March  2,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
175 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Culture  of  Cob  Nuts  and  Filberts. — To  establish  a  plantation  of  Nuts 
young  suckers  should  be  obtained  from  fruiting  bushes  and  planted, 
-shortening  them  to  I  foot.  A  light  and  open  position  suits  Nuts,  with 
•soil  of  a  friable  character,  and  having  a  well-drained  subsoil. 
Growth  the  first  season  must  be  confined  to  one  stem,  and  this 
•encouraged  to  grow  erect  and  vigorously.  The  following  season  shorten 
to  18  inches,  and  when  fresh  growths  push  select  six  of  the  best  placed. 
Train  these  to  a  hoop,  tying  them  on  the  outside,  so  as  to  form  a  basin- 
iike  framework.  The  next  season  the  six  shoots  must  again  be  shortened 
to  about  4  inches,  which  w'ill  result  in  securing  twelve  shoots  if  two  are 
trained  from  each.  When  side  growths  push  pinch  them  to  five  leaves, 
and  encourage  the  main  branches  to  extend  until  of  the  desired  height. 
This  method  of  training  Nuts  keeps  the  bushes  open  in  the  centre.  Sun¬ 
light  and  air  can  freely  circulate,  and  spurs  of  a  fruitful  character  ensue. 
Pruning,  —  The  leading  growths  require  shortening  to  cause  the 
production  of  side  growths  during  the  formation  of  the  bushes,  and  closely 
shortening  after  the  bushes  are  fully  formed.  The  side  growths  produce 
the  flowers.  When  the  small  pink  pistillate  blossoms  have  opened,  and 
the  catkins  or  staminate  flowers  have  shed  their  pollen,  the  pruning  may 
be  carried  out.  The  shoots  bearing  catkins  may  then  be  shortened 
■closely  back,  as  these  are  invariably  long.  Unfruitful  wood  may  also  be 
dealt  w'ith  similarly.  Strong  sappy  shoots  can  be  entirely  removed. 
Twiggy  shoots  with  blossom  buds  at  the  points  must  be  retained  entire. 
■Cut  back  old  fruiting  shoots  to  half  an  inch  of  the  base.  Do  not  allow 
spurs  to  become  too  crowded  or  elongated,  and  when  a  branch  is  declin¬ 
ing  in  vigour  from  any  cause,  select  a  promising  growth  from  the  base  to 
take  its  place.  Keep  the  bushes  well  balanced  with  wood  of  medium 
strength. 
Planting  Strawberries.— A  piece  of  good  ground,  thoroughly  well 
prepared  by  deep  digging  and  liberal  manuring  in  the  course  of  the 
winter,  should  be  selected  for  spring  planting  of  Strawberries.  The 
young  plants  for  the  present  planting  ought  to  be  those  which  were  late 
or  small  in  size  at  the  time  of  the  autumn  planting,  and  in  consequence 
were  inserted  in  small  beds  close  together,  for  the  purpose  of  strengthen¬ 
ing  before  finally  placing  in  permanent  rows.  Such  plants  will  lift  from 
their  winter  quarters  with  plenty  of  fibrous  roots  and  soil  attached.  New 
stock  which  has  to  be  procured  seldom  has  roots  with  soil  attached, 
therefore  the  fibres  must  be  carefully  spread  out  on  small  mounds  of  soil, 
and  properly  covered. 
Soil  that  is  very  light  should  be  well  trodden  before  planting,  and  the 
ground  must  be  made  firm  about  them  afterwards.  It  is  better  not  to 
mulch  between  the  rows  at  first,  so  that  the  soil  can  have  the  benefit  of 
sun  and  warmth,  which  will  cause  growth  to  be  vigorous.  Hoeing 
between  the  plants  can  be  practised  frequently  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
■down  weeds  and  accelerating  growth.  In  May  a  li^ht  mulching  will 
then  be  of  advantage,  and  tend  to  the  conservation  of  moisture.  If  flower 
trusses  show  on  these  plants  promptly  nip  them  out,  for  by  no  means  are 
the  plants  strong  enough  to  bear  fruit  the  first  season. 
Blackberries. — The  cultivated  or  garden  forms  of  Blackberries  like  to 
grow  in  a  sheltered  position  where  strong  winds  cannot  damage  them. 
They  require  soil  of  a  rich  strong  character.  Before  planting  it  ought 
to  be  deeply  cultivated  and  enriched  with  manure  in  a  decomposed 
condition.  The  Parsley-leaved  variety  is  one  of  the  best.  Planting  may 
be  done  now  if  healthy  young  plants  with  a  fair,  number  of  fibrous  roots 
are  procurable.  Insert  them  5  feet  apart  in  the  row  or  position  selected. 
If  several  rows  are  planted  the  distance  between  them  ought  not  to  be 
less  than  8  feet.  Cut  the  plants  closelv  down  after  planting,  so  that  the 
resulting  growth  may  be  as  strong  and  vigorous  as  possible. 
