October  21,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
379 
the  extra  labour  in  the  proper  preparation  is  slight.  Unfortunately, 
however,  many  thousands  of  these  undisbudded  bushes  are  sent  out 
annually,  with  the  result  that  endless  labour  is  caused  for  which  there 
is  no  return.  I  will  give  the  nurserymen  the  credit  of  believing  that 
in  their  own  practice  they  do  not  follow  such  careless  methods,  but  in 
the  demand  for  some  sorts  their  own  stocks  are  frequently  exhausted, 
and  they  have  to  procure  plants  from  other  sources  where  due  care 
has  not  been  exercised.  It  seems  a  simple  njatter  to  dwell  upon  at 
such  length,  but  I  have  been  a  sufferer  through  neglect  in  this  matter, 
and  perhaps  others  may  profit  by  my  experience.  If  there  are  only  a 
few  dozen  plants  to  attend  to,  it  is  not  a  very  serious  matter  to 
remove  the  suckers  that  are  constantly  arising  from  the  base,  but  when 
they  number  many  thousands  it  practically  means  that  it  considerably 
increases  the  cost  of  pruning,  and  is  an  absolute  loss.  Two  varieties 
that  are  the  worst  in  this  respect  when  not  disbudded  are  Whitesmith 
and  Lancashire  Lad ;  I  have  seen  as  many  as  ten  vigorous  suckers, 
each  1  to  3  feet  Ion?,  from  the  roots  of  these,  and  they  are  very  difficult 
to  remove  thoroughly  without  injuring  the  roots  or  stem  of  the  plant. 
It  is  really  impracticable  to  cut  them  off  close  enough  to  prevent 
further  growth,  and  consequently  every  year  the  trouble  increases. 
They  are  always  stronger  than  the  central  portion  of  the  bush,  and  in 
consequence  withdraw  much  nourishment  from  the  fruit-bearxng  - 
branches. 
It  does  not  matter  with  regard  to  Black  Currants  if  there  is  a  free 
growth  of  shoots  from  the  base;  in  fact  it  is  an  advantage,  as  it  provides 
a  means  of  renewing  the  bushes,  and  compensating  for  the  loss  of 
branches  which  frequently  occur  in  those  plants,  but  it  is  altogether 
different  with  Gooseberries.  The  farther  the  branches  are  from  the 
ground  the  more  convenient  they  are  at  fruit-gathering  time,  and 
with  some  of  the  spreading  sorts  the  shoots  from  the  base  will  lie  flat 
upon  the  soil  obviously  useless. 
Summer  pinching  of  lateral  growth  in  the  Gooseberries  is  to  some 
extent  advantageous  when  it  can  be  done  sufficiently  early  and  per¬ 
formed  thoroughly,  but  unfortunately  it  requires  attention  at  a  time 
when  there  is  much  other  work  in  hand,  and  in  consequence  in  large 
plantations  is  only  partially  carried  out  or  omitted  entirely.  When 
the  growths  from  the  main  stems  are  shortened  early  to  an  inch  or 
two,  it  undoubtedly  serves  to  concentrate  the  strength  of  the  bush 
into  the  fruit-bearing  parts,  and  reduces  the  labour  of  autumn  pruning. 
As  a  garden  practice  and  for  small  plantations  it  is  most  desirable, 
but  in  my  own  case,  and  I  imagine  in  many  others  similarly  situated, 
the  early  summer  labour  is  of  more  importance  and  value  in  other 
directions. 
The  chief  considerations  in  pruning  established  Gooseberry  bushes 
is  to  keep  them  open  and  free  from  crowding  growths,  which  are  very 
apt  to  arise  in  the  centre  of  the  bushes.  If  they  were  started  as  two 
or  three-year-old  plants,  and  were  judiciously  cut-in  to  insure  due 
furnishing  of  the  bush,  they  should  have  in  the  second  year  from 
planting  from  six  to  eight  main  branches,  radiating  and  ascending 
from  the  centre  of  the  bush.  These  should  not  cross  or  approach  near 
each  other,  and  though  it  is  difficult  at  times  to  form  an  ideal  plant, 
it  is  always  possible  to  prevent  crowding,  and  this  will  have  a  great 
bearing  upon  fruit  development.  The  side  growths  from  these  are 
shortened  to  two  or  three  buds,  or  at  the  densest  part  of  the  bush 
removed  altogether ;  or  if  summer  pinching  is  done  they  will 
scarcely  need  any  attention,  except  in  some  cases  a  little  further 
shortening. 
