  presence  of  other  means  of  procuring  food  has  a  considerable  effect  ) 
in  matters  of  this  nature.  But  of  bullfinches  and  Plum  tree  buds  there  j 
is  no  question  of  the  latter  being  stripped  off,  even  of  the  wood  buds  in  • 
bad  cases.  Trapping  in  places  where  there  are  miles  of  coppices  and 
woods  is  a  forlorn  hope,  as  growers  will  not  act  co-operatively,  and  j 
unless  this  he  done  it  is  useless  indulging  sentiment  where  bullfinches 
abound  if  Plums  and  Damsons  are  wanted. 
Still  it  is  a  pity  to  destroy  such  beautiful  creatures,  yet  they  always 
make  for  the  best  grown  and  plumpest  buds,  and  there  is  little  chance 
of  saving  them  without  recourse  to  making  them  distasteful  by  coating 
with  hot  limewash,  or  a  similar  substance,  such  as  a  solution  of  soluble 
petroleum.  The  expense  in  such  cases  is  a  serious  matter,  but  then 
there  is  the  advantage  of  making  the  treated  trees  hateful  to  insect 
pest8.—G.  Abbey.  (To  be  oontirmed.)  ] 
MORA.LITY  IN  EXHIBITING. 
I  NOTICE  on  page  581  Mr.  Standring’s  suggestions  for  attaining  a 
higher  standard  of  morality  in  amateur  exhibiting  ;  but  why  he  should 
lay  the  whole  ciiarge  solely  at  the  feet  of  the  amatenr  I  cannot  see.  I 
doubt  very  much  whether  the  practice  of  begging  and  buying  is  ranied 
on  any  more  amongst  the  amateurs  th.an  amongst  the  professionals 
themselves. 
There  is  not  the  least  doubt  that  it  is  carried  on  to  a  great  extent 
amongst  both  parties,  but  how  it  is  to  be  detected  is  a  rather  stiff 
question  to  solve. 
1  think  if  the  professionals’  employers  took  more  interest  in  the 
shows  at  which  their  gardeners  exhibit  they  would  be  the  ones  to  detect 
whether  the  exhibits  of  their  own  gardeners  were  genuine  or  not ;  but 
how  any  committee  is  going  to  succeed  in  putting  a  stop  to  the  practice 
I  cannot  see. 
It  is  the  same  in  gardening  as  in  any  other  profession  or  business  ; 
there  will  always  be  some  unscrupulous  members,  and  until  the  exhi¬ 
bitors  themselves  can  go  to  a  show  and  come  out  with  a  clear  conecience 
that  he  is  free  from  such  practices  it  will  continue.— J'  ^titia  Omnia. 
SEAKALE.  , 
Of  all  vegetables  that  undergo  the  process  of  forcing  during  the  J 
winter  months  none  is  more  universally  or  deservedly  appreciated  than  ' 
Seakale  ;  nor  is  it  in  the  least  to  be  wondered  at  considering  its  deli¬ 
cious  flavour.  Its  cultural  requirements  are  of  such  a  simple  nature 
that  we  usually  have  Seakale  in  use  from  the  present  time  until  the 
commencement  of  June.  The  greater  part  of  this  we  grow  in  an  under-  ' 
ground  cellar.  ] 
For  the  earliest  supplies  the  roots  are  lifted,  trimmed,  and  placed  i 
thickly  in  tubs  closely  covered,  or  in  large  pots  with  another  inverted  to  1 
exclude  light,  and  placed  under  the  greenhouse  stage  for  a  week,  when  j 
they  are  put  in  a  little  more  warmth,  of,  say,  C0°  or  C5°.  1 
We  now  grow  all  our  Seakale  on  the  cutting  principle,  and  finer 
produce  we  never  had.  When  lifting  and  preparing  the  crowns  for  forcing  ,« 
we  select  roots  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter  that  are  being  cut 
off,  and  prepare  cuttings  about  5  inches  in  length,  the  end  intended  for 
the  crown  being  straight  and  the  other  cut  slantingly.  These  are  buried 
in  sand  in  a  cool  place  until  the  following  March  or  April,  which  is  the 
best  time  for  their  insertion.  :ij 
The  ground  having  been  previously  well  manured  and  dug,  all  that 
requires  to  be  done  now  is  to  dibble  the  cuttings  in,  about  15  inches  j 
apart,  in  rows  2  feet  6  inches  asunder,  placing  them  deeply  enough  to  j 
allow  of  an  inch  or  more  of  sand  or  fine  mould  being  placed  over  each. 
As  soon  as  the  growth  has  attained  a  few  inches  in  height  the  pla.nt8  should  j 
be  gone  over  and  carefully  disbudded,  leaving  one  growth  to  each  ^ 
crown.  A  light  sprinkling  of  soot  and  salt  would  prove  beneficial  at  ’I 
this  period. 
Further  cultural  details  consist  in  a  free  use  of  tbe  hoe,  especially  in 
the  early  stage,  and  in  keeping  the  bed  free  from  weeds  at  all  times.  It  ■ ; 
will  be  found  very  advantageous  if  a  south  border  is  chosen  for  the 
earliest  crowns. — C.  Fostee. 
