478 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  8,  18D9. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Cheysanthemums. 
In  nearly  every  establishment  the  Chrysanthemum  forms  a  main 
feature  for  decorative  work  daring  the  last  three  months  of  the  year,  and 
in  a  few  places  even  January  is  kept  gay  by  such  late  varieties  as  W.  H. 
Lincoln,  Golden  Gate,  L.  Canning,  and  Princess  Victoria.  The  last  two 
named,  by  careful  management,  may  be  had  in  bloom  as  late  as  February 
when  grown  in  bush  form.  Presuming  a  good  stock  is  grown  tn  this 
form,  the  plants  should  now  have  received  the  final  potting  from  5  to 
lO'inch  pots  being  suitable,  using  the  larger  size  for  the  strong  growers. 
Most  of  the  plants  will  require  the  second  “  stopping  ”  to  make  them 
branch,  and  endeavour  must  be  made  to  secure  some  good  cuttings  from  this 
stopping,  as  these  if  propagated  on  a  slight  hotbed  will  make  grand 
little  plants  for  flowering  in  5  inch  pots  ;  they  will  require  stopping  once, 
and  if  they  make  five  shoots  it  will  be  quite  enough.  L.  Canning  is  very 
fine  when  grown  in  this  way.  They  can  be  disbudded  or  otherwise.  We 
had  a  plant  of  Phoebus  in  a  5-inch  pot  last  November  with  twenty-seven 
fully  expanded  blooms  on  it,  and  it  remained  fresh  for  three  weeks. 
The  cuttings  should  be  inserted  not  later  than  the  middle  of  June,  and  if 
placed  round  the  sides  of  pots  (five  in  a  3-inch  pot)  they  will  root  readily, 
provided  the  soil  used  is  sandy.  When  rooted  pot  singly  in  small  (I0’s,nnd 
when  large  enough  pinch  out  the  point,  and  the  plants  having  made  about 
five  shoots  each,  transfer  them  to  their  flowering  pots — viz.,  5-inch.  By 
keeping  these  in  cold  frames,  syringing  and  watering  carefully,  growth 
will  be  rapid.  If  the  plants  are  placed  outside  in  a  warm  spot  and  given 
e((ual  attention  to  the  exhibition  varieties,  the  grower  will  be  rewarded 
with  splendid  decorative  plants  for  embellishment  of  the  conservatory  or 
vases. 
In  the  final  potting  of  .Japanese  and  incurved,  for  exhibition  or  other¬ 
wise,  no  hard  and  fast  rule  should  be  allowed  with  regard  to  the  compost, 
as  the  texture  of  the  loam  varies  so  much  in  many  places,  fome  gardens 
having  light  sandy  loam,  others  heavy.  In  one  establishment  I  know'  the 
best  Surrey  loam  is  used,  and  the  “mums”  are  always  worth  a  long 
journey  to  see.  'I'he  loam  we  have  at  command  is  rather  heavy,  and  not 
very  fibrous,  and  I  will  give  the  exact  quantity  used,  which  is  sufficient  to 
repot  800  to  !)-inch,  and  200  to  10-inch  pots,  from  32  s.  Perhaps  some  of 
the  “Old  Boys”  will  feel  inclined  to  criticise  the  composition,  but  if  they 
will  try  a  couple  of  hundred  potted  in  the  following  soil.  I  can  guarantee 
grand  results,  provided,  of  course,  watering,  syringing,  timing,  disbudding, 
and  housing  have  been  systematically  done  throughout  the  se:son.  It  is 
as  follows  :  Twenty-four  harrowloads  of  loam,  with  the  fine  soil  silted  out 
when  chopped,  twelve  of  half-decayed  leaf  soil  run  through  a  ^-inch 
sieve,  eight  of  sifted  horse  manure,  previously  prepared  as  for  a  Mushroom 
bed,  two  of  lime  rubble,  two  of  burnt  garden  refuse,  two  of  silver  sand  ;  to 
each  barrow  load  is  added  a  5-inch  pot  each  of  bonemen),  Thomson’s 
manure,  and  wood  ashes,  with  a  slight  sprinkle  of  quicklime  over  the 
whole  ;  thoroughly  mix  by'  turning  carefully  three  times.  The  third  time 
it  is  turned  a  sprinkling  of  water  will  almost  sure  to  be  nceiled  as  the 
work  proceeds,  but  by  no  means  make  the  soil  too  wet  and  sticky. 
