October  28,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENFH 
413 
have  to  a  great  extent  been  neglected.  The  planting  of  such  fine  late 
varieties  as  Yorkshire  Greening,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Bramley’s 
Seedling,  and  Dumelow’s  Seedling  is  therefore  most  desirable,  and  it  i-i 
to  be  hoped  that  during  the  present  season  they  and  other  good  late 
sorts  will  have  a  larger  share  of  attention  than  heretofore. 
The  selection  of  suitable  varieties  for  different  kinds  of  soil  is  one 
that  is  now  receiving  much  attention,  and  intending  i^lanters  Avill  do 
well  to  make  inquiries  as  to  what  varieties  thrive  in  the  soil  of  theii' 
district.  In  the  light  and  rather  poor  soil  found  in  many  parts  of 
Warwickshire  Wyken  Pippin,  Hanwell  Souring,  Sturmer  Pippin, 
Bramley’s  Seedling,  Hoary  Morning,  and  Bismarck  may  be  taken  as 
types  which  succeed  admirably.  With  good  deep  culture  and  proper 
attention  to  feeding  at  the  right  time,  almost  any  of  the  hardier 
varieties  will  succeed  fairly  well. 
When  preparing  the  soil  for  the  formation  of  fruit  plantations  it 
ought,  if  possible,  to  be  trenched  to  a  depth  of  2  feet ;  but  if  that 
expense  cannot  be  incurred,  holes  2  feet  in  depth  and  4  feet  in  width 
should  be  prepared,  and  the  soil  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole  broken  up 
as  well.  This  amount  of  space  will  give  the  trees  a  good  start,  and  if 
after  three  or  four  years  the  soil  is  broken  up  to  the  same  depth  as  the 
station,  a  few  feet  beyond  it,  the  first  cost  of  tree  planting  will  be 
lessened,  and  room  for  an  extended  root  run  provided  at  a  capital  time. 
Of  course  this  refers  to  instances  where  small  fruits  are  not  planted  as 
an  under- crop.  When  this  is  done,  the  trenching  of  the  whole  ground 
is  an  absolute  necessity  if  the  best  results  are  expected. 
In  dealing  with  heavy  land,  unless  it  is  on  a  slope,  draining  must, 
of  course,  have  attention  ;  without  it  much  splendid  land  is  quite 
useless  for  fruit  culture,  which  Avhen  well  drained  could  be  made  to 
produce  good  trees  and  fruit  of  the  finest  quality.  I  should,  however, 
never  care  to  plant  fruit  trees  in  a  heavy  soil  without  first  trenching 
and  incorporating  with  it  as  much  gritty  matter  as  procurable — road 
scrapings,  burnt  refuse,  coal  ashes,  and  lime,  or  old  mortar  rubbish,  all 
answer  the  purpose  well.  Prepared  stations  seem  to  form  so  many 
drains  into  which  the  water  runs  and  stands  for  a  long  time.  If  such 
land  were  cultivated  deeply  for  a  few  years,  and  employed  for  growing 
vegetables,  it  would,  without  doubt,  be  rendered  more  suitable  for 
fruit  culture. 
Apple  trees  grown  in  the  bush  form  are  becoming  more  popular 
than  ever,  and  when  we  consider  their  many  advantages,  it  is  some¬ 
what  surprising  that  tall  standards  should  still  be  so  largely  planted 
in  any  jwsition  except  on  grass,  where,  of  course,  that  form  of  tree 
may  be  termed  a  necessity.  Bushes  planted  12  feet  apart,  with  small 
fruits  grown  between  till  the  permanent  trees  require  the  whole  space, 
is  a  method  of  arrangement  I  would  follow  in  preference  to  all  others. 
Having  settled  on  the  site  of  an  orchard,  prepared  the  ground,  and 
marked  out  the  stations  with  a  stake,  the  digging  of  the  holes  must  be 
attended  to  ;  but  it  is  often  good  policy  to  defer  this  till  a  few  weeks 
after  the  ground  has  been  trenched,  to  allow  the  soil  to  settle.  Then, 
when  it  is  in  good  working  order,  the  planting  can  be  performed 
expeditiously. 
After  the  thorough  preparation  previously  spoken  of,  the  soil  need 
not  be  taken  out  to  a  great  depth,  but  the  holes  should  be  wide 
enough  to  allow  every  root  to  be  spread  out  at  full  length  after  the 
points  have  been  cut  with  a  sharp  knife.  In  free  working  soil  the 
roots  near  the  stem  should  be  slightly  above  the  ground  line,  and  be 
covered  with  3  inches  of  soil,  after  working  it  well  in  between  the 
fibrous  roots,  the  whole  being  pressed  moderately  firm.  When  finished, 
there  will  be  a  slight  mound,  which  will,  in  a  few  months,  sink  to  the 
ground  line. 
