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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  6,  1900. 
upon,  do  not  finish  prematurely  and  crack  afterwards.  This  point 
is  worth  considering  by  all  who  wish  for  the  best  results,  and 
unfortunately  it  must  be  said,  by  those  who  have  the  ampb- 
supplies  of  water  necessary,  for  more  Grapes  are  ruined  by  want  ol 
water  at  the  roots  than  excess. 
Some  may  object  that  the  use  of  so  much  water  will  render  the 
use  of  too  much  fire  heat  necessary  in  order  to  keep  the  atmosphere 
dry,  but  there  need  be  no  fear  on  this  account.  Vines  that  are  well 
nourished  use  up  a  lot  of  atmospheric  moisture,  even  at  the  time  ot 
finishing,  and  the  colour  on  Grapes  that  are  growing  on  such  Vines 
does  not  so  rapidly  disappear  as  when  the  last  energies  almost  of  the 
plant  have  been  spent  to  lay  it  on.  The  less  fire  heat  the  better  for 
black  varieties  I  admit,  but  with  healthy  Vines  and  good  ventilation 
one  need  never  be  afraid  to  use  enough  of  it  to  keep  the  atmosphere 
buoyant,  and  the  air  moving  about  the  berries.  At  least  such  has 
been  my  experience  even  with  such  varieties  as  Black  Hamburgh 
which  loses  colour  so  easily. 
What  is  true  of  black  sorts  generally  is  true  of  Alnwick  Seedling, 
and  with  a  moderate  crop,  (ree  lateral  extension  without  crowding, 
and  attention  to  the  details  above  mentioned,  no  one  ought  to  have 
unsightly  bunches  of  it  in  their  houses. — H.  R.  Richards. 
- - 
GatlieriDg  and  Storing  Fruit. 
The  fruit  cultivator  may  easily  spoil  his  chances  of  securing  gooii 
samples  of  fruit  by  a  negligent  and  haphazard  way  of  gathering  and 
storing.  Damage  sustained  by  the  outer  skin  or  epidermal  tissue  of 
the  fiuit  results  in  decomposition  setting  in,  and  this  very  often 
quickly  spreads  to  the  surrounding  tissue,  and  eventually  to  the  whole 
fruit.  Such  fruit,  too,  coming  in  contact  with  sound  examples  will 
cause  the  same  decomposition  of  the  tissue.  The  utmost  care,therefore, 
is  necessary  in  gathering  the  best  and  soundest  specimens.  The  culti¬ 
vator  must  educate  himsell  in  observing  when  is  the  most  suitable 
time  for  detaching  the  fruit  from  the  tree. 
It  will  often  be  noticed  that  all  the  fruit  on  a  tree,  whether  good 
cultivation  is  carried  out  or  not,  is  not  ot  the  same  size,  hence  if  will 
neither  be  fully  developed  nor  ripe  at  the  same  time.  The  better, 
however,  the  tree  is  managed  as  regards  the  regulation  of  growth, 
the  thinning  of  the  fruit  and  attention  to  the  roots,  the  more  even  wdll 
be  the  crop  in  the  size  of  the  individual  specimens.  The  largest  and 
most  promising  fruits  ought  then  to  be  ready  for  gathering  at  the 
earliest  date  according  to  the  season  of  the  variety. 
There  are  certain  well-knowm  tests  employed  in  ascertaining  the 
fit  condition  or  otherwise  of  fruit  to  be  gathered.  The  test  most 
apparent  to  the  eye  is  the  change  of  colour  in  the  fruits  of  Apples 
and  Pears.  In  the  case  of  the  earlie^t  varieties  of  Pears  the  slightest 
yellow  tinge  is  sufficient  indication  that  the  fruit  may  be  gathered. 
It  may  not,  ai  d  in  most  cases  will  not,  be  ready  for  eating,  but  it  is 
ready  for  storing  in  a  warm  dry  place  in  order  *o  promote  the  necessary 
chemical  changes — that  is,  the  conversion  of  the  watery  acid  into  rich 
and  delicious  sugary  sweetness.  Early  Apples  may  hang  on  the  trees 
for  a  longer  period,  or  until  the  ripenmg  tints  of  the  outer  skin  are 
becoming  quite  pronounced,  but  they  ought  to  be  gathered  before  they 
are  three-quarters  ripe.  The  rest  of  the  time  necessary  to  finish  them 
may  be  spent  in  the  store  room,  a  little  warmth,  but  plenty  of  fresh 
air,  being  beneficial  in  completing  the  change.  Another  test  of  fitness 
for  gatiiering  is  in  the  colour  of  the  pips  or  seeds.  When  approaching 
ripeness  the  seeds  will  be  blown  or  black,  but  this  test  can  only  be 
afiplied  as  indicating  the  condition  of  fruits  of  the  same  average  size. 
