436 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  November  15, 1900. 
fruit  that  the  price  of  much  better  varieties  is  brought  down  in 
consequence. 
Hardy  local  Plums,  as  a  rule,  are  great  bearers  in  their  own 
districts,  and  seasons  that  are  favourable  for  high  quality  varieties  are 
infinitely  more  so  for  those  of  second-rate  character.  I  do  not  think 
we  have  got  too  many  Plums,  and  seasons  of  heavy  crops  are  counter¬ 
balanced  by  those  of  lighter  returns  ;  but  waste  is  pitiable  as  well  as 
unprofitable,  and  it  is  possible  that  if  we  could  do  away  with  a  large 
portion  of  these  common  varieties  of  Plums,  and  replace  them  with 
high  quality  sorts,  not  only  would  consumers  buy  them  more  readily, 
but  we  should  hear  less,  in  seasons  of  plenty,  of  fruit  rotting  under 
the  trees  because  it  does  not  pay  to  pick. 
The  same  thing  may  be  observed  as  regards  Apples.  This  season 
of  plenty  may  cause  some  to  wonder  whether  it  is  worth  while  planting 
any  more ;  but  there  need  be  no  hesitation  so  long  as  the  trees 
put  in  are  of  the  right  varieties.  Twelve  and  fourteen  shillings  per 
cwt.  for  culinary  Apples  is  not  a  bad  price  to  get  in  a  season  like  the 
present,  and  yet  this  was  the  rate  at  which  Apples  were  selling  in  a 
certain  district  where  orchards  are  so  numerous  that  pigs  were  being 
fed  with  the  fruit.  The  reason  is  not  very  far  to  discover.  The 
orchards  attached  to  farms  and  small  holdings  are  ancient  institutions, 
the  origins  of  which  are  obscure.  Here  and  there  may  be  found  a  good 
Apple  ;  but  there  are  many  very  inferior,  small,  scrubby,  nameless,  and 
worthless.  The  trees  are  laden  with  them,  and  the  grower  attempts 
to  sell  them.  He  may  succeed,  but  it  is  at  the  purchaser’s  own  price, 
and  the  unfortunate  part  of  it  is  that  the  price  of  better  varieties  is 
affected  by  the  glut  of  rubbish.  The  rank  and  file  of  consumers  buy 
these  Apples — that  would  be  dear  at  any  price — because  they  are  cheap, 
and  if  they  were  not  in  the  market  at  all  they  would  purchase  the 
better  quality  produce.  There  was  a  certain  grower  who  conceived  the 
idea  some  few  years  ago  that  good  fruit  would  find  a  sale  in  his  district, 
and  he  planted  a  number  of  young  bush  trees.  They  are  now  in  good 
bearing,  and  the  results  speak  for  themselves.  He  can  sell  every 
Apple  he  produces  without  going  half  a  day’s  journey  from  his  home, 
and  at  prices  which  pay  him  well,  in  spite  of  the  glut. 
What  deductions  can  we  draw  from  it  ?  Simply  this :  that  if  all 
the  rubbish  in  the  way  of  Apples  could  be  banished  from  our  orchards 
entirely,  and  be  replaced  with  high-class  varieties,  the  consumer 
would  get  a  better  and  cheaper  article  (though  he  might  pay  a  little 
more  for  it),  and  the  grower  would  not  have  his  market  hampered  and 
blocked  by  so  much  that  is  worthless.  I  am  inclined  to  wonder 
whether  this  happy  state  of  affairs  will  ever  be,  lor  the  subject  has 
been  long  under  discussion.  Only  time,  I  think,  wnll  weed  out  the 
worthless  forms  and  leave  but  the  best,  because  an  Apple  tree, 
particularly  a  poor  one,  has  got  a  strong  constitution.  So  long  as  it 
flourishes  and  bears  it  is  held  sacred,  no  matter  how  inferior  and 
worthless  the  fruit  may  be,  and  so  these  wretched  Apples  remain,  and 
will,  I  think,  remain  as  long  as  a  spark  of  vitality  is  left  in  them,  to 
encumber  the  earth  and  hamper  the  efforts  of  those  who  are  trying  to 
make  Apple  growing  profitable. 
Another  generation  will  reap  the  benefit  of  the  present-day 
agitation  against  the  culture  of  inferior  forms  of  fruit,  because, 
fortunately,  there  is  not  much  of  it  being  planted  now.  Most  of  the 
young  trees  are  of  good  recognised  varieties,  and  they  only  want  the 
care  of  the  cultivator  to  induce  them  to  produce  fruit  worthy  of  their 
reputation.  As  one  by  one  the  ancient  worthless  Apples  follow  the 
course  of  nature  (we  cannot  hope  to  persuade  growers  to  root  them 
out),  there  will  be  a  better  class  of  fruit  left,  and  let  us  hope  that 
rubbish  among  Apples,  which  is  the  stumblingblock  of  fruit  growers 
of  to-day,  will  be  unknown.  This  season  of  a  great  fruit  harvest, 
with  its  accompanying  evils,  teaches  many  lessons,  and  one  is  that, 
while  w^e  have  as  yet  not  enough  of  the  highest  quality  fruit,  we  have 
far  too  much  of  the  inferior  article.  Good  fruit  can  be  cheap  to  the 
consumer  and  yet  profitable  to  the  producer,  but  inferior  produce  is 
neither  in  years  of  plenty. — G.  H.  H. 