In  every  way  they  need  similar  treatment  to  Raspberries,  except  in 
the  training,  which  necessitates  the  long  canes  Blackberries  produce  to 
be  laid-in  to  the  stakes  or  trellis  in  a  more  or  less  horizontal  manner.  A 
close  form  ot  trellis  is  not  absolutely  requisite,  but  stakes  may  be  firmly 
fixed  2^  feet  apart,  and  the  canes  trained  upon  them.  It  will  probably 
take  two  seasons  to  establish  good  fruiting  plants.  Plenty  of  manure 
must  be  applied  annually,  because,  like  Raspberries,  they  are  gross 
feeding.  Retain  the  best  canes  annually,  and  cut  out  the  weak.  Four  or 
five  will  be  enough  for  each  stool. 
Completing  Pruning.— All  pruning  of  fruit  trees  and  bushes  should  be 
comp  eted  forthwitu.  Sap  is  now  becoming  active,  and  there  is  a  loss 
of  force  when  pruning  is  done  very  late,  because  the  sap  which  ought  to 
have  been  stored  in  the  fruit  buds  is  distributed  in  a  number  of  super¬ 
fluous  growths.  When  the  prunings  have  been  cleared  away  dress  the 
ground  between  Currants,  Gooseberries,  and  Raspberries  with  manure. 
Gather  all  prunings  of  trees  and  bushes,  as  well  as  other  rubbish, 
into  a  heap  and  burn  them.  If  the  burning  is  done  steadily,  more  in 
the  way  of  a  smother  than  a  fire,  a  valuable  heap  of  charred  refuse  will 
result.  This  can  bo  spread  over  the  roots  of  trees  and  bushes,  and  it 
will  act  beneficially  in  furnishing  potash. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Cherry  House — The  main  art  in  forcing  Cherries  is  attention  to  the 
ventilation  ;  a  free  circulation  of  air  should  pass  through  the  house  when¬ 
ever  the  temperature  exceeds  50°,  the  amount  of  air  being  regulated  by 
the  condition  of  the  outside  atmosphere.  Fire  heat  need* only  be 
employed  to  prevent  the  temperature  falling  below  50°  in  the  daytime, 
and  to  maintain  a  night  temperature  of  40°  to  45°.  Attend  to  fertilising 
the  blossoms  with  a  camel’s-hair  brush  or  a  feather.  Aphides  generally 
appear  just  as  the  trees  set  their  fruit.  They  must  be  destroyed,  or  they 
will  ruin  the  growths  and  spoil  the  Cherries.  Grubs  also  infest  the 
foliage  ;  one  kind  of  caterpillar  rolls  itself  up  in  the  leaves,  and  can  be 
extirpated  by  squeezing,  but  another  encases  itself  in  a  web  on  the  under 
side  of  the  leaves,  and  they  appear  as  if  scalded,  and  from  the  foliage  the 
post  makes  its  way  to  the  flowers  and  devours  them.  The  surest  means  of 
riddance  is  to  examine  the  trees  occasionally  and  destroy  the  grubs. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  House. — Now  the  fruit  is  stoning 
the  temperature  must  be  kept  as  equable  as  possible.  Too  high  a  tempe¬ 
rature,  especially  at  night,  is  not  favourable  to  the  process,  and  sudden 
fluctuations  often  cause  the  fruit  to  drop  wholesale.  The  , temperature 
should  be  continued  at  60°  to  65°  at  night  in  mild  weather,  55°  to  60° 
when  severe,  60°  to  65°  on  cold  dull  days,  65°  to  70°  when  mild  but  sun¬ 
less,  70°  to  75°  with  gleams  of  sun,  ventilating  early  and  freely  under 
favourable  climatic  conditions.  Thinning  the  fruit  must  be  seen  to,  not 
allowing  twice  as  many  fruits  to  stone  as  are  to  be  left  for  the  crop,  but 
a  few  more  than  the  required  number  should  be  retained  to  meet  casual- 
tie.s  in  stoning.  One  fruit  to  a  square  foot  of  trellis  covered  by  the  trees 
18  a  capital  guide.  Small  fruited  varieties  may  have  the  fruit  left 
a  little  closer,  and  vigorous  trees  will  carry  more  than  weakly  trees. 
Overcropping,  however,  must  be  strictly  avoided.  Nectarines  require  the 
same  space  as  Peaches  to  have  fine  fruit. 
Secure  all  the  shoots  to  the  trellis  as  they  advance  in  growth,  stopping 
any  that  are  likely  to  exceed  12  to  15  inches  at  those  lengths,  and  it  the 
pinching  results  in  laterals  stop  them  at  the  first  leaf.  Shoots  retained 
to  attract  the  sap  to  the  fruit  should  be  stopped  to  one  leaf.  Extensions 
must  bo  trained  in  their  full  length,  pinching  laterals  at  one  joint  as 
made.  Syringe  the  trees  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  when  the  days 
are  fine,  but  damping  the  paths  and  borders  will  be  sutficient  in  dull 
weather,  with  an  occasional  forcible  syringing  to  keep  red  spider  under. 
