August  19,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
165 
therefore,  in  layers,  it  is  more  advantageous  iu  every  respect.  For 
choice  dessert  varieties  and  Pears  smaller  boxes  are  preferable,  so 
that  the  fruit  can  be  either  packed  in  dozens,  or  10  lbs.  or  12  lbs.'  in 
weight.  For  retail  trade  small  boxes  are  very  useful,  and  many 
salesmen  are  finding  that  they  can  secure  a  readier  sale  for  fruits  in 
small  quantities  than  in  hulk. 
For  small  fruits,  boxes  holding  6  lbs.  or  12  lbs.  are  useful,  and 
are  readily  sold.  A  useful  size  of  box  that  is  employed  by  several 
growers,  including  myself,  for  Black  and  Red  Currants  and  Straw¬ 
berries,  has  the  following  dimensions  Sides,  llj  inches  long  by 
6  inches  deep,  and  inch  thick  ;  ends,  10^  inches  long  by  6  inches 
deep,  and  ^  inch  thick.  The  sides  are  nailed  to  the  ends,  the 
bottoms  being  of  the  same  thickness  as  the  sides,  but  in  two  widths, 
leaving  a  space  of  \  inch  in  the  centre  for  ventilation.  The  lids 
are  nailed  to  cross  pieces  at  the  ends  which  rest  on  the  top  of  the 
box,  thus  raising  the  lid  slightly  above  the  box,  also  for  ventilation  ; 
they  are  hinged  at  the  back  by  two  pieces  of  stout  string  passed 
through  holes  in  the  sides  and  lids,  and  are  secured  in  front  by  one 
piece  of  string  in  a  similar  way.  Boxes  of  this  size  will  hold  12  lbs. 
of  Strawberries,  Red  Currants,  Black  Currants,  or  Gooseberries,  but 
more  of  the  Black  Currants  can  be  put  in  if  necessary,  though  it  is 
not  recommended,  and  for  Strawberries  it  is  not  advisable  to  have 
more  than  6  lbs.  in  one  box. 
With  regard  to  the  last-named  fruit,  the  most  serviceable  box  I 
have  tried  is  one  that  is  being  sent  out  by  several  of  the  railway 
companies  at  a  charge  of  Is,  6d,  per  dozen.  The  size  is  as  follows 
(inside  -measurement)  ;  10|  inches  long,  7^  inches  wide,  and 
3  inches  deep.  These  weigh  1  lb.  each,  and  hold  3  lbs,  of  Straw¬ 
berries,  Red  Currants  or  Raspberries,  and  4  lbs.  of  Black  Currants, 
in  which  quantities  these  fruits  sell  most  readily,  and  travel  safely. 
I  have  sent  coniignments  in  such  boxes  over  100  miles,  and  the 
fruit  has  been  received  in  excellent  condition.  As  regards  Straw¬ 
berries  and  Raspberries,  the  finest  fruits  are  best  in  punnets,  and 
these,  again,  should  be  packed  in  shallow  boxes  that  will  hold  half 
a  dozen.  The  1  lb.  punnets  are  greatly  preferred  to  the  larger 
size  (2  lbs.),  as  the  latter  have  to  be  heaped  up,  and  it  renders  safe 
packing  and  transit  more  difl&cult  of  attainment. 
In  the  establishment  of  a  new  business  in  fruits,  the  two 
methods  open  to  growers  are  the  market  and  local  trade.  In  a  few 
cases  it  may  be  possible  to  rely  upon  either  of  these  alone,  but  in 
the  majority  it  is  safest  to  utilise  the  two.  For  relatively  small 
quantities  the  local  trade  can  be  depended  upon,  and  in  some  dis¬ 
tricts  all  the  best  fruits  can  be  disposed  of  in  this  way  ;  but  for 
large  bulki  of  fruit  of  any  kind,  the  markets  provide  the  only 
available  outlet.  The  too  general  mistake  of  sending  all  to  the 
largest  market,  or  to  one  market,  should  be  avoided,  for  the  differ¬ 
ences  in  prices  prevailing  on  the  same  day  in  markets  only  fifty 
miles  apart  is  sometimes  astonishing.  It  may  be  more  convenient 
to  forward  fruit  in  large  quantities  to  one  destination,  but  the 
grower  who  studies  his  own  personal  convenience  alone  in  this  or 
other  matters,  will  rarely  succeed  in  securing  the  best  returns  for 
his  produce. — A  Fruit  Grower. 
A  GOOSEBERRY  TRELLIS. 
I  SEND  a  hand  sketch  of  a  Gooseberry  trellis  that  is  in  the  garden 
attached  to  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Chrystie,  Great  Bookhatn,  Leatherhead. 
The  trellis  is  a  most  interesting  object,  especially  when  the  cordons  are 
in  fruit,  and  the  owner,  who  had  it  formed  and  planted  three  years  since, 
is  greatly  pleased  with  it.  The  forming  grew  out  of  hearing  a  County 
Council  lecture  on  bush  fruit  culture,  in  which  the  growing  of  cordon 
Gooseberries  in  trellis  fashion  was  both  advocated  and  illustrated •  The 
trellis  is  of  strands  of  stout  wire  in  five  lines,  and  is  5  feet  in  height. 
The  strands  are  firmly  secured  to  stout  upright  posts.  The  cordon 
bushes  are  about  12  inches  apart.  Some  of  the  varieties  are  much 
stronger  growers  than  others,  and  it  is  much  better  to  have  varieties 
planted  that  make  good  equable  growth,  in  preference  to  mixtures  of 
strong  and  weak  growers. 