PrepariDg  Ground  for  Onions. 
The  Onion  is  rightly  regarded  as  a  most  important  crop,  and 
everyone  who  cultivates  vegetables  includes  the  Onion.  No  matter 
how  indifferently  grown  the  crop  always  proves  serviceable,  even  if 
the  bulbs  are  so  small  that  they  can  only  be  used  for  pickling.  Small 
Onions  for  this  purpose  can,  however,  be  grown  on  soil  which  is  rich 
enough  to  produce  large  bulbs  if  the  seed  is  sown  thickly  and  little 
or  no  thinning  resorted  to.  The  aim  of  most  cultivators  is,  however, 
to  grow  large  Onions,  size  and  good  shape  not  only  being  appreciated, 
but  also  indicates  good  culture.  The  tbundation  of  success  in  high- 
class  cultivation  of  Onions  lies  in  the  thorough  preparation  of  the 
soil,  and  as  the  ground  where  the  crop  is  intended  to  be  grown  should 
be  in  excellent  condition  by  February,  if  seed  is  sown  in  the  open, 
it  is  very  important  that  the  work  of  trenching  and  manuring  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  the  soil  into  good  heart  should  be  undertaken 
now.  Even  if  outdoor  sowing  in  spring  is  not  practised,  that  of 
sowing  in  boxes  under  glass  and  planting  out  in  April  being  adopted, 
it  is  still  imperative  that  the  improvement  of  the  rooting  medium 
should  now  be  commenced. 
Unless  the  ground  has  been  previously  trenched  and  liberally 
manured  the  best  method  is  to  bastard  trench,  as  this  does  not  involve 
burying  a  fertile  top  split  and  bringing  a  hungry  subsoil  to  the 
surface.  Any  ordinary  soil  which  is  net  absolutely  too  stiff  and 
retentive  may  be  rendered  suitable  for  Onions.  Stiff  soils  can  in  time 
be  brought  into  excellent  condition  by  draining  the  subsoil.  In  the 
process  of  bastard  trenching  break  up  the  subsoil  below  the  two  upper 
layers  or  spits,  and  on  this  place  a  thick  layer  of  mixed  farmyard 
manure  ;  pig  manure,  night  soil,  or  cow  manure  may  alone  be  used. 
They  are  excellent  for  light  soils,  affording  rich,  substantial,  and 
cooling  nutriment.  Another  layer  of  manure  may  be  introduced 
between  the  first  and  second  spit.  The  surface  layer  of  soil  may  be 
left  somewUat  rough  for  the  winter.  In  dry  weather  in  February  add 
a  dressing  of  dried  fowl  dung.  Apply  about  a  hundredweight  to  3 
square  rod,  forking  it  into  the  soil,  and  breaking  up  the  surface  spit. 
Also  work  in  some  dry  soot  and  wood  ashes  previous  to  sowing  in 
February  or  March  and  planting  in  April.  Having  made  the  soil  rich 
with  natural  manure  there  is  less  need  of  adding  chemical  manures, 
but  a  dressing  of  superphosphate,  3  lbs.  to  the  square  rod,  before 
sowiog  or  planting  will  act  beneficially,  followed  by  light  applications 
of  nitrate  of  soda  during  growth  at  the  rate  of  1|-  lb.  to  a  square  rod 
in  May.  Liquid  manure  made  from  various  animal  manures  is 
excellent  for  stimulating  growth. 
The  largest  sized  bulbs  are  produced  from  autumn  sowings  and 
from  plants  raised  from  sowing  seed  in  boxes  in  February.  Both  these 
methods  give  plants  which  can  be  planted  out  in  April  on  ground 
prepared  as  previously  recommended.  The  latter  method  is  best 
adapted  for  choice  and  valuable  varieties,  as  there  is  more  certainty  of 
the  seed  germinating.  A  gentle  heat  only  is  necessary.  Sow  in 
moist,  light  soil  in  drills.  When  the  seeds  germinate  elevate  the  box 
doss  to  the  glass  to  keep  the  seedlings  sturdy,  and  gradually  harden 
to  the  open  air  for  planting. — E.  D.  S. 
Clematis  g:rata. — This  is  a  decided  acquisition  to  the  late  flowering 
Clematis,  as  it  possesses  all  the  requisite  characteristics  to  insure  its 
popularity  when  it  is  better  known.  It  is  a  semi-scandent  shrub,  and 
is  especially  suitable  for  a  low  trellis  or  wall.  The  flowers  are  pure 
white,  a  little  over  an  inch  across,  and  consist  of  four  narrow  strap¬ 
shaped  petals,  which  are  recurved  at  the  ends.  They  are  borne  in  small 
terminal  and  axillary  panicles,  which  spring  from  nearly  every  joint  of 
the  growths  ;  shoots  a  yard  long,  with  flowers  on  their  entire  length  being 
common.  It  commences  to  bloom  in  September,  and  continues  until 
spoilt  by  frost.  The  leaves  are  composed  of  from  three  to  five  leaflets, 
which  are  dark  green  and  shining,  firm  in  texture,  and  have  very 
prominent  veins.  It  is  hardy  enough  in  the  London  district,  and  would 
probably  be  so  much  farther  north. — C. 
