336 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  11,  1900. 
skin.  Did  its  quality  equal  its  appearance  then  it  certainly  would  not 
have  a  rival  in  its  season.  Quality  in  Pears  must  have  a  first  and  just 
claim,  but  size  and  appearance  count  for  very  much  when  in  party 
times  pretty  decorations,  and  bold  dishes  of  fruit,  are  the  host’s 
ambition.  Trout  or  Forelle  is  a  fruit  that  is  |not  very  commonly 
grown,  and  as  I  remember  it,  the  flavour  is  one  which  soon  tires  the 
palate.  In  appearance  it  is  very  striking,  its  skin  having  trout-like 
spots  set  evenly  over  its  smooth  green  and  crimson  flushed  skin. 
“  W.  G.”  says,  “  It  is  not  altogether  surprising  that  there  should 
exist  such  a  diversity  of  opinion  on  the  merits  of  Pears,  when  it  is 
remembered  no  fruit  is  more  influenced  by  soil  and  position.  This  is 
quite  true,  and  there  are  other  influences  that  join  in  the  issue,  and 
that  is  the  character  of  the  tree,  its  age,  and  the  weather.  Fruits  from 
old  and  deep-rooted  trees  do  not  compare  with  those  obtained  from 
young  and  surface  rooting  specimens,  whether  they  be  grown  on  the 
wall,  as  pyramids,  as  standards,  or  espalier-trained.  In  the  matter  of 
quality  and  size  of  the  fruit  much  depends  on  the  stock,  and  great 
improvements  may  often  be  gained  by  re-grafting.  Very  old  trees  do 
not  readily  respond  to  this  treatment  if  cut  hard  back.  By  grafting  I 
have  converted  many  trees  that  were  quite  useless  into  free  bearing 
and  healthy  specimens,  and  it  is  Surprising  in  dealing  with  healthy 
stocks  how  quickly  they  are  restored  to  their  original  state.  By  not 
severely  heading  back,  this  restoration  can  be  easily  effected  in  three 
to  four  years.  By  grafting  a  strong-growing  sort  on  to  a  weaker  tree 
its  constitution  can  be  entirely  changed  for  the  better.  By  grafting, 
too,  a  free  bearer  can  be  changed  into  a  shy  one,  and  by  the  same 
means  the  opposite  is  brought  about.  A  great  advantage  is  secured  in 
some  varieties  by  double  grafting,  a  fact  that  is  fully  admitted  by 
nurserymen,  and  acted  upon  by  them  for  the  benefit  of  their  clients. — 
W.  S.,  Wilts. 
- - 
Grape  Black  Morocco. 
I  AM  sending  you  a  bunch  of  Black  Morocco  for  an  expression  of 
opinion.  The  Vine  is  growing  in  a  house  with  Black  Hamburgh  and 
Madresfield,  and  is  started  at  Christmas.  It  always  colours  well  with 
us,  and  lasts  long  after  the  others  are  gone  in  the  same  house.  The 
bunch  enclosed  is  an  average  one.  It  has  the  character  of  being  a 
bad  setter,  and  also  a  difficult  one  to  colour.  We  tap  the  rod  and  draw 
our  hands  over  the  bunches  when  the  Vine  is  in  flower,  but  do  not 
use  the  pollen  from  the  other  varieties,  as  they  are  over.  I  find  it 
does  be.'-t  by  leaving  two  or  three  eyes,  as  very  close  pruning  results 
in  growth  but  no  fruit.  The  Vine  has  carried  nineteen  bunches  this 
season.  I  ascribe  a  large  prrt  of  my  success  in  colouring  to  the 
admittance  of  abundance  of  air  for  the  benefit  of  the  other  varieties  in 
the  structure.  The  Morocco  is  practically  green  when  ti  e  others 
commence  to  colour.  Our  houses  have  iron  and  copper  sashes,  which 
give  no  shade,  and  we  find  that  early  in  the  season,  say  about  April  or 
May,  the  sun,  if  allowed  full  power  on  it,  causes  this  variety  to  curl 
its  leaves ;  to  prevent  that  we  put  a  double  net  over,  which  proves 
sufficient  for  the  purpose.  Beyond  this  the  Vine  has  practically  the 
same  treatment  as  the  Black  Hamburgh  and  Madresfield  Court. — 
W.  Hurlstone,  Parkfield  Gardens,  Hallow,  Worcester, 
[We  most  heartily  congratulate  Mr.  Hurlstone  on  his  success  with 
Black  Morocco,  and  can  assure  him  that  if  other  cultivators  were 
equally  successful  we  should  find  this  variety  represented  far  more 
frequently  than  is  at  present  the  case.  The  bunch  was  ot  perfect 
shape,  and  was  composed  of  large  berries,  very  rich  and  deep  in  colour, 
and  having  an  exceptionally  thick  skin.  The  flavour  was  superb — 
indeed,  we  have  seldom  tasted  a  Grape  that  could  equal  it  in  this 
respect.  The  oval  berries  were  very  fleshy,  and  each  of  the  larger 
ones  contained  either  three  or  four  stones,  and  the  few  and  smaller 
ones  one  or  two  stones. 
