312 
JOVnXAL  OF  'HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
April  9,  1903. 
Young  Pines. 
Those  in  course  of  preparation  for  fruiting  often  become 
soft,  drawn,  and  weakly  in  growth  through  a  close,  moist  atmo¬ 
sphere  and  high  temperature.  Tliis  should  be  carefully  avoided 
by  dispensing  with  fire  heat  as  much  as  possible.  Maintain  the 
temperature  at  GOdeg  to  65deg  at  night,  and  yOdbg  to  75deg  by 
day,  artificially.  This  is  sufficient  to  keep  the  plants  in  steady 
progress.  Commence  ventilating  at  75deg,  gradually  increasing 
it  with  the  temperature  at  85deg,  keeping  it  through  the  day  at 
85deg,  90deg,  or  95deg  from  sun  heat,  with  abundance  of  air, 
closing  at  85deg,  but  not  so  as  to  greatly  raise  the  temperature. 
Sprinkle  the  paths  and  walls  at  closing  time,  and  syringe  the 
plants  lightly  about  twice  a  week. — Practice. 
Cherry  House. 
As  soon  as  the  stoning  is  completed  the  fruit  commences 
colouring,  and  takes  its  last  swelling  for  ripening;  the  tempera^ 
ture  may  then  be  raised,  but  it  must  not  exceed  55deg  to  GOdeg 
at  night,  and  65deg  by  day  from  artificial  means,  with  a  little 
ventilation  constantly,  increasing  it  at  70d6g,  subject  toi  a  crack 
of  air  at  the  top  of  the  house,  close  at  that  temperature.  The 
heat,  however,  must  not  be  allowed  to  exceed  that  degree  in  the 
early  part  of  the  day  without  full  ventilation,  for  ripening 
Cherries  are. very  liable  tO'  crack  in  a  close,  moist  atmosphere. 
From  the  commencement  of  colouring  until  the  trees  are  cleared 
of  their  fruits  syringing  must  cease,  or  the  fruit  will  split  and 
be  spoiled,  but  a  good  moisture  should  be  maintained  in  the 
house  by  keeping  the  surface  of  the  border  moistened  as  it  beconies 
dry,  or  if  the  trees  are  in  pots,  an  excellent  mode  of  growing 
Cherries  under  glass,  sprinkling  the  floor  two  or  three  times  a  day, 
avoiding,  .  however,  a  stagnant  atmosphere.  Aphides  must  be 
kept  under  by  an  insecticide,  but  fumigation  only  can  be  had 
recourse  to  after  the  fruit  commences  ripening.  The  border 
must  not  lack  moisture,  and  liquid  manure  should  be  liberally 
accorded  to  trees  in  pots. — G.  A. 
Origin  of  the  Baldwin  Apple. 
According  to  all  accounts,  says  Professor  Waugh  in  “  The 
American  Agriculturist,”  the  Baldwin  Apple  originated  in  Rum- 
ford,  Mass.,  some  time  prior  to  the  year  1793.  Practically  the 
Avhole  history  of  the  variety,  so  far  as  known,  isi  summed  up  in 
the  inscription  on  the  monument  recently  erected  to'  mark  the 
site  of  the  original  tree.  This  legend  reads  as  follow’S  :  —  ' 
This  Pillar, 
erected  in  1895  by  the  Rumford  Historical  Asso¬ 
ciation.  Incorporated  April  28,  1877,  Marks  the 
Estate  where  in  1793  Sami.  Thompson,  Esq.,  while 
locating  the  line  of  the  Middlesex  canal  discovered 
the  first  Pecker  Apple  Tree  . 
later  named  the  Baldwin. 
The  vai'iety  w’as  early  disseminated  through  New  England  and 
all  the  sear-board  colonies,  and  was  taken  to  Ontario,  Canada,  soon 
after  the  year  1800. 
Capa  Fruit. 
The  R.M.S  Dunvegan  Castle,  which  arrived  at  Southampton 
two  weeks  ago,  brought  some  2,000  cases  of  South  African  fruits 
for  the  London  market,  the  majority  of  which  was  shipped  by  the 
South  African  Fruit  Groavers’  Association,  the  Cape  Orchard 
Company,  and  the  management  of  the  Rhodes  Fruit  Farms. 
