498 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  November  29,  im 
A  first-class  certificate  was  awarded  to  Mr.  E.  Crump,  Leamington, 
for  a  seedling  black  Grape,  said  to  be  a  cross  between  Black  Alidante 
and  Gros  Guillaume  (somewhat  resembling  Madresfield  Court  in  shape 
of  berry),  fleshy,  the  berries  large  with  a  rich  vinous  flavour,  and  keeps 
in  good  condition  until  March,  and  is  an  abundant  bearer.  Messrs. 
Isaac  House  &  Son,  Westbury-on-Trym,  Bristol  had  a  stand  of  Violets, 
and  Messrs.  Edwards  of  Nottingham,  the  Edwardian  floral  decorations. 
- - 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
The  R.H.S.  Examinations. 
I  WAS  much  interested  in  Mr.  Day’s  able  article  on  page  364.  Perhaps> 
now  your  correspondent  has  set  the  ball  rolling,  some  of  our  leading 
gardeners  will  follow  it  up,  which  they  have  not  done  in  previous  years. 
Most  gardeners,  I  think,  will  agree  with  Mr.  Day  when  he  says  hardly 
anyone,  whether  private  employer  or  nurseryman,  would  think  of  taking 
any  notice  of  a  first-class  certificate.  Anyone  looking  down  the  list  of 
successful  students  can  see  there  are  few  gardeners]  in  the  first 
class.  For  myself,  I  think  there  should  be  two  sections,  one  for  college 
students  and  one  for  gardeners,  giving  the  latter  all  practical  questions. 
I  think  there  would  then  be  more  young  men  from  the  gardens  in  the 
examinations. 
Theoretical  knowledge  may  be  very  well  with  a  good  all-round 
practice,  but  theory  without  the  practice  is  a  dangerous  thing  in 
gardening.  I  read  a  few  weeks  ago  of  a  lady  of  title,  who  said 
that  there  are  good  and  well  paid  posts  waiting  for  women  as  under 
gardeners,  forewomen  in  glass  houses,  or  as  directors  in  charge  of  small 
gardens.  Now  I  wonder  how  many  of  our  leading  gardeners  would 
care  to  take  a  woman  as  under  gardener  or  forewoman  .?  Not  many,  I 
am  sure.  Do  these  lady  gardeners  know  the  real  routine  of  a 
gardener’s  life,  from  stokehole  boy  to  head  gardener  ?  If  they  did  I  do 
not  think  they  would  talk  so  much  of  gardening  for  a  living. 
Again,  does  it  stand  to  reason  for  a  college  student,  with  a  year  or 
so  of  training,  being  capable  of  managing  even  a  medium-sized  place, 
where  a  supply  of  fruit,  vegetables,  and  flowers  has  to  be  maintained 
the  year  through  .f  We  will  take  for  an  instance  a  student  from  any  of 
the  horticultural  colleges  in  England,  placed  against  a  man  who  has 
served  a  lifetime  in  a  garden.  The  one  that  comes  out  first  is  the 
student  in  most  of  the  examinations,  but  put  at  practical  work  the  case 
would  be  reversed. 
Can  any  reader  see  what  benefit  it  is  to  a  gardener  to  obtain  a 
first-class  certificate  ?  And  if  there  are  good  and  well-paid  places  for 
women,  why  is  there  none  for  good,  practical  men,  with  first-class 
references  to  show  they  are  so  ?  I  know  several  excellent  foremen  at 
the  present  time  only  waiting  for  the  opportunity  to  get  a  medium¬ 
sized  place  as  head  gardener — men  that  have  had  sound  practical 
teaching  in  well-known  gardens,  with  fifteen  years’  or  more  experience. 
But  if  women  are  going  to  step  into  these  good  and  well-paid  posts, 
then  I  say  it  is  not  much  encouragement  for  young  men  to  waste  the 
best  of  their  days  in  bothies,  with  low  wages  and  long  hours,  and 
the  sooner  they  turn  their  mind  from  it  the  better,  and  take  up  a  trade, 
where  the  best  workman  gets  the  best  wages. — J.  Botley,  Blythewood 
Gardens. 
