62G 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  30.  1897. 
the  Aquarium  shows,  I  must  emphasise  my  opinion  that  this  absent  class 
is  ])re-eminently  possessed  of  the  true  love  of  flowers  without  incum¬ 
brances  such  as  render  the  home  (/)  of  the  N.C.S.  shows  utterly  unsuitable 
for  a  horticultural  display.  That  place  of  amusement  is  not  an  abode  for 
the  beauties  of  plant  life  to  be  seen  to  advantage,  but  rather  its  dungeon. 
On  the  Tuesday  of  the  N.C.S.  show  I  visited  the  Drill  Hall  to  see 
the  usual  fortnightly,  and,  on  that  particular  day,  very  moderate  display, 
without  bands  and  gymnastics,  but  in  peaceful  repose  and  ethical  fitness, 
and  was  told  the  diminutive  character  of  the  display  was  owing  to  the  claims 
that  day  of  the  Aquarium  show.  I  left  the  former  pleased  with  the  good 
things,  though  few,  and  passed  the  very  doors  of  the  Aquarium  without  a 
thought  other  than  of  pity  that  the  show  should  be  held  there.  I  did  not 
feel  in  the  least  attracted  to  enter.  I  am  the  truest  lover  of  plant  life  in 
all  its  manifold  forms,  and  should  find  a  pleasure  in  proceeding  to  a  poor 
man’s  little  garden  on  the  mere  chance  of  finding  some  original  conception 
in  horticulture.  I  trust  members  of  the  Committee  of  the  N.C.S.  will 
pause  before  giving  themselves  away  by  following  their  leader  who  dares 
to  be  bold  in  Ihe  knowledge  of  the  bondage  of  the  rest. 
The  way  out  of  the  deadlock  for  this  Society  may  be  a  fresh  election 
of  the  Committee,  when  doubtless  in  its  composition  the  voice  of  true 
horticulture  will  make  itself  heard,  and  that  body  strive  in  good  earnest 
for  the  realisation  of  a  central  hall  of  horticulture,  where  all  the  existing 
forces  would  act  in  unison.  I  can  only  recommend  the  Secretary  of  the 
N.C.S.  to  loin  frankly  in  the  movement  witii  head,  heart,  and  hand,  so 
that  “splendid  isolation’  should  not  be  regretted  when  too' late. — 
II.  H.  li..  Forest  mu. 
YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Stokikg. 
Now  that  winter  has  at  last  arrived  more  care  and  attention  will  be 
required  of  young  gardeners  to  wage  war  with  frost  and  cold  winds,  and 
to  keep  houses  at  the  requisite  temperature.  It  is  a  “  thorn  in  the  side  ” 
of  many  of  us  probationers,  especially  where  there  is  a  large  amount  of 
glass,  but  with  care  and  intelligence  the  work  may  lie  made  easier,  and  a 
pleasure  to  perform.  Several  kinds  of  fuel  are  used— coal  and  coke 
chiefly — but  whatever  it  is  the  stoker  should  first  study  the  heating 
properties  of  the  kind  he  has  to  use,  and  also  the  boiler,  so  that  he 
can  guard  against  overheating  or  the  reverse.  It  is  an  anxious  time  for 
all  concerned,  and  often  irretrievable  damage  is  done  through  too  high 
temperatures. 
A  tidy  stokehole,  free  from  ashes  and  clinkers,  and  clean  flues  round 
the  boiler,  should  be  the  first  consideration.  When  extra  heat  is  required 
begin  with  a  small  fire  clear  of  ashes  and  clinkers,  and  rake  it  into  the 
middle  of  the  bars.  This  should  be  fed  by  a  fcAV  shovelfuls  as  often  as  it 
burns  through— on  no  account  piling  on  a  lot  of  fuel  at  once,  as  this 
prevents  the  heat  having  proper  play  on  the  boiler— until  the  requisite 
degree  is  obtained.  A  little  slack  or  damp  ashes  may  then  be  put  on,  at 
the  same  time  reducing  the  draught.  The  weather  should  always  be 
observed,  and  sun  heat  taken  advantage  of  in  place  of  fire  heat.  Tlie 
pipes  must  never  be  overheated  on  sunny  days,  or  weak  growth  will  be 
the  result.  If  it  gives  promise  of  a  sunny  day,  so  that  enough  can  be 
husbanded  to  kee’p  the  temperatures  at  the  proper  height,  the  fire  should 
be  damped  down  as  advised  above,  and  started  again  as  the  sun  loses 
power.  The  fire  ought  always  to  be  well  under  the  boiler,  heat  at  the 
dead  plate  being  almost  useless,  but  some  stokers  place  fuel  on  it  to 
become  charred  and  pushed  into  the  fire  at  the  next  stoking. 