“If  the  plants  for  the  day’s  potting  are  selected  the  night  before, 
watered  and  stood  in  a  partially  shaded  spot  near  the  bench,  the  repotting 
may  be  carried  out  without  any  hindrance.  When  potted  stand  the 
plants  close  together  six  rows  thick.  No  watering  will  be  needed  for  a 
few  days,  but  the  plants  should  be  syringed  with  water  several  times 
daily  during  hot  sunny  weather,  paying  most  attention  to  the  bottom 
portion  of  the  plants,  or  loss  of  leaves  may  result,  as  the  wood  is 
generally  hard  at  the  base  cf  the  plant  at  this  season.  In  three  weeks  or 
less  the  plants  may  be  put  in  their  summer  quarters,  in  single  rows  5  feet 
apart.  At  this  time  they  should  all  be  re-staked,  and  tied  to  wires 
stretched  from  posts  the  whole  length  of  the  rows.  When  again  well 
rooted  I  quid  manure  and  a  favourite  artificial  manure  should  be  applied 
regularly  until  the  blooms  are  half  e.xpanded.  If  aphis  appear  in 
points  of  shoots  dust  with  tobacco  powder,  and  vaporise  when  housed. — 
Foreman  X. 
•  Freesias. 
No  plants  can,  in  my  opinion,  compare  with  Free.Gas,  either  for 
beauty  or  for  fragrance,  while  their  culture  is  a  simple  matter,  compared 
with  many  others  of  less  utility'.  The  secret  of  success  with  these  pretty 
Cape  bulbs  is  they  should  receive  a  thorough  ripening,  without  which  it  is 
useless  to  e.xpect  a  good  return  in  the  form  of  fragrant  bb  ssoms.  An 
open  sandy  compost,  consisting  of  good  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  some  well- 
decayed  manure  (that  from  an  old  Mushroom  bed  being  the  best),  with 
enough  silver  sand  to  make  the  whole  porous,  is  very  suitable. 
The  earliest  bulbs  should  be  potted  at  the  beginning  of  August,  these 
commencing  to  flower  towards  the  latter  end  of  December.  From  eight 
to  ten  bulbs  may  be  placed  in  a  5-inch  pot,  ai  d  when  potted  a  good 
watering  should  be  given.  Place  the  pots  in  a  cold  pit  or  Irame,  covering 
the  frames  with  a  mat  to  exclude  the  light,  and  as  soon  as  the  growths 
appear  through  the  soil  remove  the  covering.  In  a  short  time  they  must 
be  moved  to  a  house  where  they  will  receive  plenty  of  light  and  air, 
which  are  conducive  to  a  dwarf  sturdy  growth.  They  shouhl  be  slaked 
as  soon  as  the  growths  require  it,  using  thin  wire  if  possible,  as  being 
neater  in  appearance  than  wood.  The  plants  will  be  greatly  benefited 
after  the  flower  spikes  appear  by  applications  of  W’eak  liquid  manure  at 
alternate  waterings,  that  made  from  soaking  sheep  droppings  being  the 
After  flowering  they  must  be  replaced  on  the  shelves  and  kept  well 
supplied  with  water,  reducing  the  supply  as  the  foliage  shows  signs  of 
decay  ;  an  occasional  sprinkling  of  some  artificial  manure  when  they  are 
finishing  their  growth  will  be  found  beneficial,  as  will  liquid  manure. 
They  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the  shelves  if  possible,  but  if  not  a 
frame  will  do,  provided  it  is  well  exposed  to  the  sun  where  they  may  get 
a  thorough  ripening.  When  growth  has  absolutely  ceased  shako  tho 
bulbs  from  the  soil,  sort  them  into  the  various  sizes,  the  small  ones  being 
put  into  boxes  to  make  flowering  stock  for  another  season,  and  the  larger 
ones  can  be  potted  in  succession  to  maintain  the  supply’  of  flowers. 
The  varieties  generally  grown  are  refracta  alba  and  Leichtlini,  the 
former  being  in  my  opinion  the  more  profuse  bloomer  and  the  latter  the 
more  fragrant.  Both  varieties,  however,  well  repay  the  grower  for  tho 
best  attention,  affording  as  they  do  plants  for  decoration  in  pots,  and 
graceful  flowers  for  cutting  in  some  of  the  dullest  months  of  the  year. 
The  flowers  last  a  considerable  time  when  cut  and  placed  in  water. — 
H.  C.  H. 
1 
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K  wo 
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1^F0R.THE  week..  Qj 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Thinning  Fruit. — Apricots. — The  early  thinning  disposes  of  the  ill- 
placed,  deformed,  and  undersized  fruits.  Those  behind  branches  close 
to  the  wall  or  wires,  or  obviously  crowded,  are  removed  first.  The 
removal  of  these  relieves  the  trees  and  helps  the  better  fruits  to  swell. 
Another  thinning  will  reduce  the  fruits  to  a  moderate  number,  ancl 
the  final  thinning  should  take  place  after  stoning. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. —  Dispense  with  all  small  ill-formed  fruits  as 
early  as  possible.  Unfertilised  fruits  do  not  swell,  and  must  be  removed. 