The  best  of  the  twenty-three  varieties  planted,  so  far  as  good  growth  is 
concerned,  are  Hepburn’s  Prizetaker,  Green  Laurel,  Rifleman,  May  Duke, 
Whinham’s  Industry,  White  Captain,  Whitesmith,  Red  Champagne, 
Early  Sulphur,  and  Dan’s  Mistake.  Highlander  and  Lomas’  Victory, 
whilst  growing  tall,  spur  badly,  the  stems  being  rather  bare  as  shown 
in  the  figure.  Such  varieties  are  unfit  for  this  particular  purpose. 
Very  good,  even,  medium  growers  are  Early  Kent,  Early  Green  Hairy, 
Surprise,  Railway,  and  one  or  two  others.  These  would  suit  a  4  feet 
trellis  very  well.  Rather  shorter  are  Goblin,  Syon,  Leveller,  Mount 
Pleasant,  Fearless,  Bright  Venus,  and  Forester. 
How  far  this  classification  may  accord  with  those  of  nurserymen  or 
others  who  have  the  varieties  growing  as  cordons  I  cannot  say,  but  I  give 
them  as  found  after  three  years’  growth  at  Bookham. 
The  summer  pruning  or  pinching  the  side  shoots  is  chiefly  done  by 
Mrs.  Chrystie  herself,  and  the  plants  are  pure  hard-pinched  or  spurred 
cordons.  In  one  or  two  cases  where  shoots  of  about  6  inches  in 
length  were  overlooked,  they  were  fully  fruited,  and  it  was  asked 
whether  that  fact  did  not  rather  favour  the  bearing  of  long  spurs  on 
the  stems.  But  it  was  pointed  out  that  once  that  method  became  general* 
the  plants  would  soon  be  branching  stems  rather  than  true  cordons.  The 
annual  summer  pruning  resulted  in  the  production  of  abundant  crops, 
and  as  the  primary  object  was  to  secure  fine  clean  fruit,  it  was  very  pro¬ 
bable  that  the  plants  did  in  each  case  carry  all  the  frnit  they  very  well 
could.  A  mulching  of  long  manure  about  the  roots  is  found  valuable, 
Fig.  23.— Cordon  Gooseberries. 
and  liberal  soakings  of  liquid  manure  are  given  not  only  while  the  fruit 
is  green  and  swelling,  but  also  after  it  is  gathered,  to  enable  the  spurs 
to  plump  up  stout  fruit  buds. — A.  D. 
[A  section  of  the  sketch  is  taken  as  illustrative  of  Mrs.  Chrystie’s 
Gooseberries  as  they  grow  by  the  side  of  a  path  some  20  yards  long  in 
her  garden.  This  method  of  culture  affords  a  maximum  amount  of 
fruit  from  a  minimum  area  of  land.  The  cordons  are  easy  to  manage, 
the  fruit  easy  to  gather,  and  it  is  found  that  sparrows  do  not  peck  the 
buds  from  these  cordons  with  the  same  pertinacity  as  they  do  from 
bushes,  which  afford  them  better  foothold.  Mrs.  Chrystie  is  to  be  con¬ 
gratulated  on  turning  the  information  she  gained  from  a  lecture  to  such 
good  account,  and  in  adding  a  feature  of  interest  to  her  garden.] 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
August  10th, 
Scientific  Committee. — Present  :  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the 
chair)  ;  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  Dr.  Bonavia,  and  Rev.  G.  Henslow,  Hon.  Sec. 
Vine  Leaves  Defective. — Mr,  Ch.  Pearson,  of  Chilwell,  Notts,  sent 
some  Vine  leaves,  which  appeared  to  have  decayed  prematurely.  No 
fungus  was  present,  and  their  defective  appearance  was  attributable  to 
too  high  cultivation,  guano  being  freely  used  with  great  heat,  and  too 
much  water,  such  being  quite  consistent  with  their  appearance. 
Rihes  aurewn  in  Fruit. — Dr.  Masters  exhibited  a  branch,  bearing  a 
raceme  of  ripe  purple-black  berries,  of  this  common  shrub.  Though 
introduced  by  Mr.  Douglas  from  California,  the  fruit  has  rarely  if  ever 
been  seen  before.  It  was  received  from  Mr.  Veitch. 
Chrysanthemum  Leaves  Attached  hy  Grubs. — These  were  received 
from  Mr.  Jenkins  and  were  forwarded  to  Mr.  McLachlan,  who  reports 
“  that  the  grubs  are  very  young  larv£e  of  the  ‘  Silver  Y  Moth  ’  (Pliisia 
gamma). J  It  will  attack  almost  anything.  They  should  be  destroyed 
by  hand?picking.”  The  caterpillars  are  doing  considerable  damage  to 
the  Chrysanthemums. 
Oreen~flowered  Cross-leaved  Heath. — Dr.  Masters  showed  specimens 
from  Kew  of  this  unusual  condition.  It  resembles  the  “wheat-eared” 
Carnations  sent  to  the  last  meeting,  and  consists  of  an  abnormal 
repetition  of  ciliated  bracts  ;  the  flower  in  the  centre  having  been 
arrested  in  consequence  of  an  attack  by  some  grub. 
Pelargoniums  Decaying. — Examples  of  the  varieties  “Vesuvius” 
and  *' West  Brighton  ”  were  shown,  which  had  decayed  from  the  collar 
upwards.  It  was  attributed  to  too  deep  planting.  They  had  large 
■  roots,  and  had  been  apparently  quite  healthy  when  planted,  some  being 
over  two-year-old  plants. 