On  the  other  hand,  when  planting  in  heavy  soil,  many  noted  fruit 
growers  plant  almost  on  the  surface,  and  heap  the  soil  around  the 
roots  into  the  form  of  a  mound  from  9  to  12  inches  in  height.  The 
soil  about  the  roots  is  thus  kept  free  from  stagnant  moisture,  and  the 
warmth  of  spring  induces  early  and  vigorous  root  action.  This 
planting  upon  the  surface  and  forming  mounds  around  the  roots  is  an 
excellent  practice  when  well  carried  out,  but  it  does  not  succeed  if  the; 
mounds  have  only  a  small  diameter,  or  are  made  with  a  very  sharp 
slope,  because  the  soil  becomes  extremely  hard  and  dry  during  the 
summer,  and  in  hot  seasons  prevents  the  trees  from  making  much 
progress  for  a  year  or  two  after  planting.  We  want  to  avoid  going 
to  extremes  in  either  direction.  Deep  planting  is  the  worst  of  all 
practices,  but  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  rush  to  the  other 
extreme  and  plant  on  high  narrow  mounds,  which  become  cold  in 
winter  and  baked  through  in  summer.  Even  in  heavy  land  a  slight 
rise  of  the  soil  above  the  ground  line  will  insure  freedom  from  stagnant 
moisture.  If,  therefore,  we  so  arrange  matters  as  to  have  the  top  of 
the  mound  about  9  inches  above  the  ground  level,  give  the  mound  a 
diameter  of  4  or  5  feet,  and  carry  it  with  a  gentle  slope  from  its  apex 
to  the  ground  line,  we  accomplish  the  object  we  have  in  view,  without 
being  led  into  other  evils  worse  than  those  we  are  trying  to  avoid. 
The  importance  of  early  planting  is  such  that  it  cannot  be  too 
strongly  urged  upon  the  consideration  of  intending  planters.  While 
the  land  is  still  warm  root  wounds  heal  quickly,  a  callus  is  formed, 
and  in  some  instances  rootlets  begin  to  grow  at  once ;  in  other  words. 
the  underground  branches  are  brought  into  a  state  oi  activity  far  in 
advance  of  those  above  ground.  They  take  up  and  store  food,  ready 
for  the  time  when  the  buds  burst  into  leafy  growth.  Contrast  this 
state  of  affairs  with  what  happens  when  planting  is  deferred  till  late 
in  the  spring,  when  the  buds  are  swelling.  As  soon  as  top  growth 
begins  the  stored  up  sap  is  quickly  used  up,  and  until  fresh  rootlets 
are  formed  in  fair  quantities  the  growth  is  held  in  check  if  not  entirely 
suspended.  It  is  simply  a  case  of  starving  in  a  land  of  plenty,  for 
there  is  food  in  abundance  in  the  soil,  but  the  trees  do  not  get  it 
because  of  the  absence  of  the  “connecting  link,”  active  rootlets.  Trees 
that  are  checked  in  growth  in  the  way  described  are  retarded  almost  a 
year  in  their  progress.  I  like  to  defer  the  pruning  of  newly  planted 
trees  until  the  spring,  just  as  the  terminal  buds  are  beginning  to 
swell,  as  this  practice  seems  to  stimulate  early  sap  circulation. 
In  a  country  like  our  own,  where  the  population  increases  at  the 
rate  of  nearly  3,000,000  in  ten  years,  it  is  a  fallacy  to  think  the  land 
will  ever  be  less  valuable  than  it  is  now.  Every  inch  of  fairly  good 
agricidtural  land  wiL  pay  for  cultivating  well,  until  we  are  able  to 
supply — to  a  far  greater  extent  than  we  do  at  present-  the  vegetable 
products  required  in  this  sea-girt  isle. — H.  D. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
DRILL  HALL. — October  26th. 
The  meeting  of  the  Committees  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
at  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday  was  made  the  occasion  of  one  of  the 
most  handsome  displays  of  flowers  that  has  been  seen  of  late.  Kot  only 
were  exhiVutors  numerous,  but  visitors  flocked  in,  so  that  despite  the 
dull  weather,  the  day  was  a  doubly  successful  one.  Each  section  was 
strongly  represented.  In  the  afternoon  the  Victoria  IMedals  of  Honour 
were  presented  to  the  recipients.  Of  this  function  a  report  wiU  be  found 
below. 
Erhit  Committee. — Present:  P.  Crowley,  Esq.  (in  the  chair);  with 
Messrs.  T.  Erancis  Rivers,  George  Bunyard,  .1.  Cheal,  AVilliam  Crump, 
A.  H.  Pearson,  A.  F.  Barron,  W.  Empson,  Alex.  Dean,  James  Veitch, 
W.  Farr,  W.  Balderson,  F.  Q.  Lane,  James  Smith,  J.  Willard,  R.  Fife, 
G.  Wythes. 
Messrs.  J.  Carter  &  Co.,  High  Holborn,  sent  a  collection  of  fresh 
clean  Beets  and  a  few  Carrots,  Several  varieties  were  represented  in 
good  form.  A  magnificent  collection  of  vegetables  came  from  Messrs. 