^Referring  to  Black  Morocco  in  the  “  Fruit  Manual,”  Dr.  Hogg  says — 
“  Bunches  large,  loose,  and  shouldered.  Berries  of  unequal  size  ; 
some  are  large  and  oval.  Skin  thick,  reddish  brown,  becoming  black 
when  fully  ripe  ;  beginning  to  colour  at  the  apex,  and  proceeding 
gradually  towards  the  stalk,  where  it  is  generally  paler.  Flesh  firm, 
sweet,  but  not  highly  flavoured  until  it  has  hung  late  in  the  season, 
when  it  is  very  rich,  sprightly,  and  vinous;  the  small  berries  are 
generally  without  seeds,  and  the  large  ones  have  rarely  more  than  one. 
This  is  a  late  keeping  Grape  of  the  first  quality.  It  is  very  late,  and 
requires  stove  heat  to  ripen  it  thoroughly.  It  is  perhaps  one  of  the 
worst  to  set  its  fruit,  and  to  secure  anything  like  a  crop  it  is  necessary 
to  impregnate  the  ovaries  when  the  Vine  is  in  bloom  by  passing  the 
hand  occasionally  down  the  bunch.  The  leaves  die  bright  yellow.” 
Mr.  Hurlstone  will  thus  see  that  the  defects  mentioned  by  the 
late  eminent  pomologist  are  practically  absent  in  his  case,  especially 
iu  relation  to  looseness  of  bunch  and  the  size  and  seeding  of  the 
berries.  It  is  a  matter  for  regret  with  us  that  we  are  unable  to 
illustrate  the  bunch  of  Black  Morocco  sent  to  us,  so  that  our  readers 
could  gain  a  more  accurate  idea  as  to  its  several  excellent  points.] 
In  %  Vegetable  Garden. 
Preparing  for  Winter. 
Many  owners  of  gardens  think  that  when  the  kitchen  garden 
quarters  are  cleared  of  their  summer  crops  it  is  not  necessary  to  do 
anything  to  the  ground  until  it  is  wanted  again  for  next  year’s  crop. 
This  is  certainly  the  easiest  way  of  gardening,  but  it  is  not  by  any 
means  the  best  either  for  the  ground  or  what  has  to  be  put  in  it,  nor 
those  that  expect  anything  out  of  it.  Turning  over  the  soil  and 
leaving  it  as  rough  on  the  surface  as  possible  is  the  first  thing  we  do 
at  this  time  of  the  year,  as  the  ground  is  cleared  of  any  kind  of 
vegetable.  The  ground  is  very  firm  on  the  surface  after  most  crops 
have  been  removed  :  if  left  like  this  during  the  winter  neither  frost 
nor  wind,  both  excellent  fertilisers,  would  ever  penetrate  beyond  the 
surface.  Heavy  land  especially  is  greatly  benefited  by  exposure  to 
the  atmosphere  in  winter,  and  the  lightest  of  soils  is  sweetened.  We 
do  not  dig-in  any  manure  now,  as  much  of  it  would  be  decayed  by 
cropping  time.  This  is  put  in  when  the  ground  is  again  dug, 
immediately  before  the  crop  is  put  in. 
Not  a  weed  should  be  allowed  to  grow  amongst  any  winter 
vegetables,  especially  amongst  low-growing  crops,  such  as  Spinach, 
Turnips,  Endive  and  Lettuce,  as  the  more  these  are  sheltered,  drawn 
up,  or  protected  in  any  way  now,  the  more  tender  they  will  be  in  the 
colder  months  to  come.  Plants  are  also  much  more  liable  to  damp  and 
decay  when  closely  surrounded  by  weeds  than  when  everything  is 
clear  about  them.  One  good  cleaning  now  will  keep  them  right  for 
the  winter.  Weeds  look  as  untidy  in  the  kitchen  garden  in  winter 
as  summer.  Those  on  the  ground  will  grow  if  left  all  winter,  but 
if  they  are  cleared  away  now  no  more  will  spring  up  for  some 
months. 