The  points  of  the  main  branches  need  to  be  reduced  in  proportion 
to  the  strength  of  the  bush  and  the  variety.  I  make  a  difference  in 
the  treatment  of  such  varieties  as  Crown  Bob  and  Whinham’s  Industry 
for  instance.  In  the  former,  which  produces  more  slender,  relatively 
weaker  shoots,  the  points  are  reduced  to  2  or  3  inches  from  the 
previous  season’s  wood,  while  Whinham’s  has  the  points  left  4  to 
6  inches  long,  or  in  some  cases  more  than  that.  Even  then  v-e 
frequently  remove  8  or  10  inches  of  growth.  After  a  season  or 
two’s  treatment  in  tlie  manner  described,  the  wood  that  is  more 
than  a  year  old  is  studded  thickly  with  fruit  buds  over  the  whole 
length. 
One  other  matter  should  be  pointed  out,  and  that  is  with  respect 
to  the  buds  to  which  the  main  branches  are  cut.  All  erect-growing 
varieties  like  Whitesmith  are  praned  to  a  bud  pointing  outwards, 
but  with  some  of  the  more  straggling  growers  it  is  needful,  more 
especially  as  regards  the  outer  branches,  to  prune  to  an  inside  or 
upper  bud.  When  a  branch  is  dropping  towards  the  soil  and  it  is 
cut  to  a  bud  on  the  under  side,  the  extension  is  continued  in  the 
same  undesirable  direction,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  cut  the  whole 
shoot  away.  Simple  as  this  practice  is,  if  consistently  followed  up 
it  effects  the  general  form  and  usefulness  of  the  bush  most  satis¬ 
factorily. 
The  same  general  principles  are  applicable  to  Red  Currants,  but 
these  plants  do  not  give  nearly  so  much  trouble  after  a  few  seasons’ 
attention.  The  constant  fruit  bearing  keeps  them  within  bounds,  and 
beyond  a  judicious  shortening  of  the  main  branches,  and  reducing  the 
laterals  as  with  Gooseberries,  they  take  up  little  time.  The  fruit¬ 
bearing  wood  is  precisely  the  same  as  in  their  thorny  relative — i.e., 
that  over  one  year  old,  and  the  branches  of  well  treated  bushes  may 
be  seen  now  closely  studded  with  buds.  Black  Currants  have  already 
been  incideutally  referred  to,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  here  that 
we  endeavour  to  retain  all  the  current  season’s  growth,  and  to  replace 
old  shoots  by  new  ones  where  iDOSsible,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  fruit 
is  borne  on  the  young  wood.  It  is  as  undesirable  to  have  a  Black 
Currant  crowded  as  either  the  Red  Currant  or  the  Gooseberry,  but  the 
labour  of  keeping  the  former  in  proper  shape  is  very  small  compared 
with  the  others. — An  Old  Grower. 
NOTES  ON  BULBS. 
Having  in  two  instalments,  the  last  of  which  concluded  on 
page  340,  dealt  at  some  length  with  the  culture  of  Hyacinths  in  pots, 
we  may  now  pass  on  to  other  bulbous  flowers,  which,  if  not  quite  so 
imposing,  are  eriually  as  useful.  Bearing  in  mind  that  the  same 
cultural  details  are  in  the  main  suitable  for  all,  it  is  not  now  proposed 
to  go  into  the  individual  treatment  of  each.  Let  the  same  system  be 
adopted  for  those  that  are  to  be  named  as  was  recommended  for  the 
Hyacinths,  and  the  chances  of  success  will  be  excellent.  Where  a 
slight  variation  from  those  lines  has  been  found  advantageous  it  will 
be  noted,  but  it  is  now  proposed  to  deal  principally  with  varieties 
that  have  been  found  the  most  generally  satisfactory.  Of  course  it 
will  be  remembered  that  pot  culture  is  still  under  consideration,  and 
that  it  is  for  this  purpose  the  varieties  are  named. 
Tulips. 
