358 
journal  of  horticulture  and  cottage  gardener. 
have  grown  to  a  length  of  6in  or  9in,  if  their  points  are  removed 
tJiw  will  quickly  send  out  side  shoots ;  if  the  best  of  such  shoots 
are  trained  in  thinly  they  will  become  thoroughly  ripened  during 
the  season,  and  the  production  or  a  “  rank  ”  shoot  in  that  par¬ 
ticular  case  be  entirely  overcome.  Sometimes,  however,. there  is 
not  space  enough  to  train  in  the  side  shoots  ;  the  growth  after 
stopping  must  then  be  confined  to  one  shoot,  and  although  the 
stopping  will  check  it  for  a  time,  it  will  probably  get  thick  at  the 
base,  and  again  grow  very  strongly.  A  successful  way  to  deal 
with  such  very  strong  shoots  is  a  week  or  ten  days  aiter  they 
have  stopped  to  cut  them  back  to  their  basal  buds,  while  these  are 
starting  into  growth.  The  sac  will  be  directed  with  greater 
vigour  into  other  parts  of  the  tree,  and  the  shoots  produced  from 
those  cut  back  will  be  of  moderate  strength  only.  I  have  over 
and'  over  again  secured  evenly  balanced  growths  on  Peach  trees 
by  such  means. 
Let  me  now  turn  to  the  thinning  of  the  fruits.  During  the 
first  stage  of  disbudding,  at  least  one-third  of  the  young  fruits 
should  be  removed  if  a  good  set  has  been  obtained,  these  to  in¬ 
clude  the  deformed  and  badly  placed  ones.  When  the  fruits  are 
about  the  size  of  marbles  the  thinning  may  be  almost  completed. 
Some  cultivators  leave  large  numbers  of  fruits  on  their  trees  till 
the  stoning  is  completed,  because  they  expect  many  to  drop 
dui'ing  that  critical  stage,  but  if  other  points  of  culture  are  well 
attended  to,  the  real  reason  why  fruits  drop  at  stoning  time  is 
that  the  trees  are  overloaded.  And  if  thinning  is  almost  com¬ 
pleted  at  the  time  already  indicated,  no  one  need  fear  loss  during 
the  stoning  period. 
The  only  reason  I  have  written  “  almost  completed  ”  is  that  at 
so  early  a  stage  it  is  often  difficult  to  ascertain' which  fruits  will 
be  the  best  shaped,  and  which  will  be  the  most  favourably  placed 
for  ensuring  full  exposure  to  sunshine.  It  is  also  always  wise  to 
have  a  few  fruits  in  reserve,  as  losses  sometimes  occur  tlirough 
damage  to  shoots  or  fruits  in  carrying  out  cultural  operations. 
Tlaose  eventually  retained  should  as  far  as  possible  be«so  placed 
that  by  being  fully  exposed  to  light  and  sunshine  they  get  evenly 
coloured  on  all  sides.  One  good  Peach  tO'  each  square  foot  of 
trellis  covered  with  growth  was  at  one  time  considered  a  fair 
average  crop,  when  the  fruits  are  grown  solely  for  exhibition  or 
for  other  special  purposes. 
It  represents  by  no  means  a  light  crop  in  the  case  of  such 
large  varieties  as  Sea  Eagle.  Barrington,  and  Stirling  Castle,  but 
with  moderate  sized  varieties  grand  fruits  may  be  produced  when 
the  crop  averages  one  to  each  space  of  9ins  square.  Nectarines 
may  always  be  left  somewhat  closer  together.  For  ordinary 
purposes,  when  fruits  of  only  moderate  size  are  required,  far 
heavier  crops  may  be  obtained.  The  great  point  to  aim  at  in  all 
cases  is  to  feed  liberally  with  suitable  manures,  and  to  give  due 
attention  to  watering.  These  matters  I  hope  to  treat  of  in  another 
issue. — H.  D. 
[This  article  is  the  continuation  of  a  series  that  appeared  in 
the  Journal  in  the  spring  and  early  summer  of  last  year. — Ed.] 