Grevlllea  robusta. — This  is,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  graceful  plants  we  have.  Its  attractive  appearance  ought  to  gain 
a  place  for  it  in  every  garden  where  a  small  house  is  at  command.  It 
does  not  require  a  great  amount  of  heat,  and  this  is  my  reason  for 
saying  a  few  words  in  its  favour.  It  is  very  useful  for  table  decoration, 
and  also  makes  a  very  good  window  plant.  Seeds  may  be  sown  at  any 
time  in  the  year,  but  spring  is  the  best.  The  seeds  should  be  sown  in 
a  pan,  well  drained.  The  compost  should  consist  of  good  loam,  peat, 
and  leaf  mould  in  equal  parts,  with  a  little  sand.  Pill  the  pan  to 
within  an  inch  or  so  of  the  top,  then  get  a  fine  rose-pot,  and  well 
water  it.  Sow  the  seeds  thinly  on  the  top,  cover  with  a  little  of  the 
finer  portion  of  the  compost,  remove  the  pan  into  the  warmest  place 
in  the  house  and  the  seedlings  will  soon  appear.  When  large  enough 
to  handle  it  will  be  necessary  to  place  them  into  small  pots,  using  similar 
materials  to  those  before  recommended ;  put  them  near  the  glass  to 
prevent  them  from  drawing,  and  attend  to  watering  carefully.  Many 
persons  give  too  much  water  to  freshly  potted  plants.  It  is  a  great 
mistake  in  plant  culture,  for  it  causes  the  soil  to  become  sour  before 
the  young  plants  have  taken  possession  of  it,  and  if  this  is  allowed  to 
take  place,  there  are  ten  chances  to  one  against  their  growing  at  all. 
Good  judgment  in  watering  is  necessary  to  insure  success  in  plant 
culture.  As  soon  as  the  plants  have  filled  the  pots  with  healthy 
roots  they  should  be  transferred  to  5-inoh  pots,  using  similar  material. 
Pot  rather  firmly,  and  return  them  to  the  house.  In  my  opinion  the 
pot  named  is  quite  large  enough  for  them,  for  when  they  fill  these 
with  roots,  and  the  soil  becomes  a  little  exhausted,  liquid  manure  may 
be  given,  which  will  greatly  assist  them  in  their  growth. — R.  H. 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
Bush  Fruit. — Planting. — An  open  period,  when  the  soil  is  dry  on 
the  surface,  and  therefore  readily  workable,  ought  to  be  chosen  for 
planting  young  Gooseberries,  Currants,  and  Raspberries.  It  is  best 
to  plant  on  ground  that  has  become  fairly  firm  after  deep  and 
thorough  preparation  some  weeks  earlier,  but  if  this  is  not  practicable, 
by  no  means  plant  on  shallow  prepared  ground,  but  defer  the  insertion 
of  the  bushes  until  the  ground  can  be  liberally  treated  in  the  matter 
of  deep  digging  and  generous  manuring,  which  small  bush  fruit  trees 
require  and  appreciate.  Currants  and  Gooseberries  should,  on  good 
ground,  be  planted  in  rows  6  feet  apart,  and  the  same  distance  given 
between  each  plant  in  the  row.  Nothing  is  gained  by  overcrowding 
them.  When  this  is  avoided  they  are  healthier,  more  productive,  and 
more  easily  managed. 
In  the  process  of  planting  lay  out  the  roots  in  wide  and  shallow 
holes.  Cut  back  injured  roots  to  firm  parts,  and  shorten  those  of 
undue  length  should  there  be  any  such.  It  is  of  great  assistance  in 
encouraging  early  root  action  if  the  fibres  are  carefully  covered  with 
some  fine  compost  consisting  of  loam  mixed  with  burnt  refuse,  spreading 
it  over  them  from  the  stem  outwards,  and  finish  with  the  ordinary 
soil.  In  a  windy  position  a  stake  to  each  bush  is  advantageous  until 
established.  Mulch  over  the  roots  with  some  littery  manure. 
Raspberries  must  be  planted  in  rows  5  feet  apart.  It  is  immaterial 
whether  the  plants  are  inserted  in  a  continuous  line  or  in  clumps.  In 
the  latter  case  clumps  of  three  plants  should  be  3  feet  apart  in  the 
rows.  The  planting  canes  most  suitable  are  those  of  moderate  size, 
furnished  with  abundance  of  fibrous  roots.  Shorten  the  canes  near  to 
the  ground  in  spring. 