H.  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley.  Onions  were  grand,  as  were  Carrots, 
Cabbages,  Leeks,  and  Potatoes.  Messrs.  .1.  Laing  &  Sons,  Forest  Hill, 
sent  ninety-two  dishes  of  Apples  and  Pears,  The  fruits  were  clean  and 
well  coloured.  Amongst  Apples  the  most  prominent  were  Lord  Derby, 
Lane’s  Prince  xilbert,  Stirling  Castle,  Hollandbury,  Peasgood’s  None¬ 
such,  Emperor  Alexander,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Gloria  Mundi,  and  Sandring¬ 
ham.  The  best  Pears  were  Beurre  Clairgeau,  Doyenne  du  Comice, 
Beurr4  Diel,  Charles  Ernest,  and  Glou  Morgeau.^ 
The  Apples  staged  by  Messrs.  J.  Cheal  &  Sons,  Crawley,  were  con¬ 
spicuous  for  their  high  colour  and  evenness.  The  Apples  comprised 
Cox  s  Pomona,  Mbre  de  Menage,  The  Queen,  Peasgood's  Nonesuch, 
Cellini,  Bramley’s  Seedling,  Bismarck,  Warner’s  King,  Jubilee,  Annie 
Elizabeth,  Stirling  Castle,  Atalanta,  and  Hawthornden.  Some  beautiful 
Pears  also  came  from  the  same  source.  Messrs.  Dobbie  &  Co.,  Rothesay, 
sent  Parsley  Dobbie’s  Selected,  with  Parsnips  and  Turnips. 
Mr.  W.  Taylor,  gardener  to  C.  Bayer,  Esq.,  Tewkesbury  Lodge,  Forest 
Hill,  sent  a  handsome  exhibit  of  Grapes,  most  of  which  xvere  good  in 
colour  and  finish,  as  well  as  in  berry  and  bunch.  The  varieties  comprised 
Foster’s  Seedling,  Mrs.  Pince,  Gros  Guillaume,  Gros  Colman,  Muscat  of 
Alexandria,  Trebbiano,  Lady  Downe’s,  Alnwick  Seedling,  Black  Ham¬ 
burgh,  and  Alicante. 
Classes  for  Flavour. — Mr.  C.  Herrin  received  the  first  prize  for 
Apples  with  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  and  was  followed  by  Mr.  G.  W oodward 
with  American  Mother.  Col.  Brymer  was  first  for  Pears  with  Doyenne 
du  Comice,  and  Mr.  G.  Woodward  second  with  Emile  d’Heyst. 
Floral  Committee. — Present  :  W.  Marshall,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ; 
with  Messrs.  Owen  Thomas,  John  Laing,  Chas.  T.  Druery,  H.  B.  May, 
R.  B.  Lowe,  E.  Molyneux,  George  Glenny,  Geo.  Engleheart,  James 
Hudson,  J.  Fraser,  J.  D.  Pawle,  Charles  .Jeffries,  Herbert  Cutbush, 
•lames  Walker,  Charles  E.  Pearson,  Chas.  E.  Shea,  George  Gordon, 
Charles  Blick,  Harry  Turner,  George  Paul,  J.  T.  Bennett-Poe,  H.  Selfe 
L/eonard,  Geo.  Nicholson,  and  D.  B.  Crane. 
Mr.  G.  Wythes,  gardener  to  Earl  Percy,  Syon  House,  Brentford, 
contributed  handsomely  towards  the  magnificent  display  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  in  the  Hall.  His  blooms  were  not  arranged  o»  boards,  but 
on  long  stems  above  a  groundwork  of  Fern.  The  best  varieties  were — 
Charles  Davis,  Edwin  Molyneux,  Amos  Pei-ry,  Mons.  Chenon  de  Lechfi, 
Lago  Maggiore,  and  Miss  Elsie  Teichman,  with  several  incurved.  Mr. 
W.  .J,  Godfrey,  Exmouth,  arranged  a  splendid  collection  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemums,  comprising  all  the  standard  as  well  as  several  newer  varieties. 
The  colours  were  clean  and  the  blooms  very  fresh.  Amongst  the  most 
noticeable  were  Simplicity,  Antoinette,  Mons.  Delamotte,  Lady  Byron, 
Lady  Ridgway,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Palmer,  Geo.  Gower,  Topaze  Orientale, 
Edith  Tabor,  King  of  the  Yellows,  Ella  Curtis,  Ma  Perfection,  and 
J.  E.  Lager. 
A  group  of  Chrysanthemums,  margined  with  Carnations  and  Ferns, 
was  staged  by  Mr.  T.  S.  Ware,  Hale  Farm  Nurseries,  Tottenham.  The 
plants  were  not  carrying  large  flowers,  but  were  clean  and  healthy. 