Any'  that  ate  inconveniently  placed  for  swelling  to  a  large  size  ought 
to  be  cut  off.  Ill  the  case  of  two  fruits  close  together  one  should  be 
removed.  Finer  fruits  are  secured  by  judicious  thinning,  but  leave  the 
final  reduction  of  the  crop  until  tho  stoning  has  been  comp'eted.  The- 
fruits  then  should  not  be  left  le.ss  than  6  inches  apart,  but  regard  must 
bo  had  to  tho  conditicn  of  the  trees,  a  larger  crop  being  left  on 
vigorous  trees  than  on  weakly'  specimens,  the  same  rule  being  followed’ 
with  fruit  left  on  the  branches. 
Cherries. — Dessert  or  sweet  Cherries  on  walls  may’  have  the  bunches' 
thinned  if  fine  fruits  are  riquired.  Small  and  imperfectly  formed  fruits 
ought  also  to  be  cut  out.  tine  operation  Usually  suffices  for  Cherries^ 
but  bunches  or  individual  fruits  needing  removal  may  be  cut  out  at 
any  time.  Morello  Cherries  set  freely’,  but  those  fruits  which  do  not 
swell  are  best  lemoved  for  the  benefit  of  the  others.  Severe  thinning" 
of  these  is  not  necessary  if  the  trees  are  in  vigorous  condition.  Good 
crops  can  be  supported  t'y  giving  assistance  to  the  roots. 
Plums. — Where  bunches  of  fruit  are  set  the  least  promising  bunches’ 
or  individual  fruits  may  be  clipped  out.  The  fruits  which  take  the 
lead  are  those  which  ought  to  be  retained.  Remove  any  close  to  the 
wall  or  likely  to  be  shaded  with  foliage.  It  is  only  wall  trees  that 
need  the  fruit  thinning. 
Apples. — Fine  specimens  are  not  produced  by  allowing  many  fruits- 
in  a  cluster,  so  in  the  case  of  wall  trees  and  small  restricted  trees  in 
in  tho  open  a  preliminary  reduction  of  the  fruits  may  be  made.  Well 
washing  or  syringing  the  trees  with  clear  water  after  the  fruit  has  set 
is  a  good  method  of  clearing  away  the  greater  part  of  badly  set  fruits. 
At  the  next  thinning  the  fruits  behindhand  in  swelling  may  be  removed. 
Finally  reduce  to  two  on  a  spur  for  fine  fruits.  Tne  largest  are  produced' 
by  reducing  to  one. 
Pears. — Pears  set  very  freely  in  most  districts  when  the  trees  are  well 
established,  and  choice  varieties  ought  to  have  the  clusters  thinned  out, 
and  the  fruits  in  these  gradually  reduced  to  one  or  two.  In  the  first 
place  syringing  or  washing  will  clear  away  old  blooms  and  small  unfer¬ 
tilised  iruits.  Cordons  and  other  trained  trees  on  walls,  bush  trees  and 
pyramids  in  the  open,  ai’e  capable  of  producing  fine  fruits  by  judicious- 
thinning. 
Gooseberries.— 'P\w  fruits  for  dessert  purpores  can  only  be  secured  by 
thinning  the  berries.  The  choicest  varieties  may  have  the  berries  freely 
reduced  for  culinary  purposes,  carrying  out  tho  operation  carefully,  so  as- 
to  leave  good  berries  finally  a  few  inches  apart,  or  in  clusters  of  two  or 
three.  The  thinning  should  be  confined  chiefly  to  a  few  trees. 
Strawberries. — Finer  Iruits  are  secured  from  Strawberries  when  tho 
small  fruits  in  the  trusses  are  freely  thinned.  Carry  out  the  operation 
when  the  fruit  first  begins  to  swell,  leaving  the  more  promising.  It  is  good’ 
policy  to  thin  out  weak  and  imperfect  Dowers  before  the  fruit  sets,  and 
where  trusses  of  bloom  are  more  numerous  than  the  plants  appear  capable- 
of  supporting,  the  best  otJy  ought  to  be  retained. 
Currants. — Red  and  AYhite  Currants  do  rot  usually  have  the  bunches’ 
reduced  or  tho  berries  thinned  out ;  but  when  required  to  be  unusually 
tine  for  exhibition,  the  smallest  bunches  should  be  cut  out,  and  any  small 
berries  removed. 
Regulating  Wall  Tree  Growths. — The  removal  of  useless,  ill  placed, 
and  gross  grow’ing  shoots,  leaves  the  trees  in  possession  of  medium-sized 
growths  for  future  bearing  and  extension.  Trees  that  bear  fruit  tho  next 
season  on  shoots  produced  during  this  must  have  attention  at  the  present 
time.  The  fruits  managed  on  this  principle  are  Apricots,  Peaches, 