When  banking-in  for  the  night,  the  fire  should  be  raked  about  to 
free  it  from  ashes,  and  all  clinkers  taken  out,  then  pushed  well  back  and 
enough  fuel  put  on  to  insure  a  regular  temperature  during  the  night.  In 
the  case  of  saddle  boilers  a  space  must  be  left  between  the  top  of  the  fuel 
and  boiler,  and  a  feiv  shovelfuls  of  ashes  or  coal  slack  well  damped 
placed  over  the  front  part  of  the  fuel  and  made  firm  with  the  back  of  the 
shovel.  In  attending  the  fire  the  next  morning,  if  it  be  a  moderate  one, 
rake  it  to  the  front  and  clear  it  of  ashes  and  clinkers,  then  push  back  to 
the  middle  of  the  bars,  place  on  a  little  fuel  as  jireviously  advised,  and 
give  all  the  draught  possible  for  a  time.  If  it  should  be  low,  rake  it  up 
together,  put  on  a  little  good  fuel,  and  let  it  burn  through  ;  it  can  then 
be  cleaned.  If  this  were  attempted  at  Prst  it  would  probably  be  put 
out  altogether. 
It  is  a  credit  to  every  young  gardener  to  be  a  good  stoker  as  well  as 
a  good  fruit  and  plant  grower,  for  do  not  the  majority  depend  on 
proper  temperatures  to  bring  them  to  perfection  ?  When  a  man  can 
stoke  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  chief,  and  can  be  relied  on  in  this  respect, 
he  saves- him  much  anxiety  caused  by  his  work  being  badly  performed, 
either  through  want  of  thought  or  knowledge.  The  subject  of  these  few 
notes  deserves  more  attention  from  those  who  have  it  to  do  than  it  often 
gets,  and  although  unpleasant  to  some  it  can  be  made  both  interesting  and 
instructive. — Nil  Despeeandum. 
-  Gaebexixg  Scholakship.— We  learn  that  Lord  Amherst  of 
Hackney  has  expressed  his  intention  of  giving,  through  the  Gardeners’ 
Company,  a  scholarship  of  the  value  of  £25  in  the  years  1899  and  190it. 
This  scholarship  is,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Burrows  and  Sherwood  scholar¬ 
ships  for  1897-98  and  1898-99,  to  be  awarded  by  examination  held  by 
the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society.  The  Master,  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood,  has 
also  promised  a  prize  of  10  guineas  annually,  to  be  known  as  the  Master 
of  the  Gardeners’  prize. 
HAllDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Pruning  Gooseberries. —Rws/ies. —Gooseberries  in  bush  form  are  best 
when  grown  with  a  fair  number  of  main  branches  disposed  thinly  and  in 
a  regular  manner  so  far  as  is  possible.  Ft  om  these,  young  shoots  may  be 
allowed  to  spring,  but  not  so  rankly  as  to  crowd  the  trees  with  growths. 
The  main  object  of  winter  pruning  must  be  to  thin  out  the  crowded 
annual  shoots,  leaving  the  best  jilaced  and  most  promising  at  their  full 
length  as  they  produce  the  best  fruit.  The  shoots  which  it  is  necesstiry 
to  prune  back  so  ns  to  avoid  crowding  need  not  in  all  case.s  be  cut  out 
entirely,  but  to  within  an  inch  of  the  main  branch  to  form  spurs.  Some 
treat  all  the  annual  shoots  alike,  spurring  them  back  closely,  but  this  is 
not  desirable,  a  combination  of  both  methods  being  better.  Worn-out 
iiranches  may  be  replaced,  selecting  suitable  growths  at  the  base  of  the 
bushes  for  extending.  Shoots  or  branches  that  destroy  the  symmetry  of 
the  bushes  or  growing  too  near  the  soil  remove  entirely.  Bushes  are  best 
on  clear  stems  6  or  9  inches  above  the  soil,  especially  the  drooping 
varieties. 
Cordons, — When  growing  on  walls  or  espalier  fences  the  branches 
are  treated  as  cordons,  and  trained  upright  about  9  inches  apart.  The 
winter  pruning  consists  in  shortening  the  side  growths  to  within  an  inch 
of  the  base.  During  the  time  the  branches  are  in  course  of  formation  6  to 
9  inches  of  the  leading  growth  should  be  left  to  each  branch  annually. 
When  they  have  reached  their  full  extent  shorten  in  closely.  New  cordon 
branches  may  be  formed  when  necessary' by  originating  a  shoot  at  the 
base  of  the  old  branch  ivhich  must, be  cut  out. 