Xanthoceras  sorbifolia, 
Xanthoceras  sorbifolia  is  a  tree  well  adapted  to  lawn  decora¬ 
tion  anywhere  except  in  England,  being  quite  hardy.  It  is  not 
over-particular  as  to  soil,  and  prefers  a  sunny  position.  It  is  a 
deciduous  small  tree,  very  effective  with  its  flowers — white,  red 
streaked  at  the  base  of  each  petal.  It  is  a  native  of  Northern 
China,  related  to  the  Bladder  Nuts  and  Horse  Chestnuts,  and 
further  interesting  as  being  the  only  representative  of  the  genus 
to  which  it  belongs.  Its  name  is  given  for  the  i^resence,  between 
the  petals,  of  curious  yellow  horn-shaped  glands.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  attractive  of  the  hardy  plants  which  our  gardens  owe  to 
northern  China,  the  region  from  which  many  of  the  most  beautiful 
trees  and  shrubs  in  cultivation  have  been  brought,  and  was  di.s- 
covered  seventy  years  ago  by  the  German  botanist  Bunge,  who 
accompanied  a  Russian  mission  which  travelled  overland  from 
St.  Petersburg  to  Pekin.  It  was  not,  however,  introduced  into 
our  gardens  until  nearly  forty  years  later,  when  the  French  mis- 
sionai';r  David  sent  it  to  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  Paris.  In 
spite  of  its  hardiness  and  the  beauty  of  its  flowers,  Xanthoceras 
is  still  rare  in  gardens.  The  opposite  pinnate  leaves  are  Sin  to 
12in  in  length ;  the  leaflets  are  alternate,  linear-oblong,  acute, 
coarsely  serrate,  dark  green  and  glossy  on  the  upper  surface  and 
pale  on  the  lower.  The  flowers  are  produced  in  great  profusion 
in  lateral  racemes  Sin  or  12in  long,  appearing  as  the  leaves  are 
unfolding.  The  fruit,  which  is  a  Pear-shaped  capsule,  not  unlike 
that  of  some  of  the  sinooth-finited  Horse  Che.stnuts  in  general 
appearance,  finally  splits  into  three  valves,  and  contains  a  number 
of  globose,  nearly  black,  shining  seeds  half  an  inch  in  diameter. 
Ill  the  “Garden  and  Forest”  in  1S93,  we  read;  “From  the  Abbe 
David’s  notes  we  learn  that  Xanthoceras  is  a  tree  15ft  to  ISft 
high,  and  exceedingly  rare  in  those  parts  of  China  and  Mongolia 
which  he  visited ;  that  it  is  cultivated  in  the  gardens  of  Pekin, 
and  that  the  seeds  are  eaten  by  the  Chinese.”  A  figure  of  a  noble 
lawn  tree  was  given  in  a  recent  issue  of  “American  Gardening,” 
rrom  which  these  notes  are  taken. 
Outdoor  Chrysanthemums. 
With  regard  to  the  comments  of  a  recent  correspondent,  the' 
best  blooms,  with  handsome  foliage,  cannot  be  obtained  by 
outdoor  culture,  but  tho.se  who  are  not  used  to  seeing  the  very 
best  flowers  can  obtain  re.sults  pleasing  to  th6m.selves  and  friends 
by  potting  strong  plants  into  6iii  pots  the  last  of  May  and 
plunging  the  pots  into  the  ground.  All  over  three  blooms  taken 
will  be  at  the  expense  of  size.  L'.se  early  varieties.  Take  the 
first  good  bud  after  August  15,  and  keep  all  buds  picked  off  that 
may  appear  thereafter.  If  the  plant  is  allowed  to  continue  to 
set  buds  the  earlier  bud  will  shrivel,  and  you  ivill  have  a  plant 
which  will  produce  only  late  flowers.  Move  the  pots  to  shelter 
upon  the  advent  of  killing  frosts,  which  maj^  be  looked  for  at 
any  time  after  October  1.  Plants  promising  very  lai'ge  blooms 
nearly  out  should  not  be  allowed  to  remain  out  in  big  storms. 
Eelworms  can  be  kept  out  of  the  pots  by  soaking  occasionally 
with  clear  lime  water.  '  Lice  can  be  kept  off  the  foliage  and  tips 
by  a  continuous  u.se  of  tobacco  dust.  Mulching  the  ground  with 
fresh  tobacco  stems  and  renewing  often  will  also  keep  them 
away.  If  plants  are  checked,  neglected,  or  allowed  to  Avilt  you 
will  lo.se  the  foliage.  A  far  better  method,  and  one  that  Avill 
give  astoni.shing  and  charming  results,  is  to  set  your  plants  out 
in  a  solid  bed.  Sin  by  9in  apart,  and  groAv  to  single  stems.  A 
bed  5ft  by  10ft  Avill  contain  one  hundred  plants. — J.  J. 