Pruning  Established  Bushes. — Gooseberries  and  Currants  may  be 
pruned  now,  though  they  are  frequently  not  dealt  with  until  spring. 
Thinning  out  crowded  growths,  especially  in  the  centres  of  the  trees,  is 
the  first  detail  in  the  treatment  of  Gooseberries  and  Black  Currants.  A 
fair  quantity  of  the  current  year’s  growths  may  be  left  all  over  the 
trees,  cutting  out  old  portions  to  make  room.  The  fruitfulness  of  the 
Black  Currant  depends  largely  on  this  method  of  treatment.  Much  of 
the  young  growth  of  Gooseberries  not  required  may  be  shortened  to 
form  spurs  instead  of  cutting  out  entirely,  so  that  fruit  will  be  produced 
on  them  as  well  as  young  growths. 
A  more  formal  method  is  followed  in  the  treatment  of  Red  and 
White  Currants.  Established  bushes  possess  a  limited  number  of  main 
branches  springing  from  the  base.  The  side  shoots  from  these  ought 
now  to  be  pruned  back  to  two  or  three  buds,  and  the  leading  shoot 
shortened  to  one-third  its  length.  When  a  branch  is  becoming  too 
old  a  young  one  from  the  base  may  be  trained  in  to  take  its  place. 
Shorten  it  each  winter  so  that  it  may  readily  produce  side  shoots  in 
summer. 
Mulching. — Annual  mulchings  of  rich  farmyard  manure  laid  over  the 
roots  are  of  great  benefit  in  furnishing  food  for  the  active  fibres,  which 
are  freely  produced  near  the  surface.  The  manure  may  be  laid  on  the 
soil  now  about  2  inches  thick,  and  should  not  be  dug  or  forked  in, 
as  the  winter  rains  will  wash  its  virtues  down  to  the  roots  and 
promote  that  desirable  vigour  which  enables  the  bushes  to  produce 
good  crops.  Raspberries  as  well  as  Currants  and  Gooseberries  are 
included. 
Winter  Pruning. — Now  that  all  the  leaves  have  fallen  the  desirability 
of  commencing  the  pruning  of  all  forms  of  fruit  trees  is  apparent. 
Mild  and  open  weather  usually  prevails,  and  the  work  can  be  proceeded 
with  under  favourable  conditions. 
Morello  Cherries  on  Walls. — These  trees  require  a  considerable 
amount  of  training,  hence  should  be  dealt  with  early.  The  fruit  is  borne 
freely  on  young  shoots,  abundance  of  which  ought  to  be  reserved  for 
laying  in,  and  an  equal  number  of  the  old  bearing  growths  cut  out. 
Remove  the  latter  first,  likewise  any  exhausted  or  worn  out  branches 
which  may  appear  on  old-established  trees.  The  young  shoots  may 
be  laid  in  at  full  length  3  or  4  inches  apart  all  over  the  trees,  tying 
some  over  the  bare  stems  of  the  main  branches.  Shoots  for  which 
there  is  no  room  may  be  cut  out  entirely,  though  in  some  positions  it 
may  be  advisable  to  shorten  them  for  forming  spurs.  Well  managed 
trees,  however,  do  not  as  a  rule  require  artificially  formed  spurs. 
Pyramids. — The  winter  pruning  of  these  frequently  consists  in 
thinning  out  some  of  the  main  branches,  a  crowded  condition  preventing 
fruiting.  Shorten  the  side  shoots  to  two  buds  as  in  restricted  bushes. 
Cordons. — The  main  pruning  of  cordons  is  the  thinning  of  crowded 
spurs  and  reducing  those  portions  that  have  extended  too  far  from  the 
main  branch.  This  is  chiefly  applicable  to  aged  cordons.  Young 
branches  will  necessarily  have  shorter  spurs,  no  reduction  in  them 
being  necessary.  The  side  shoots  on  these  as  well  as  old  spurs  require 
to  be  shortened  to  two  buds. 
