216 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  6,  1900. 
simple 
neglected  or  done  in  a  slipshod  manner,  and  it  is  then 
impossibility  that  everything  can  be  done  well. 
Now,  just  as  no  general  and  permanent  change  of  seasons,  for  the 
worse,  brought  about  the  comparative  failure  of  Peach  and  Nectarine 
culture  against  walls,  of  which  so  much  has  been  heard  in  the  present 
generation,  so,  also,  has  no  converse  change  of  weather  for  the  better 
brought  about  the  possibility  of  growing  those  fruits  over  large  areas 
of  the  country  without  any  walls  at  all.  There  has,  indeed,  been  a 
change,  and  an  all-important  one,  that  has  enabled  this  to  be 
done,  but  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  “sousons.”  The  sequel  is  to 
be  found  in  a  change  of  varieties,  that  and  nothing  more.  And  here 
let  a  well  deserved  tribute  of  recognition  be  paid  to  the  late  Mr.  T- 
Francis  Rivers  for  the  services  he  has  rendered  to  the  fruit  growing 
and  consuming  population.  Years  must  elapse  before  the  real  value  of 
a  new  variety  of  fruit  can  be  generally  appreciated.  It  was  so  in  the 
case  of  his  seedling  Nectarine  Lord  Napier,  but  this  is  now,  so  to  say, 
grown  both  under  glass  and  on  walls  everywhere.  His  more  brilliant 
and  precocious  Early  Rivers  and  Cardinal  met  with  quicker 
recognition.  It  is  Early  Rivers  especially,  and  others  of  similar 
character,  that  are  likely  to  bring  the  cultivation  ofi Nectarines  within 
the  means  of  thousands  of  persons  by  planting  trees  in  warm  positions, 
training  them  to  stakes  or  wires  as  espaliers, 
or  simply  growing  them  as  open  bushes  on 
short  or  tallish  stems  alter  the  manner  of 
Plums.  But  what  evidence  have  we  that 
they  will  succeed  in  ripening  their  crops  in 
that  manner  and  in  what  localities  ? 
It  would  be  seen  in  the  report  of  the 
last  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  (page  206)  that  Mr.  Charles  Turner 
of  Slough  showed  Early  Rivers  Nectarines 
and  a  small  tree  that  produced  them  ;  also 
that  Messrs.  James  Veitch  &  Sons  exhibited 
specimens  of  the  same  variety,  also  Pr^coce 
de  Croncels  from  trained  trees  growing  in 
their  open  nursery  at  Langley.  Though 
that  evidence  was  tangible  enough,  the 
writer  of  these  lines  w'as  not  a  witness  of 
it;  but  he  is  able  to  describe  something 
that  he  did  see,  and  not  less  conclusive — 
namely,  the  bearing  trees  in  the  Slough 
Nursery,  and  it  would  doubtless  be  the 
same  in  the  trees  over  the  line  at  Langley, 
though  he  had  not  then  heard  of  them. 
In  respect  of  the  splendid  fruits  of  Early  Rivers  Nectarine  that 
ripened  fully  in  the  open  nursery  quarters  in  August,  it  must  be  said 
there  had  been  no  ‘‘  getting  up  for  exhibition  ’’  by  special  means. 
The  trees  were  two  years  trained  to  stakes  in  ordinary  nursery  rows 
running  nearly  east  to  west  ;  they  had  neither  received  protection  in 
the  blossoming  period,  nor  any  artificial  shelter  whatever  to  expedite 
the  ripening  of  the  fruit.  The  crop  on  most  of  the  trees  was  a  full 
one,  but  the  bulk  had  been  gathered ;  yet  here  and  there  a  branch 
was  studded  with  as  fine  specimens  both  as  to  size,  colour,  and 
quality  as  anyone  need  wish  to  see.  They  were  far  away  from  any 
wall,  and  had  no  sheltering  trees  above  or  near  them.  It  was  a 
perfectly  genuine  example  of  open  ground  culture,  exactly  the  same 
as  was  generally  accorded  to  Plums  and  other  hardy  fruits.  But  the 
significant  point  is  this :  the  Nectarines  ripened  before  all  but  the 
earliest  Plums.  So  did  Waterloo  Peaches,  which  were  over  and 
gone,  while  Hales’  Early  was  ripe  and  richly  coloured.  For  open 
ground  trials,  however,  only  the  first  early  Nectarines,  such  as  Early 
Rivers  and  Prdcoce  de  Croncels,  should  be  tried.  Cardinal  is  said  to 
be  more  suitable  for  growing  under  glass.  Peaches  for  the  open  are 
Alexander  or  M  aterloo.  They  are  not  quite  the  same,  though  one  is 
often  sold  for  the  other.  They  do  not  cast  their  buds  in  the  open,  but 
ripened  their  fruits  perfectly  in  the  part  of  Buckinghamshire  indicated. 
\\  hat  about  their  ripening  in  other  districts  ?  As  regards  climate, 
alone,  it  may_  be  said  with  confidence  that  all  the  Nectarines  and 
Fio.  66— Odontoglossum  Aorianj.  Countess  of  Morlet 
Peaches  above  described  will  ripen  at  least  as  soon  and  as  well  as’ 
will  Victoria,  Magnum  Bonum,  and  Jefferson  Plums;  indeed,  sooner. 
