262 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  20,  1902. 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden, 
PLANTING  FlvUIT  TREES. — If  it  is  imperative  tO'  plant  in 
•spring  trees  ou<rht  at  once  to  be  planted.  It  is  as.snmecl  that  the 
ground  has  been  in  readiness  some  time,  and  lias  become  con¬ 
solidated.  Having  now  dr.ed  sufficiently  on  the  surface,  and  the 
top  few  inches  being  in  an  ameliorated  condition,  it  will  work 
■easily,  rendering  the  operation  of  planting  quite  pleasant,  pro- 
vdding  the  weather  is  also  dry.  If  not,  rather  than  plant  under 
u-et  conditions  wait  until  the  .soil  is  again  suitable.  Except  in 
verv  wet  and  adhesive  soils  this  will  not  take  long  at  the  present 
season,  for  the  cold  drying  winds  and  frequently  hot  sumshine 
•quickly  render  the  so  1  dry.  In  damp,  ill-drained  jiositions  the 
method  of  planting  may  be  somewhat  cliff  ‘rent,  and  it  is  de.sirable 
•  to  keep  the  roots  away  from  the  ill-effects  which  damp  soil  will 
product'  when  it  is  con.stantly  in  this  state.  Therefore,  it  is 
.advi.sable  to  plant  the  trees  higher  than  ordinarily,  in  fact  place 
them  on  mounds  rormed  of  good  soil.  ^Vherever  spring  planting 
is  carried  out  the  soil  must  he  well  prepared  in  regard  to  breaking 
up  and  pulverising.  Expend  some  care  n  the  planting,  and  see 
that  all  the  roots  possessed  by  the  ti'ees  are  properly'  pruned — 
that  is,  no  wounded  or  broken  parts  left.  Retain  as  many  fibres 
as  possible,  and  spread  all  out  to  their  full  length  in  several 
distinct  layers,  covering  each  layer  with  good  fine  soil,  spread 
over  them  from  the  stem  outwards.  Place  the  trees  about  the 
-same  depth  as  previously,  and  do  not  bun,'  the  top  layers  more 
than  3in  deep,  fall  standard  trees  must  be  staked  at  onoe,  wrap¬ 
ping  round  the  trees  straw  or  hay  bands  to  prevent  the  ligatures 
used,  whether  copper-wire  or  cord,  from  injuring  the  stems.  The 
best  way  to  fix  a  stake  firmly  to  the  trees  is  first  to  make  a  good 
■deep  hole  with  a  pitcher,  and  then  drop  or  work  in  the  stake. 
Short  or  bushy  specimens  will  not  need  stakes,  but  should  be 
firmly  planted. 
PROTECTING  PEACH  AND  NECTARINE  TREES.— Fixed 
protection  for  trees  on  walls  is  be.st  given  by  hanging  in  front  of 
them  fish  netting  three  or  four  times  doubled.  Its  removal  is  not 
necessary  until  that  is  done  finally,  and  it  lias  the  great  advantage 
of  freely  admitting  light  and  air.  It  is  quite  possible  'to  protect 
trees  too  much.  They  really  only  require  covering  when  the 
■flowers  are  open  and  the  weather  is  wet  or  frosty.  Cold  and  dry 
weather  v  ill  not  hurt  them,  but  is  more  beneficial  than  otherwise. 
Some  fruit  walls  have  a  fixed  or  moveable  glass  coping  attachetl. 
From  these  may  be  depended  lengths  of  canvas  or  frigi  domo,  or 
similar  material.  Secure  them  at  the  bottom  to  posts  fixed  a 
foot  or  so  from  the  ground.  When  not  in  use  draw  them  up  under 
the  coping,  but  they  may  be  fixed  for  pulling  on  one  side.  The 
best  method  may  be  decided  upon  when  arranging  them  in 
position  for  use.  Retain  the  protection  in  position  until  the 
fruit  has  well  set,  as  Avhen  in  a  young  state  a  little  protection  will 
he  of  great  use. 