The  fruit,  w’hich  arrived  in  excellent  condition,  consisted  princi¬ 
pally  of  Plums  and  Peaches,  wdiile  at  the  same  time  there  were  a 
number  of  cases  of  first-class  Pears  which  had  been  shipped  by 
Mr.  H.  Nicholson,  a  well-known  Cape  grower.  It  is  satisfactory 
to  know  that  although  the  quantity  arriving  each  week  shows  an 
increase,  that  the  London  agents  have  no  difficulty  in  placing  the 
fruit,  W’hich  continues  to  command  excellent  prices.'  This  being 
so,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  South  African  grower  will  soon  be 
reaping  the  benefit  of  his  enterprise.  From  an  interesting  con¬ 
versation  W’hich  a  representative  of  South  Africa  recently  had 
witJi  Mr.  Pickstone,  the  manager  of  the  Rhodes  Fruit  Farms,  w’ho 
is  at  present  in  London  watching  the  develop’.nent  of  the  trade,  it 
w  ould  seem  that  the  South  African  grower  has  hitherto  benefited 
in  no  way  by  tlie  trade.  “We  could,”  said  Mr.  Pickstons',  “  disposie 
cf  every  pound  of  fruit  we  grow’  in  South  Africa  in  that  country, 
and  at  prices  rvhich  w’ould  w’ell  repay  us  for  our  labour,  and  by 
which  w’e  should  be  spared  the  trouble  and  wmrry  attendant  upon 
the  selection  and  packing  of  the  fruit  necessary  to  prepare  it  for 
the  Lendon  market.  But  it  is  not  the  preoent  only  to  w’hich  we 
are  looking,  but  to  the  future.  I  can  foresee  the  time  w  hen  Africa 
wall  be  a  great  fruit-producing  counti'y.  Fruit — good  fruit — will 
grow’  wherever  man  likes  to  plant  it  and  give  it  proper  attention, 
and  it  is  in  anticipation  of  a  greatly  increased  output  in  the  near 
future  that  w’e  are  endeavouring  to  w’ork  up  the  trade  here  in 
London,  and  it  is  this  w’hich  w  ill  induce  us  to  float  a  small  com¬ 
pany  for  the  purpo.se  of  exploiting  the  markets  of  America. 
When  the  time  of  this  increased  output  arrives,  w’e  shall  give  our 
attention  to  other  departments,  and,  ivhile  supplying  fruit  for 
the  fancy  trade,  make  an  effort  to  cater  for  the  second  grade  trade 
which,  I  am  .sure,  exists.  We  shall  continue  to  select  and  pack 
our  fruit  w’ith  the  greatest  care,  and  to  call  the  attention  of 
growers  wdio  neglect  either  of  these  tw’o  important  details  to  the 
injury  they  are  doing  to'  the  trade,  which  all  .should  feel  anxiou.s 
to  see  brought  to  a  profitable  and  paying  stage.” 
- »  I - 
Vegetable  Culture  :  Potatoes. 
At  all  seasons  of  the  year  “  the  noble  tuber  ”  provides  a 
large  share  of  food  for  material  wants,  as  w’ell  as  abundance  of 
food  for  reflection,  and  hosts  of  contrarieties  suitable  for  start¬ 
ing  and  maintaining  a  discussion.  There  is  scarcely  any  prac¬ 
tical  point  connected  with  the  culture  of  Potatoes  w'hich  does 
not  provide  an  opportunity  for  divergency  of  opinion  among 
the  millions  of  British  growers;  and  certainly  splendid  crops 
are  grown  under  conditions  which  often  seem  considerably 
opposed  to  each  other.  There  is,  however,  one  point  upon 
which  I  think  we  may  all  make  a  firm  stand,  and  fight  on,  as  it 
were,  to  “the  death,”  in  support  of  it.  I  have  never  yet  heard 
anyone  dispute  that  deep  and  thorough  working  of  the  soil  is 
one  of,  if  not  the,  greatest  essentials  to  success.  Other  crops 
may  sometimes  succeed  for  a  time  under  a  system  of  surface 
scratching,  and  even  Potatoes  will  grow  with  such  bad  treat¬ 
ment  ;  but  for  the  production  of  heavy  crops  of  clean  tubers, 
special  attention  to  “w’orking”  the  soil  is  an  absolute  essential. 
