380 
10  HR  X A  fj  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  24,  1901. 
Canacim  Apples. 
I  read  with  interest  a  letter  which  lately  appeared  in  the 
columns  of  the  “  Glasgow  Evening  Times,”  regarding  Canadian 
Apples.  Should  it  be  found  possible  to  introduce  these  of  a  good 
quality  at  reasonable  prices  there  is  no  doubt  a  market  here,  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  they  will  be  put  up  in  sizes  which  will  suit  those 
who  prefer  to  buy  in  moderate  quantities  at  a  time,  and  that 
they  will  not  pass  through  the  hands  of  too  many  middlemen  ere 
they  reach  the  consumer.  So  far  as  the  writer’s  experience  goes, 
really  good  dessert  Apples  are  always  too  dear,  and  sometimes 
very  difficult  to  get.  As  I  am  writing  on  this  subject,  I  would 
like  to  ask  those  who  have  experience  in  growing  Apples  in  the 
West  of  Scotland  what  are  the  best  sorts  to  grow  suitable  for 
dessert  during  this  month.  I  have  grown  several  cf  those 
usually  recommended,  but  even  in  a  fine  summer  like  the  present 
have  found  none  entirely  satisfactory,  except  for  cooking  pur¬ 
poses.  I  feel  sure  information  on  this  point  would  be  of  general 
interest. — Pomona,  Glasgow. 
powers  to  compel  each  ratepayer  to  spend  an  hour  daily  in  the 
cultivation  of  his  garden.  The  object  which  you  and  I  have  in 
view  can  be  better  achieved  by  the  more  effective  method  of 
stimulating  the  interest  of  the  people  in  the  delightful  pursuit  of 
gardening,  and  by  the  display  of  a  little  kindly  interest  on  the 
part  of  those  who  have  it  in  their  power  to  brighten  the  lives  of 
the  workers.”  Those  who  love  gardens  and  flowers,  and  know 
most  about  them,  will  be  the  heartiest  supporters  of  our  friend. 
— W.  T. 
Waxy  v.  Floury  Potatoes. 
In  his  remarks  prior  to  introducing  Mr.  Robert  Fenn  to  those 
present  at  the  luncheon  given  to  the  judges  in  the  fruit  competi¬ 
tions  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  October  10,  Rev.  W.  Wilks  stated 
his  preference  to  be  in  favour  of  waxy  Potatoes.  Happily  the 
majority  seemed  to  find  disfavour  with  Mr.  Wilks’  likes;  and 
what  on  earth  tempts  you,  Mr.  Fenn,  to  undo  your  grand  work 
by  raising  waxy  Potatoes  at  this  time  of  day  ?  Mr.  Fenn  stated 
that  he  had  obtained  a  new  Potato  of  the  kind  mentioned  by 
Mr.  Wilks.  It  was,  however,  more  like  butter  than  wax,  and 
would  melt  in  the  mouth.  He  had  sold  it,  and  in  five  or  six 
years  it  will  be  in  commerce.  Of  course  tastes  d  ffer  we  all 
know,  but  those  who  like  waxy,  indigestible  Potatoes,  with  their 
tendency  to  “greening”  and  rankness,  are  very  greatly  in  the 
mino  rity .- — Advance  . 
- - 
On  Gardening  Literature. 
The  journals  of  an  industry,  profession,  a  cult,  or  a  hobby, 
provide  more  or  less  dull  reading,  at  least  to  an  outsider,  and 
gardening  papers  must  certainly  be  included.  Of  course,  those 
interested  in  their  information  do  not  see  this  side  of  it,  for 
enthusiasts  will  wade  through  tons  of  dry  reading  to  find  a  new 
idea  on  their  favourite  pursuits.  But  that  gardening  matters 
can  be  conveyed  forcibly  in  a  manner  far  removed  from  “  dry  ”  is 
very  evident  from  some  of  the  articles  in  recent  numbers  of  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture.  I  refer  to  those  under  “Young 
Gardeners’  Domain,”  and  particularly  to  the  article  entitled. 
“Among  the  Grape  Thinners.”  Beginners,  old  and  young,  will 
not  less  easily  remember  the  importance  and  method  of  man  - 
pulating  “  Pots  and  Crocks,”  for  the  humour,  mixed  with  the 
instructions  so  clearly  given  in  the  article  ;  and  I  for  one  feel 
confident  of  being  able  creditably  to  thin  Grapes  (if  ever  I  need 
to  seek  that  anybody’s  job)  after  reading  the  delightfully  humorous 
descriptions  of  how  various  curious  specimens  of  humanity  con¬ 
trived  not  to  do  it.  If  you  give  us  such  fare,  even  those  who  are 
not  enthusiastic  gardeners  will  be  unable  to  pronounce  the 
Journal  dull.  I,  therefore,  beg  respectfully  to  sign  myself — 
Oliver  Twist. 
Fiowers  in  the  Industrial  Districts. 