STRAWBERRY  BEDS. — Old  beds  that  need  assistance,  and 
will  pay  for  it,  should  now  have  a  good  dre.ssing  of  .soot  sprinkled 
round  them,  or  a  light  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  will  be 
found  beneficial.  In  a  short  time,  too,  a  good  dressing  of  rich 
manure  will  prove  of  great  use  in  improving  the  quality  and 
•q^uantity  of  the  crop.  The  manure  may  be  a  mixture  of  long  and 
short  material  combined,  the  latter  affording  nutriment  suitable 
for  absorption  by  the  soil  from  which  the  roots  can  readily  find 
that  which  they  need.  The  long  material  having  become  well 
washed  by  the  rain  before  the  flowering  period  arrives,  will  prove 
a  suitable  bed  for  the  fruit  to  rest  upon  and  maintain  it  clean. 
Beds  containing  young  plants  need  little  or  no  assistance  at  pre¬ 
sent  with  mulching,  but  the  soil  between  the  rows  may  be 
frequently  hoed,  not  drsturbing  the  soil  round  the  plants  too 
much,  the  aim  being  to  de.stroy  weeds. 
THE  GOOSEBERRY  CATERPILLAR.— Gooseberry  trees 
now  pushing  into  gro'wth  are  in  some  cases  liable  to  early  attacks 
from  caterpillars.  They  are  probably  hybemating  in  the  soil 
beneath  the  bushes,  and  only  need  warm  weather  to  become 
active.  It  is  a  good  plan,  therefore,  before  they  do  so  to 
remove  the  soil  from  beneath  the  trees  2in  deep,  and  bury  it  in 
a  trench  a  foot  deep.  Over  the  space  cleared  sprinkle  some  soot 
and  wood  ashes,  and  cover  with  fresh  soil .  That  taken  out  from 
the  trench  where  the  old  soil  is  buried  will  do  admirably.  Also 
^st  the  old  stems  and  parts  of  branches  with  soot  or  lime. 
This  may  be  unnecessary,  but  it  will  at  least  serve  to  sweeten 
and  cleanse  the  stems. 
AUTUMN  -  PLANTED  WALL  TREES.— Trees  planted  in 
autumn,  and  only  lightly  or  loosely  fastened  up  until  the  soil 
has  settled,  and  the  trees  with  it,  may  now  be  secured  in  posi¬ 
tion,  training  the  growths  regularly,  and  pruning  them  back  to 
half  or  one-third  their  distance.  Cordon  trees  will  also  need 
training  in  the  proper  direction ;  but,  in  their  case,  if  good  and 
healthy  growth  has  been  made,  no  shortening  of  the  leading 
growths  is  necessary.  Side  growths  may,  if  this  has  not  already 
been  done,  be  pruned  to  one  or  two  buds. — East  Kent. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
VINES :  EARLIEST  HOUSES. — Colouring  will  shortly  be 
proceeding  in  the  very  early-started  houses.  To  insure  well- 
developed  berries  afford  a  thorough  supply  of  tepid  liquid 
manure,  and  mulch  the  border  at  once  with  an  inch  or  two  thick¬ 
ness  (not  more)  of  partially  decayed  manure,  preferably  rather 
lumpy.  Stable  litter,  having  the  strawy  portions  shaken  out, 
thrown  into  a  heap  and,  when  commencing  to  heat,  turne'd  over 
twice,  forms  excellent  mulching  material.  This  will  give  a 
stimulus  to  the  roots  and  secure  healthy  foliage,  while  the  mois¬ 
ture  w'ill  be  sufficient  for  the  Vines  until  the  Grapes  are  cut ; 
but  they  must  not  suffer  for  lack  of  water,  or  this  will  cause  the 
premature  ripening  of  the  wood  and  loss  of  the  principal  leaves, 
which  may  induce  fresh  growth  when  the  Vines  should  be  going 
to  rest.  Damping  must  be  continued  until  the  Grapes  are  well 
advanced  in  colouring,  after  which  retluce  the  moisture  gradually, 
and  insure  a  circulation  of  warm  air  day  and  night  by  regulating 
the  ventilation  judiciously.  The  temperature  should  be  main¬ 
tained  at  70deg  to  75deg  in  the  daytime,  with  a  rise  of  lOdeg 
to  ISdeg  from  sun  heat,  allowing  the  temperature  to  fall  during 
the  night  to  65deg,  or  even  60deg. 