Get  it  crumbling,  ameliorated,  and  rich  from  previous  manuring, 
then  how  both  tops  and  tubers  will  bound  away ! 
When  shall  we  plant?  Here  is  debatable  ground  w’ith  a  ven¬ 
geance,  as  various  cultivators  have  their  favourite  periods, 
which  range  from  the  beginning  of  March  to  the  end  of  IMay. 
In  regard  to  early  varieties,  w’hen  to  plant  depends  to  a  great 
extent  upon  the  locality,  and  whether  or  not  some  protection 
is  to  be  afforded  to  the  tops  w’hen  necessary.  In  some  districts, 
during  a  favourable  season  like  the  present,  those  who  coukl 
plant  in  front  of  a  round  w’all  might  safely  do'  so  early  in 
March,  if  a  little  strawy  material  could  be  placed  over  the  plants 
regularly  during  frosty  nights.  I  follow’ed  that  plan  for  several 
years,  and  never  once  had  the  foliage  cut  down  by  frost.  As  a 
rule,  however,  the  first  week  in  April  may  be  termed  a  very 
.suitable  time  to  plant  early  varieties.  All  growers  of  note 
believe  in  having  early  Potatoes  sprouted  before  planting,  aaid 
when  they  are  so-  treated  they  come  through  the  soil  quite 
early  enough,  if  planted  in  April  and  left  unprotected. 
In  regard  to  late  varieties,  practices  differ  as  much  as  they 
well  can.  Many  believe  in  setting  late  kinds  before  early  ones;- 
others  consider  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  April  the  most 
suitable  time;  and  a  small  but  increasing  number  believe  in 
May  ,  planting.  The  advantage  of  late  planting  is  that,  when 
the  growths  do  push  through  the  soil,  they  grow’  away  freely 
and  quickly  without  a  cheek,  whereas,  if  planted  earlier,  the 
weather  is  often  so  aold  during  the  early  stages  of  growth  that 
the  plants  receive  a  severe  check,  and  they  then  never  wholly 
make  up  los.t  ground.  One  of  the  most  successful  grow’ers  in 
the  Midlands  never  plants  late  varieties  till  from  May  8  to 
May  15,  and  he  has  followed  the  practice  for  many  years.  The 
late  planters  certainly  scored  last  year,  but  the  w’eather  was  so 
exceptional  that  the  experience  of  that  year  alone  would  not 
count  for  much.  I  am,  however,  quite  of  opinion  that  late 
planting  invariably  gives  the  best  results,  unless  the  land  is 
poor  and  shallow ;  in  such  cases  light  crops  would  often  be  the 
result  during  dry  seasons,  but  then,  shallow,  poor  soils  are  never 
very  satisfactory  for  Potato  growing.  If  w’e  hear  of  many 
varieties  in  the  future  as  expensive  as  “Northern  Star,”  I  am 
afraid  we  shall  all  w’ant  to  turn  raisers.  From  what  I  have  .seen 
of  samples  of  Sutton’s  Discovery  Fidler’s  Seedling,  w’e  shall 
have  in  them  two'  grand  acquisitions.  General  Roberts  is  a 
splendid  midsummer  variety,  and  an  early  one  to  beat  “  May 
Queen”  is  very  hard  to  fine!. — H.  D. 
- - - 
Beds  of  l.vrge  Palms  are  a  feature  in  Hyde  Park  dunng 
the  summer,  as  well  as  large  plants  placed  singly  in  the  grass. 
For  the  latter  purpose  the  follow’ing  are  used :  Chamaerops 
humilis,  Latania  borboniea,  and  Phoenix  sylvestris.  Ferns  are 
also  called  upon  to  do  duty.  Phlebodium  aureum,  Asplenium 
nidus,  and  Nephrolepis  exaltata  seemed  healthy  and  at  home; 
also  the  following  foliage  plants  :  Curculigo  recurvata,  Phormium 
tenax  variegatum,  and  Dracaena  au.stralis. — E.  D.  S. 