From  what  one  sees  attempted,  and  successfully  too,  in 
London’s  centre,  in  the  culture  of  flowers,  it  is  evident  that  the 
appeal  made  in  the  following  letter  which  I  send  you  from  the 
“  Western  Mail,”  ought  to  find  a  wide  response.  Our  townsfolk 
do  not  know  how  much  they  might  grow  even  in  their  windows, 
for  few  of  them  have  tried  in  the  past.  Anything  green  is  more 
pleasant  and  beautiful  than  the  unending  and  unvaried  stretch  of 
grey  or  black  walls.  The  letter  which  I  refer  to  is  signed  by 
one  who  resides  in  a  colliery  district.  It  runs  thus : — “  A  short 
time  ago,  in  the  course  of  one  of  the  admirable  speeches  with 
which  Lord  Rosebery  occasionally  brightens  the  lives  of  his 
fellow  countrymen,  he  described  the  pleasures  of  the  imagination 
which  may  be  derived  from  the  perusal  of  works  on  gardening 
and  horticulture  when  the  reader’s  surroundings  are  of  a  gloomy 
and  depressing  character.  This  morning  when  I  opened  my 
newspaper  I  was  seated  in  a  dismal  mining  village  in  the  Welsh 
‘  Black  Country,’  and  as  I  read  a  charming  article  on  Roses  and 
an  instructive  and  graceful  leader  on  floriculture,  I  felt  the  truth 
of  his  lordship’s  observation,  and  that  existence  had  been  made 
more  endurable  by  a  passing  mental  glimpse  of  the  lovely  Rose 
gardens  to  which  Mr.  Grant  referred.  But  I  am  not  writing  for 
the  purpose  of  detailing  this  pleasant  experience.  My  object  is 
to  urge  upon  the  inhabitants  of  South  Wales  the  desirability  of 
creating  gardens  and  flowers  for  themselves,  on  however  humble 
a  scale.  It  may  be  impossible  to  rear  Roses  and  rare  flowers  in 
colliery  districts,  but  there  are  flowers  of  other  descriptions 
which  might  readily  be  produced,  and  which  would  give  an  added 
pleasure  to  the  lives  of  those  persons  who  are  privileged  to  sec 
them.  ‘  A  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  for  ever,’  and  we  know  on 
the  highest  authority  that  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was 
not  to  be  compared  with  the  Lilies  of  the  field.  There  is  no 
necessity  for  the  various  urban  and  district  councils  to  obtain 
Hints  on|  Establishing  Fruit  Trees. 
That  there  is  good  deal  of  thoughtlessness  displayed  in  the 
cultivation  of  fruit  no  one  will  deny.  It  is  a  pity  this  should 
be  so,  because  if  anything  requires  thoughtful  and  intelligent 
care  from  the  outset  it  is  fruit  trees  and  bushes.  The  careful 
selection  of  a  site  for  the  trees,  where  they  will  be  not  only 
sheltered  from  the  full  force  of  strong  winds,  but  fully  exposed 
to  the  sun,  demands  attention.  The  protection  should  be  ample, 
but  it  must  not  be  excessive  so  as  to  drain  the  ground  of 
moisture  and  food,  causing  the  spread  of  insects  and  diseases. 
The  due  preparation  of  the  soil  is  a  matter  of  supreme- 
importance,  and  should  be  undertaken  with  the  full  and  com¬ 
plete  intention  of  providing  for  the  trees  a  decidedly  appropriate 
root  run,  free  from  stagnant  moisture  below,  and  one,  too,  that 
will  not  readily  be  denuded  of  moisture  by  a  prolonged  dry 
period.  It  pays  to  spend  time  over  preliminary  matters  in  con¬ 
nection  with  a  fruit  plantation  before  introducing  a  single  tree. 
To  decide  on  having  a  fruit  plantation  in  a  hurry,  skim  over  the 
surface  a  foot  deep,  and  plant  as  many  trees  as  possibly  can  be 
crowded  into  it,  probably  late  in  the  spring,  is  to  court  and 
deserve  failure.  A  bad  start  is  made,  and  time  apparently 
gained  is  ultimately  lost,  and  more  still.  In  such  cases  it  would 
be  better  to  defer  planting  until  the  following  autumn,  and  in 
the  meantime  simply  carry  on  thorough  preparation. 
Drainage  may  require  attention,  weeds  eradicating,  soil 
ameliorating,  sweetening,  and  fertilising.  A  summer  and  winter 
spent  in  doing  this  will  not  be  time  lost  but  gained,  in  the 
satisfactory  progress  of  the  trees  after  planting,  which  should 
be  done  in  autumn.  The  forms  of  the  trees  should  be  early 
decided  upon,  and  their  positions  set  out  at  the  proper  distances 
apart  they  are  permanently  to  occupy.  The  trees  themselves 
in  the  nursery  ought  to  be  selected  some  time  previous  to  their 
being  required,  with  a  view  to  securing  clean  and  healthy, 
shapely  and  well-rooted  specimens.  Trees  or  bushes  that  have 
been  frequently  lifted  and  replanted  are  the  best,  and  not  more 
than  three  years  old,  as  such  possess  a  fair  quantity  of  fibrous 
roots,  which  are  a  great  help  to  quick  re-establishment. 
The  planting  ought  to  be  carefully  carried  out,  pruning  the 
roots  smoothly,  laying  them  out  to  their  full  extent,  and  staking 
promptly.  During  the  first  summer  mulching  over  the  roots 
with  a  light  covering  of  manure  will  be  essential,  and  watering 
may  be  necessary,  the  encouragement  of  free  growth  the  first 
year  being  indispensable  to  lay  a  thoroughly  good  foundation. 
The  after  treatment  of  the  trees  must  be  regulated  by  their 
growth,  whether  free  or  restricted.  It  will  be  absolutely 
necessary  to  closely  follow  the  rules  laid  down  by  the  best 
authorities  for  the  management  of  each,  so  that  in  a  few  years 
perfectly  developed  trees  are  obtained  which  will  prove  remu¬ 
nerative,  and  in  every  way  satisfactory.  Insect  and  parasitic 
pests  are  largely  the  outcome  of  inefficient  management,  and  are 
not  nearly  so  troublesome  when  the  right  methods  of  culture 
are  followed  from  the  first.  Of  course,  watchfulness  is  required 
to  guard  against  a  possible  invasion  of  such  pests  as  American 
blight,  means  being  taken  to  exterminate  it  as  soon  as  possible- 
if  it  appears. — S. 