These  gorgeous  flowers  are  popular  with  almost  everyone,  and 
they  can  be  successfully  grown  in  places  where  other  plants  might 
prove  a  failure.  So  far  as  our  experience  goes,  and  we  grow  some 
hundreds  every  year,  they  differ  from  Hyacinths  in  one  respect  to  a 
marked  degree,  and  that  their  partiality  for  water.  01  course  Hyacinths 
want  large  quantities  when  they  are  advancing  into  flower,  but  the 
Tulips  re(iuire  more.  Personally,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  cause 
of  these  bulbs  failing  to  flower,  as  they  do  occasionally,  is  insufficient 
supplies  of  water,  and  I  should  much  like  to  know  the  experiences  of 
other  growers  on  the  point.  Beyond,  then,  giving  more  water,  the  bulk 
of  our  Tulips  are  treated  precisely  the  same  as  Hyacinths.  Tnough 
a  few  are  forced,  the  major  portion  of  the  bulbs  are  grown  for  the 
embellishment  of  the  conservatory  in  the  spring  months,  for  which 
purpose  we  find  them  invaluable. 
Those  that  are  grown  for  early  flowering,  and  which  are  forced,  are 
never  potted  in  the  first  instance.  Instead  of  this,  the  market  grower’s 
system  of  growing  in  boxes  of  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  is  adopted  until 
the  plants  are  well  advanced  in  bud,  when  they  go  into  the  receptacles 
for  perfect  development.  We  have  ornamental  vases  that  just  accom¬ 
modate  four  bulbs,  and  by  selecting  those  with  buds  at  a  similar  stage 
they  all  flower  at  the  same  time,  and  are  thus  more  effective.  It 
involves  a  little  more  labour  perhaps,  but  it  is  more  than  repaid  at 
flowering  time.  With  the  later  ones,  which  are  not  used  in  pots  for 
room  decoration,  we  are  not  so  particular,  though  we  think  sometimes 
that  even  these  would  be  worth  growing  in  the  same  manner.  For 
forcing  purposes  we  grow  three  varieties  only  of  single  Tulips,  which 
are  the  red  and  yellow,  the  scarlet,  and  the  white  Due  Van  Thols, 
the  second  named  being  the  greatest  favourite  owing  to  its  bright 
cheery  colour. 
Of  the  Dutch  single  Tulips  we  usefully  confine  ourselves  to  about 
one  dozen  varieties,  of  which  Ophir  d’Or,  Scarlet  Pottebakker,  and  the 
white  Van  Vondel  are  grown  by  far  the  most  extensively.  For  years 
we  have  made  a  feature  of  these,  and  never  once  have  we  failed  to 
score  a  success.  Others  have  been  tried,  both  new  and  old,  but  we 
cannot  yet  find  a  trio  to  surpass  them,  all  points  considered.  Other 
fivourites  are  Vermilion  Brilliant,  Proserpine,  Le  Matelas,  Royal 
Standard,  Bride  of  Haarlem,  Keizers  Kroon,  Joost  Van  Vondel,  White 
Pottebakker,  and  Van  der  Neer.  Those  that  grow  tall  and  produce 
large  flowers,  such  for  example  as  Keizers  Kroon,  have  a  very  slender 
stake  placed  to  each  bulb  so  as  to  maintain  the  spike  in  its  proper 
position.  Of  single  Tulips  we  made  it  a  rule  to  place  three  bulbs  in 
in  each  4J-inch  pot,  and  it  is  occasionally  a  tight  squeeze  with  the 
large  bulbed  varieties. 
To  double  Tulips  for  pot  culture  we  are  not  particularly  partial, 
but  we  grow  a  few  for  the  sake  of  the  variety  they  impart  to  a  collec¬ 
tion.  The  red  and  yellow  Tournesol  we  find  consistently  good,  as  also 
is  the  old  Imperator  Rubrorum.  Then  there  are  La  Candeur,  Mariage 
de  Ma  Fille,  Matador,  Murillo,  and  Salvator  Rosa,  with  each  of  which 
we  have  done  splendidly  at  times.  Occasionally  others  have  been 
added  or  substituted,  but  for  the  main  display  we  depend  upon  about 
half  a  dozen  varieties  that  we  know  to  be  reliable.  It  is  almost  always 
imperative  to  stake  the  flowers  of  the  double  Tulips  on  account  of  their 
great  weight,  and  needless  to  say  it  must  be  done  carefully,  or  the 
good  appearance  of  the  pot  of  bulbs  will  be  absolutely  destroyed.  With 