Pruning  Red  and  White  Currants.  —  Bushes  are  formed  with  a 
definite  number  of  main  branches.  The  side  and  spur  shoots  developed 
during  the  summer  duly  prune  back  to  within  half  an  inch  of  their  base. 
Wbile  the  branches  are  in  the  course  of  formation  shorten  the  iveakest 
leaders  to  G  and  the  strongest  to  9  inches,  eventually,  when  extension  is 
not  further  required,  pruning  closely,  the  same  as  the  side  shoots.  When 
desirable  to  replace  a  worn-out  or  exhausted  branch  select  a  suitable 
growth  at  the  base.  Whether  grown  as  bushes  in  the  open,  or  as 
cordons  on  walls  and  espalier  fences,  the  same  course  of  pruning  is 
necessary. 
Pruning  Black  Currants.— Black  Currants  are  only  profitably  growm 
as  bushes.  They  require  to  be  annually  regulated,  selecting  the  best  and 
stronger  young  groivths  for  retaining,  and  cutting  out  entirely  the 
weaker  and  older.  Endeavour  not  to  leave  the  bushes  too  crowded. 
Treat  similarly  to  Gooseberries  w-ith  the  exception  that  no  shoots  are 
shortened  back  to  form  spurs,  but  cut  out  entirely  ivhen  not  required. 
All.shoots  retained  leave  at  full  length. 
Protecting  Buds  from  Birds. — Gooseberries  and  Currants  are  liable  to 
loss  of  buds  by  the  attacks  of  birds  in  winter.  There  are  various  remedies 
adopted  to  prevent  these  dejiredations.  Stringing  black  cotton  over  the 
bushes  is  one  effective  method  ;  tying  the  branches  together  in  a  mass 
for  the  winter  is  another.  Dustings  of  soot  or  quicklime  applied  when 
the  bushes  are  ivet  prevent  attacks  to  some  extent,  but  require  renewal 
when  washed  off  by  rain.  A  mixture  of  quicklime,  sulphur,  and  softsoap. 
with  water  to  make  it  thin  enough  to  pass  through  a  syringe,  will  readily 
adhere  and  prove  a  good  preventive. 
Cleansing  Fruit  Trees.  —This  is  the  best  season  for  attacking  pests 
that  infest  fruit  trees.  Red  spider,  scale  insects,  and  the  eggs  of  numerous 
insects  may  be  dislodged  or  destroyed  by  the  application  of  effective 
insecticides. 
Lichens  and  Moss. — The  growth  of  these  on  fruit  trees  is  always 
detrimental  to  their  health,  and  a  means  of  harbouring  insects  and  fungi 
which  do  further  harm.  After  pruning,  thinning,  and  the  cutting  out  of 
dead  and  diseased  wood,  the  stems  and  branches  infested  with  lichenous 
and  mossy  growths  ought  to  be  well  scraped  with  hoop  iron  as  a  pre¬ 
liminary.  Follow  this  by  applying  a  dressing  of  freshly  slacked  lime. 
The  better  plan,  perhaps,  is  to  dust  the  smaller  bi’anches  and  twigs  with 
the  powdered  lime,  and  to  dress  the  thicker  branches  and  stems  ivith 
limewash  by  means  of  a  brush.  Sulphate  of  copper  is  also  a  good 
remed}',  using  1  lb.  to  25  gallons  of  water.  This  should  be  sprayed  on 
the  trees  while  dormant.  It  is  also  an  excellent  ]ilan  lo  apply  the  now 
well  known  American  remedy  recommended  by  Mr.  L.  Coates  of 
California.  This  consists  of  making  a  strong  caustic  solution  as  follows  :  — 
Half  a  pound  of  caustic  soda  (Greenbank’s  98  per  cent.),  half  a  pound  of 
crude  commercial  potash,  5  gallons  of  water,  ap])lying  hot  at  130°,  using 
a  force  pump  with  brass  cylinder  and  spray  nozzle  attachment.  For 
Beaches,  Nectarines,  and  Apricots  use  double  the  quantity  of  water. 
This  is  a  good  general  wash  for  any  trees.  It  cleanses  the  bark,  lichenous 
and  mossy  growths  fall  off,  insects  and  their  eggs  are  destroyed. 
American  Blight. — Washing  infested  trees  with  an  insecticide  is  the 
best  remedy  for  winter  application.  The  most  common  solutions  are 
softsoap,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  to  one  gallon  of  water,  or  Gishurst  compound, 
half  a  pound  to  the  same  quantity  of  water.  Dissoh'e  thoroughly,  and 
heat  to  a  temperature  of  90°.  Apply  to  the  infested  parts  of  trees  by 
brushing  it  well  into  all  crevices  and  wounds  ;  afterwards  spray  the  trees 
with  the  potash  and  soda  solution. 