It  is,  nevertheless,  a  good  test,  especially  for  the  later  varieties. 
Another  excellent  test  is  that  of  the  stalk  separating  easily  from  the 
spur  on  being  lifted  to  a  horizontal  position. 
It  is  desirable  to  gather  the  fruit  when  dry,  and  in  doing  so  to 
avoid  bruising  it,  or  moving  it  about  more  than  can  be  helped.  For 
the  choicest  and  most  valuable  fruit,  baskets  lined  with  solt  material 
should  be  employed,  and  the  fruits  laid  in  them  in  single  layers;  also 
when  finally  stored  in  boxes,  trays,  or  on  shelves,  single  layers  are 
the  best.  The  material  used  for  laying  the  fruit  upon  ought  to  be 
clean,  drv,  and  of  a  non-absorbent  character.  Taints  or  smells  of  any 
kind  are  easily  transferred  to  fruit,  and  spoil  the  flavour.  Some  of  the 
early  varieties  of  Applies  and  Pears  it  is  desirable  to  ripen  quickly  after 
being  gathered  may  be  placed  in  boxes  of  sweet  hay,  and  kept  in  a 
warm  temperature.  Damp  or  musty  hay  will  not  do ;  nor  will  straw  of 
a  similar  character.  Upion  the  whole,  however,  and  for  general  storing 
when  the  fruit  has  to  remain  some  time,  hay  and  straw  is  the  woist 
possible  material  to  place  fruit  upon.  In  the  dull  damp  days  of 
autumn  it  will  absorb  atmospheric  moisture,  and  retains  it  long 
enough  to  cause  a  musty  and  disagreeable  odour,  which  rapidly 
pervades  the  fruit. 
Plain  deal  shelves  varnished  over  are  the  best  for  laving  fruit  upon. 
If  the  fruit  or  store  room  has  brick  or  stone  walls  these  should  be  lime- 
washed.  Provide  ample  ventilation,  as  when  fruit  is  first  stored  a 
considerable  amount  of  moisture  evaporates  from  it.  Frequt^nt  exami¬ 
nation  of  all  stored  fruit  ought  to  be  made,  removing  at  once  unsound 
specimens  to  prevent  them  contaminating  other  fruits.  A  dark  room 
is  better  than  a  light  room,  and  the  temperature  should,  if  possible,  be 
kept  equable :  45°  in  winter  is  suitable. 
When  it  is  desired  to  accelerate  the  ripening  of  a  few  fruits  those 
which  are  in  a  most  forward  state  may  be  selected,  placing  them  in  a 
higher  temperatuie  for  a  time.  By  these  means  the  season  of  any 
particular  variety  may  be  prolonged.  The  flavour,  too,  of  many 
varieties  is  iini  roved  by  the  acceleration.  Apples  should  be  stored  in 
a  separate  part  of  the  fruit  room,  away  from  Pears.  'I'he  earliest 
gathered  fruits  ought  to  have  the  warmest  parts,  while  the  later 
gatherings  are  accorded  the  cooler  positions. — E.  D.  S. 
- - 
Notes  on  Figs  Under  Glass. 
In  the  earliest  Fig  house  the  trees  may  be  in  pots  or  planted  out. 
The  former  is  much  the  better  for  securing  very  early  Pigs,  as  the  trees 
are  more  under  control,  and  selection  can  be  made  of  the  most 
promising  for  yielding  a  first  crop,  which  is  much  the  more  valuable, 
dishes  of  ripe  Pigs  in  April  being  prized,  as  fresh  ripe  fruit  is  not 
then  plentiful,  and  there  is  always  a  charm  in  variety  at  dessert.  The 
house  should  be  light,  airy,  and  well  heated.  A  low,  three-quarter  span- 
roof  house  facing  the  south  is  best  with  a  pit  for  holding  fermenting 
material,  such  as  Beech,  Spanish  Chestnut,  or  Oak  leaves,  which  give 
off  a  moist  genial  heat  and  moisture  over  a  long  period,  greatly  reducing 
the  necessity  for  fire  heat  and  more  suitable  for  the  Pig  trees.  Those 
intended  for  early  forcing  in  pots  may  be  placed  outdoors  when  the 
wood  is  ripe,  but  they  must  not  be  so  treated  if  there  is  any  doubt  of 
this,  keeping  them  under  glass  with  a  free  circulation  of  air.  These  are 
matters  on  which  the  cultivator  will  need  to  exercise  his  judgment. 