We  lifted  all  our  Carrots  the  other  day;  it  is  not  wise  to  leave 
them  in  the  ground  after  the  end  of  this  month.  Clean  the  soil 
roughly  off  them  as  they  are  dug  up,  lay  them  out  thinly  in  an  open 
shed  for  a  few  days  to  dry,  and  then  store  them  in  a  cool  shed  or 
cellar,  putting  layer  after  layer  amongst  dry  river  sand.  Beet  is 
stored  in  the  same  manner,  but  when  it  is  lifted  the  leaves  are  not  cut 
off  close  to  the  crown  like  the  Carrots,  but  they  are  twisted  off  with 
the  hand  a  few  inches  from  the  crown  to  prevent  bleeding.  When  cut 
close  they  lose  much  of  their  juice.  Parsnips  we  leave  in  the  ground 
all  winter,  only  lifting  a  few  when  frost  threatens.  Salsafy  is  treated 
in  the  same  way.  Onions  have  been  under  cover  for  some  time  ;  most 
of  them  are  strung  and  hung  up  in  a  shed.  This  is  the  best  way  of 
keeping  them. 
Young  Cauliflower  plants  for  early  spring  planting  are  dibbed 
closely  together  in  a  two-light  frame.  The  lights  are  never  put  on 
unless  in  a  continuance  of  rain  or  frost.  Sometimes  we  never  cover 
them  with  glass  at  all,  but  put  a  hurdle  over  the  frame  in  hard 
weather,  and  cover  it  with  dry  bracken.  We  not  only  use  it  for 
frames,  but  spread  it  lightly  over  Lettuce,  Endive,  and  such-like 
things  when  frost  occurs,  and  find  it  answer  capitally.  Small  Lettuce, 
to  stand  the  winter  and  plant  uut  for  the  early  spring  supply,  should 
never  be  protected  except  when  it  is  actually  necessary.  Ours  remain 
in  the  bed  in  a  south  border  in  which  they  were  sown  until  they  are 
finally  planted. 
Care  should  be  taken  not  to  over-earth  Celery ;  always  leave  the 
centre  above  the  soil,  or  the  centre  heart  may  decay  in  the  damp  days 
in  winter.  In  the  time  of  snow  or  frost  bracken  is  an  effectual 
covering  for  Celery.  Begin  blanching  Endive  some  weeks  before  it  is 
wanted.  In  dry  weather  it  is  a  good  plan  to  tie  the  whole  of  the 
leaves  up  in  a  bundle  at  the  top.  In  wet  weather  the  centre  often 
decays  when  tied  up.  Previous  to  the  middle  of  October  we  tie  them 
up  ;  after  that  time  we  lay  thin  deal  strips  over  each  row,  and  blanch 
it  in  this  way. 
As  soon  as  Asparagus  stems  begin  to  wither  they  should  all  be  cut 
off,  the  bed  cleared  of  weeds,  and  then  covered  over  to  the  depth  of 
2  or  3  inches  with  rich  manure.  If  wanted  for  forcing  we  should 
begin  lifting  the  roots  for  forcing  the  first  week  in  November,  to  have 
a  good  stock  of  it  in  by  Christmas. 
All  kinds  of  winter  greens  should  be  gone  over  every  other  week, 
and  decayed  leaves  removed.  By  breaking  and  turning  a  few 
leaves  over  the  heads  of  Broccoli  when  they  are  beginning  to  show 
through  the  small  centre  leaves  they  keep  for  several  weeks  longer 
than  when  left  exposed  to  the  weather.  Cabbages  to  come  in  about 
May  next  year  may  yet  be  planted.  Dutch-hoe  frequently  among 
those  planted  some  weeks  ago,  and  as  soon  as  they  are  tall  enough 
draw  a  little  soil  to  their  stems.  Globe  Artichokes  should  be  cut 
down  to  about  1  foot  from  the  ground,  then  pack  some  bracken  or  long 
litter  close  round  the  stems  without  covering  the  top.  Jerusalem 
Artichokes  we  leave  in  the  ground  and  lift  as  required. — G. 