VINES  IN  FLOWER. — Afford  a  circulation  of  warm,  rather 
dry  air,  and  a  temperature  of  65deg  to  70deg  at  night  for  Black 
Hamburghs  and  similar  varieties,  and  70deg  to  7odeg  for 
Muscats.  The  latter  and  other  shy-setting  varieties  should 
be  brushed  over  with  a  camel’s-hair  brush  about  the  time  the 
blossom  is  fully  expanded,  so  as  to  aid  the  stigmas  of  the  caps 
and  the  glutinous  substance,  choosing  a  warm  part  of  the  day 
after  the  house  has  been  rather  freely  ventilated.  This  will 
render  them  fitted  for  fertilisation,  which  should  be  effected 
by  brushing  them  over  with  a  brush  surcharged  with  pollen 
taken  from  free-setting  sorts  such  as  Black  Hamburghs  and 
Alicante. 
SUCCESSION  HOUSES— DISBUDDING.— It  is  not  good 
practice  to  attempt  thismntil  the  bunches  appear  in  the  points 
of  the  shoots,  and  then  it  ought  not  to  be  done  in  a  hurry,  nor 
a  large  i  eduction  made  at  one  time.  Pz'oceed  gradually  and  with 
discrimination,  so  as  to  give  as  little  check  tO'  the  Vines  as 
possible.  Retain  no  more  shoots  than  can  have  the  full  benefit 
of  the  light,  as  crowding  is  one  of  the  greatest  evils  in  Vine 
culture.  Allow  for  the  due  extension  of  the  laterals,  for  on  this 
depends  root  activity  until  the  crop  is  perfected. 
STOPPING  THE  GROWTHS.— The  bearing  shoots  should 
be  allowed  to  extend  in  accordance  to  the  space.  If  this  is 
limited,  the  Vines  being  close,  the  shoot  may  be  pinched  at 
the  first  joint  beyond  the  buneb,  and  this  should  be  done  when 
the  shoot  at  the  joint  is  the  size  of  a  halfpenny.  If  there  is  a 
moderate  space  between  the  rods,  allow  two  joints  beyond  the 
show  of  fruit.  Where  there  is  abundance  of  room  allow  the 
shoots  with  fruit  to  extend  three  or  four  leaves  beyond  the 
bunches  before  taking  off  their  points.  Laterals  will  push  from 
the  joints  both  above  and  below  the  bunches.  Those  below 
may  be  rubbed  off,  except  from  the  two  lowest  leaves,  which 
should  be  pinched  at  the  first  joint,  or,  if  there  is  a  good  space 
between  the  spurs  on  the  rods,  all  the  laterals  on  the  shoots 
below  the  bunch  may  remain,  pinching  to  one  leaf.  But  laterals 
above  the  bunch  may  either  be  pinched  to  one  joint,  or  allowed 
to  extend  until  the  space  is  fairly  furnished ;  then  pinch  and 
keep  them  within  boimds  afterwards  by  stopping  to  each  joint 
of  growth  as  made. 
THINNING. — This  is  a  very  important  operationj  both  as 
regards  the  bunches  and  berries.  Remove  all  duplicate  and 
superfluous  bunches  before  they  flower.  Setting  depends  on 
the  good  form  of  the  bunch,  and  on  its  receiving  the  essentials 
of  fertilisation.  Free-setting  varieties  may  have  the  berries 
thinned  as  soon  as  they  are  out  of  flower ;  but  Muscats  and  other 
shy  setters  should  not  be  thinned  until  it  is  seen  which  berries 
have  been  properly  fertilised  by  their  taking  the  lead  in  swelling. 
Every  berry  should  have  room  to  swell  -without  becoming  wedged, 
and  yet  have  enough  berries  to  insure  the  bunch  retaining  its 
form  when  cut. 
WATERING— FEEDING  AND  MULCHING.— Until  the 
Vines  are  in  leaf  they  require  very  moderate  supplies  of  water, 
sufficient  only  to  keep  the  soil  moist ;  but  when  the  leaves  are 
in  full  evaporation^  being  full-sized,  this  is  considerable,  and 
from  that  time  until  the  fruit  ripens  they  must  not  lack  water 
at  the  roots.  It  is  difficult  to  state  how  often  the  borders  will 
need  watering  through  their  being  so  variable  in  dimension  and 
formation.  A  narrow  border  'will  require  watering  twice  as 
often  as  one  double  tbe  width,  assuming  the  Vines  to  be  equally 
extended  and  cropped,  while  a  border  of  loose  material  will 
need  water  much  more  frequently  than  one  formed  of  finn 