Another  comparison  may  be  given — namely,  wherever  such  Nectarine* 
as  Pineapple,  Pitmaston  Orange,  and  Victoria,  or  such  Peaches  a* 
Barrington,  Bellegarde,  and  Noblesse  will  ripen  on  walls,  the  precocious 
varieties  previously  named  will  ripen  in  a  warm,  sheltered,  and  sunny 
position  in  the  open  in  the  same  garden  and  district.  Let  them  b© 
tried,  but  there  is  something  besides  “climate”  to  be  considered.  The 
present  season  cannot  be  described  as  a  tropical  one.  It  was  hot 
enough  in  July,  but  we  had  one  of  the  wettest  and  coldest  Junes 
on  record,  and  an  almost  autumnal  August,  yet  the  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  named  ripened  in  the  best  style,  and  of  superior  quality. 
We  must  now  look  for  other  influencing  causes.  An  important 
factor  was,  no  doubt,  the  hot  summer  of  last  year,  and  the 
consequent  firm  growth  and  wood  maturation.  But,  and  this  leads 
to  another,  and  what  may  be  termed  a  concrete  essential — soil. 
This  in  the  nurseries  mentioned,  and  most  others  in  which  fruit  trees 
assume  a  firm  and  fertile  character,  is  much  less  rich  and  much  more 
firm  than  in  the  majority  of  private  gardens.  Now,  let  this  be 
remembered :  A  deep,  rich,  loose  soil  is  antagonistic  to  the  well-being 
and  fruitful  habit  of  our  choice  stone  fruits.  That  is  why  we  see  so 
many  rampantly  growing  and  unproductive 
Peach,  Nectarine,  and  Apricot  trees  ;  there¬ 
fore  in  planting  the  choice  varieties  of  these 
named  in  the  open,  if  the  soil  is  rich,  light 
and  loose,  add  some  of  a  stronger  nature, 
incorporating  lime  rubbish  and  dry  wood 
ashes,  then  tread  all  as  firm  as  a  board.  It 
cannot  be  too  firm,  provided  it  is  at  the  same 
time  porous.  Such  stations  induce  a  mass  of 
fibrous  roots  ;  keep  these  near  the  surface  by 
a  mulch  of  good  manure  applied  in  early  sum¬ 
mer,  to  remain  there  till  the  fruit  is  gathered, 
and  the  growth  made  will  not  be  sappy  and 
fruitless,  but  sturdy,  firm,  and  floriferous. 
Two  other  cardinal  points  must  also  be 
rigidly  attended  to.  1,  Prevent  insect 
infestations;  2,  Prevent  overcrowding  the 
summer  growths.  Note  particularly  the 
two  preventives.  They  are  a  thousand 
times  better,  besides  being  far  cheaper  and 
easier  than  allowing  the  evils  to  occur,  then 
trying  by  frantic  and  futile  efforts  to  cur© 
them.  By  applying  insecticides  periodically, 
before  insects  appear  there  will  be  none  to  kill;  and  by  timely  dis¬ 
budding  there  will  be  no  wild  thickets  of  barren  growths.  Let  the  sua 
shine  through  the  trees,  for  it  is  the  real  agent  of  fruitfulness. 
As  to  protecting  the  blossoms  of  open  ground  Nectarines,  which' 
are,  perhaps,  more  valuable  than  Peaches,  is  a  question  of 
judgment.  Mr.  Turner  says,  “  If  left  to  chance  they  will  bear  as 
certainly  as  Plums.’’  This  may  be  so,  but  Plums  often  fail,  and  it 
would  be  easy  to  provide  movable  umbrella  shaped  shelters  for 
standards  and  bushes,  and  suitable  forms  for  espaliers  ;  but  there  is 
danger  in  over  protection — f.e.,  heavy  and  continuous  coverings  when 
not  really  needed.  The  blossoms  are  later  in  expanding  in  the  open 
against  walls,  and  that  is  often  an  advantage. 
I  am  reminded  by  a  close  observer  that  birds  do  not  peck  out  the 
buds  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines  in  the  same  way  as  thev  treat  Plums. 
Is  that  because  there  is  a  trace  of  prussic  acid  in  them,  this  abounding 
in  the  leaves  of  Almonds  as  well  as  in  the  kernels  of  the  fruit,  and  may 
not  be  quite  eliminated  from  their  ennobled  congeners,  the  luscious 
downy  Peach  and  its  richer  smooth-skinned  offspring  the  Ni  ctarine  ? 
Let  all  who  will,  or  can,  try  the  innovation  propounded  by 
growing  these  esteemed  fruits  on  the  lines  indicated,  pruning  them 
like  Morello  Gherrie.s,  and  whether  they  succeed  or  fail  send  the 
results  to  the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  Hundreds  of  persons  ought 
to  succeed.  Procure  the  varieties  true  from  those  nurserymen  whose 
names  are  well  known  and  reputations  established.  This  is  mentioned 
because  of  a  case  known  to  the  writer  of  a  number  of  now 
magnificent  trees  in  a  large  house  being  “all  wrong,”  to  the  great- 
disappointment  and  loss  of  the  owner. — An  Old  Fruit  Grower. 