In  either  case  encourage  surface  roots  by  dressings  of  manure,  rough 
loam,  and  a  sprinkling  of  superphosphate.  See  that  those  placed  out¬ 
doors  do  not  root  from  the  base  of  the  pots,  cut  off  all  roots  that  have 
passed  into  the  plunging  material,  top-dress,  after  which  give  a  good 
watering,  and  they  will  need  no  more  water  than  suffices  to  keep  the 
foliage  in  health. 
In  the  case  of  the  earliest  forced  planted-out  trees  they  will  now  be 
ripening  their  wood,  and  watering  may  be  discontinued,  air  being  given 
very  liberally.  If,  however,  the  second  crop  is  not  yet  ripened,  moderate 
moisture  in  the  soil  will  be  necessary,  with  a  free  circulation  of  warm 
air  to  secure  quality  in  the  fruit.  When  the  fruit  is  off  prompt  measures 
should  be  taken  to  destroy  insects. 
Planted-out  Pig  trees  not  infrequently  grow  rampantly,  and  con¬ 
sequently  produce  thin  crops  of  fruit.  In  such  cases  lifting  and  root- 
pruning  should  be  resorted  to,  and  the  roots  confined  to  a  narrow 
border  3  to  4  feet  in  width,  or  not  more  than  one-third  the  breadth  of 
trellis  the  trees  are  to  occupy.  A  trench  taken  out  at  this  distance 
from  the  stem  down  to  the  drainage  after  the  fruit  is  gathered,  will 
check  the  tendency  to  a  late  growth,  assist  in  the  ripening  of  the  wood, 
more  particularly  if  the  growths  are  thinly  dispo.sed,  and  the  points 
of  the  shoots  instead  of  being  closely  tied  in  are  allowed  to  grow  up  to 
the  glass.  If  the  drainage  be  defective  it  will  be  necessary  to  lift  the 
trees  in  the  autumn  as  soon  as  the  leaves  commence  to  fall,  and 
replant  in  fresh  compost.  Place  in  12  inches  of  drainage,  rough  at  the 
bottom  and  tine  at  the  top,  placing  on  this  2  or  3  inches  thickness  of 
old  mortar  rubbish  free  from  laths  and  other  pieces  of  wood,  smashed, 
and  sifted  with  a  half-inch  sieve,  using  that  remaining  in  the  sieve,  the 
finer  material  being  suitable  for  mixing  with  the  soil  to  the  extent  of 
one-sixth.  Turfy  loam,  inclining  to  the  strong  rather  than  light,  forms 
a  suitable  rooting  medium,  provided  it  contains  a  fair  amount  of  gritty 
matter,  preferably  calcareous  gravel,  or  have  added  to  it  a  sixth  part  of 
old  mortar  rubbish. 
Where  obtainable  a  bushel  of  wood  ashes  may  be  mixed  with  each 
cartload  of  loam,  and  a  peck  of  half-inch  bones.  Other  enriching 
materials  may  be  added  and  mixed  with  the  compost,  but  as  a  rule  it 
is  better  to  supply  these  in  available  form  as  the  growth  and  crop 
require  them,  than  admix  enriching  substances,  such  as  horse  droppings 
or  farmyard  manure  with  the  compost  for  making  the  borders.  When 
the  soil  is  poor  a  fifth  part  of  horse  droppings  or  thoroughly  decayed 
manure  may  be  incorporated  with  the  loam. 
In  replanting  ram  the  compost  about  the  roots,  spreading  these 
out  well  up  to  the  surface,  and  with  soil  between  each  layer  so  as 
not  to  have  the  roots  all  together.  This  will  insure  a  fibrous  root 
formation,  steady  progressive  growth,  short-jointed  wood,  securing 
with  judicious  ventilation  and  management  solidified  growth  and  large 
heavy  fruit.  The  border  may  be  2  feet  in  depth.  Should  the  drainage 
be  good  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  detach  the  roots  as  advised,  confine 
the  trees  to  the  narrow  border,  and  remove  some  of  the  old  soil  from 
amongst  the  roots,  supplying  fresh  compost  and  top-dressing  as  above 
stated. — Grower. 