If  the  pest  gain  a  fooling  extirpate  it  by  the  prompt  application  of  an 
insecticide  or  a  solution  of  petroleum  emulsion,  carefully  following  the 
directions  for  use.  Inside  borders  must  be  kept  duly  supplied  with  water 
or  liquid  manure  in  a  tepid  state,  but  avoid  over-stimulation  whilst  the 
fruit  18  stoning. 
Second  Early  House. — Disbudding  must  be  proceeded  with  gradually, 
and  the  successional  bearing  shoots  should  be  laid  in  as  soon  as  they  are 
sufBciently  advanced  in  growth.  Thinning  ihe  fruit  must  be  attended 
to  after  the  remains  of  the  flowers  are  cast.  Remove  all  twin  fruit,  the 
smallest,  that  on  the  under  side  of  the  branches,  and  the  badly  placed, 
leaving  three  on  a  branch  of  12  inches  length,  to  be  afterwards  reducecl 
to  two  on  a  strong,  and  one  on  a  weak  branch,  when  ot  the  size  of 
marbles.  Only  one  fruit,  as  a  rule,  should  be  left  on  each  bearing  shoot, 
but  two  may  remain  if  there  be  a  deficiency  in  other  parts  of  the  tree. 
The  fruit  will  rapidly  swell  to  the  size  ot  small  Walnuts,  the  temperature 
by  that  time  having  been  increased  to  55°  to  60°  at  night,  60°  to  65°  by 
day  from  artificial  heat,  and  70°  to  75°  from  sun  heat,  with  a  free  circu¬ 
lation  of  air  from  65°,  avoiding  cold  and  drying  currents.  Syringe  the 
trees  twice  a  day  in  bright  weather,  and  occasionally  in  dull  weather, 
with  damping  of  the  floors  once  or  twice  a  day  wi,ll  keep  red  spider  under 
and  maintain  a  genial  atmosphere. 
Succession  Houses. — Trees  now  in  bloom  require  a  free  circulation  of 
air,  or  such  as  will  keep  the  atmosphere  buoyant  with  sufficient  fire  heat 
to  prevent  sudden  depression  of  temperature,  maintaining  50°  at  night,  or 
a  few  degrees  less  on  cold  nights.  A  temperature  of  50°  to  55°  will  be 
suitable  in  the  daytime,  advancing  to  60®  or  65°  from  sun  heat  with  free 
ventilation.  Shake  the  trellis  or  trees  occasionally  to  distribute  the 
pollen,  or  preferably,  pass  a  camel-hair  brush  or  feather  over  the  flowers 
that  have  ripe  pollen  once  a  day,  and  give  extra  attention  to  the  shy¬ 
setting  varieties  by  conveying  pollen  from  others  that  produce  it  in 
abundance,  a.s,  for  instance.  Royal  George  and  Stirling  Castle  Peaches, 
also  Elruge  Nectarine.  Keep  the  paths  well  damped  on  fine  days,  and 
be  more  sparing  of  water  when  the  weathei  is  dull  and  cold. 
Late  Houses, — The  roof-lights  need  not  be  put  on  until  the  buds  show 
the  silvery  integuments  that  envelop  the  floral  organs,  but  they  are 
not  safe  after  the  blossoms  show  colour.  Trees  under  fixed  roofs  are 
more  forward,  the  buds  being  in  various  degrees  of  expansion.  Where 
syringing  has  been  practised  it  must  be  discontinued  as  soon  as  the 
anthers  show  clear  oi  the  corolla,  but  damp  the  floor  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon,  leaving  a  little  air  on  constantly  at  the  top  of  the  house.  No 
more  fire  heat  should  be  used  than  is  absolutely  necessary,  but  after  the 
flowers  show  the  stamens  a  certain  amount  ot  warmth  is  needed,  for  when 
the  atmosphere  is  cold  and  moist,  and  the  flowering  extends  over  a  con¬ 
siderable  period,  the  fruits  do  not  set  well  ;  therefore  after  the  blossoms 
open  maintain  a  temperature  of  40°  to  45°  at  night,  50°  to  55“  by  day 
artificially,  with  a  free  circulation  of  air,  advancing  to  65°  with  sun.  In 
the  case  of  weak  trees  having  a  superabunaance  of  blossoms,  it  is 
advisable  to  remove  the  flowers  from  the  under  side  of  the  shoots  or  the 
back,  as  the  trees  may  be  against  front  or  back  trellises.  The  borders 
must  be  ^kept  healthlully  moist,  and  weakly  trees  may  be  supplied  with 
liquid  manure. 