The  Evolution  of  the  Chrysanthemum. 
This  now  iiopular  floAver  can  hardly  be  recognised  as  resulting, 
from  the  first  ChrysanthennAins  that  Avere  introduced  something 
over  one  hundred  years  ago,  Avhich  Avere  simply  a  counterpart  of 
the  common  Ox-eye  Daisy  or  Marguerite.  They  remained  in  that 
condition  for  a  good  many  years,  and  Avere  di.stinguished  by  the 
appellation  of  Silver  Star  or  Golden  Star,  according  as  the 
variety  Avas  A\  hite  or  yellow.  The  principal  part  of  the  flowers 
being  yelloAA-  (and  in  those  days  certain  superstitious  people 
objected  to  yelloAV,  as  being  indicative  of  jealousy)  the  Chry,s- 
anthemuin  Avas  not  grown  much.  It  Avas  not  until  about  forty 
or  fifty  years  ago,  Avhen  the  yelloAv  Ro.se,  Marechal  Niel,  and 
yelloAv  Carnations  Avere  introduced,  that  the  “mum”  was 
brought  more  to  the  front,  .so  that  it  is  greatly  to  the  yellow 
Rose  that  it  OAves  its  popularity.  About  this  time  several  of  the 
leading  horticulturi.sts  took  it  in  hand,  and  since  that  time  it  has 
continued  to  make  great  progress  in  all  AA'ays,  in  size,  colour, 
habit  of  groAvth,  &c.  ;  but,  .said  Mr.  H.  Cannell,  of  Swanley,  in 
a  recent  lecture,  ho  Avas  afraid  Ave  had  come  to  almost  the  end 
of  the  tether,  and  one  could  not  expect  to  go  on  making  such 
rapid  strides  in  the  future  as  in  the  past. 
The  fiiAst  Chiy.santheinum  Show  Avas  held  in  1830,  at  Norfolk, 
Avhen  the  prfnciaiAl  varieties  Avere  Nonpareil,  Norfolk  Hero, 
Tasselled  YelloAv,  &c.  This  was  folloAved  by  a  shoAV  at  Stoke 
NeAvington  in  1836,  but  the  first  really  good  shoAv  did  not  take 
place  until  1840.  In  1843  the  Pompones  came  into  A’ogue,  and 
have  continued  to  hold  SAA'ay  :  1868  brought  forth  one  of  the  most 
useful  varieties  groAvn,  viz.,  Mrs.  G.  Rundle,  and  from  this  have 
resulted  several  sports,  such  as  George  Glenny,  &c.  ShoAvs  are 
noAV  springing  up  all  over  the  country.  The  society  now  known 
as  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society  AA’as  originally  started 
as  the  Borough  of  Hackney  Society,  and  Avas  carried  on  for  some 
time  as  such,  but  having  met  AA’ith  .such  success  at  Chiswick  and 
elscAA'liere  it  AA^as  decided  to  apply  for  admission  to  hold  shoAvs  at 
the  Aquarium.  This  Avas  granted,  and  the  sIioaa's  had  been 
carried  on  yearly  till  the  present.  Chry.santhemum  and  other 
flower  shoAvs  AA’ere,  he  thought,  in  a  great  measAire  responsible 
for  the  standard  of  perfection  to  aaIucIi  vegetables,  &c.,  were 
brought,  a  little  friendly  competition  being  the  means  of  inducing 
each  individual  to  try  to  groAV  quite  as  good  stuff  as  his  neigh¬ 
bour,  and  better  if  po.s,sible.  Going  back  to  the  Chry.santhemum, 
he  had,  he  said,  been  responsible  for  many  of  the  varieties, 
several  having  being  named  after  himself,  his  wife,  and  family. 
Reidia  glaucescens. 
This  is  a  plant  very  seldom  met  AA'itli  in  gardens,  and  to 
anyone  requiring  a  change  for  the  decoration  of  the  breakfast 
or  luncheon  table  they  cannot  do  better  than  give  the  above  a 
trial.  It  is  of  very  neat  habit,  and  flowering  as  it  does  the  entire 
length  of  the  leaves,  makes  it  a  very  interesting  subject  for  the 
above  use.  For  dinner-table  it  is  of  no  use  whatever,  OAving  to- 
the  foliage  droopina  in  the  evening. — S. 
