78 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  24,  1901. 
Late  Dessert  Fruits. 
Under  this  heading  Mr.  ChalJis  contributed  a  most  interesting, 
and  I  may  say  enviable  note,  od  page  539  (last  volume),  resprct  ng 
the  6uj  ply  of  late  desert  fi  nits  he  had  teen  enabled  to  send  to  table. 
His  note  contained  matter  interesting  not  only  to  gardeners,  but 
some  otl  ers  almost  entirtlv  d.sassociated  with  gardening — namely, 
the  publishers  of  local  wei  kly  periodicals.  Fired,  no  doubt,  with  the 
pie  sing  pros|  ect  that  Plums,  Peaches,  and  Strawberries  were  likely 
to  be  added  in  the  near  luture  to  the  Christmas  dessert,  they  were 
anxious  to  place  the  mfoimation  early  before  their  readers.  Mr. 
Challis’  note,  culled  from  the  Journal,  was  published  in  its  ent  rety, 
and  read,  no  doubt,  by  many  with  eager  expectations  affecting  the 
future. 
The  year  which  closed  the  nineteenth  century  was  a  remaikahle 
one  in  many  respects,  and  if,  as  Mr.  Challis  assumes,  it  afforded  a 
signal  in  its  closing  weeks  of  what  may  be  expected  in  the  nrar  future 
— Christmas  Peacl  es  grown  on  British  garden  walls — then  there  must 
be  pleasant  anticipaiii  ns  in  st<  re.  There  is  do  limit  to  the  possibilities 
accruing  In  m  the  impoits  from  fo'eign  lands;  English  maikets 
already  affoid  wbat  in  the  earlii  r  portion  of  the  past  century  would 
have  been  consn  ered  impossibilities.  The  fact,  however,  must  not  be 
overlooked  that  B/itain’s  climate  is  a  very  fickle  one,  and  unless  some 
authoiity  aiise  that  can  govern  such  everyday  matters,  there  is  not 
much  hope  that  is  not  fraught  with  occasional  “blights.” 
Mr.  Ci  allis  gi ves  what  is  a  generous  due  to  the  pomologists 
respoDsibe  for  tie  late  sorts  of  fiuit  available.  It  would  be 
iDteiesting  if  Mr.  Clailis  gave  the  varieties  of  Peaches  gathered  so 
late  from  the  open  wall  as  November  25th,  also  the  Plums  and 
Strawberries,  ana  ibe  aspects  on  which  the  Peaches  and  Plums  were 
grown.  W  ilton  Gardens  claim  many  fames,  and  the  responsible 
chief  has  attained  to  n  any  distir, ctior  s,  both  irom  scientific  and 
practical  joints  of  view.  His  paragraph — all  too  shoit — has,  1 
feel  sure,  set  inanv  minds  in  ag  tatioi  ,  and  raised  many  an  enviable 
thought,  when  he  had  been  privileged  to  supply  such  dessert  in  late 
November. 
The  process  of  retarding  many  kinds  of  flowering  plants  and  roots 
has  wrought  wonders  in  the  floral  woild,  and  there  seems  to  be  no 
reason  to  hesitaie  on  the  possib  lilies  of  fruit  retarding.  Whether 
Peach<  8  and  Ni  ctarines,  Plums  <  r  Cherries  have  been  already  subjected 
to  this  course  has  not,  as  far  as  my  knowledge  goes,  been  made  publ  c, 
but  I  see  lo  reason  why  put-gioun  trees  should  Dot  be  an  enable  to 
the  piocess,  and  by  these  means  extend  the  season  of  such  fruits 
farther  into  the  winter. 
Not  many  gaiden  walls  are  likdv  to  produce  Peaches  late  in 
November  with  aDy  oegree  of  certainty.  Severe  frosts  often  intervene 
befoie  that  time,  and  it  w.  uld  need  a  good  covering  to  render  ripe 
fruit  sale  agamst  frost,  taint,  anu  damige.  Very  much  dejends  on 
the  garder ,  the  nature  of  its  soil,  shelter,  and  altitude.  In  one,  Sea 
Eagle  and  other  late  autumn  fruiters  will  hold  out  a  supply  much 
lattr  than  in  ai  other.  On  a  si  utb  wail  \  ith  which  I  am  familia  Sea 
Eagle-  and  Princess  of  Wales  are  finished  in  eaily  October.  The 
quality  of  Salway  and  G<  IdeD  E  gle  gr.  wn  in  a  cool  Peach  case  was 
so  poor  that  orders  wc  re  given  for  iheir  supply  to  be  discontinued,  and 
though  tl  ey  may  be  used  in  a  slewed  state,  they  are  very  disappointing, 
especially  when  tempiingly  coloured  on  the  dessert  table.  A  woolly 
Peach  pales  before  a  lu.-cious  Pear,  Doyenne  du  Cemice  or  Marie 
Louise  lor  instance.  There  is,  ii  must  be  said,  an  element  of  ornament 
about  the  dessert  associated  with  the  autumn  shooting  parties,  and  it 
is  in  this  ies|  ect  where  Peaches  ot  doubtlui  quality  may  be  permitted. 
Gardener  and  host  are  each  the  prouder  tor  the  acquisition  of  any  out- 
of-date  dish,  provided  it  lends  an  attraction  to  the  table.  Tne  autumn 
Strawberry,  now  so  lasbionable,  1  was  able  to  produce  for  one  shooting 
week,  and  though  attractive  in  cel  ur,  ot  celightlul  aroma,  aid  of 
course  seme  novelty,  the  flavour,  because  it  was  less  than  a  “Sir” 
Joseph,  did  n<  t  call  lot'h  much  praise,  even  though  it  attained  to  the 
higher  and  more  dignified  title — ‘  Saint  ”  Joseph. 
The  past  year,  as  previously  remarked,  has  been  one  of  many 
vagaricB  —  seme  favourable,  others  the  reverse.  Its  effort  to 
ant  cipate  spimg  has  bten  ruthlessly  suspended  with  floods  and 
frost.  The  cold  touch  ex,  trienc  d  even  so  late  as  May  and  June 
retatded  growth  of  seme  toes,  while  the  great  heat  of  later  summer 
helped  or  hmdeied  m  other  inspects.  Truly  it  was  a  year  fraught 
with  many  tips  and  d>  wns  irom  a  gardener's  point  of  view,  and  while 
the  ups  may  not  have  escapred  dtpessitn  in  some  of  the  ir  many 
phases,  the  contrary  elements  carried  some  surprises  in  their  train. 
Mr.  Challis  must  be  congratulated  on  such  a  splendid  extension  of  the 
sunrntr  Units,  and  he  certainly  would  supply  interesting  reading  by 
staling  a  lew  particulars  about  his  treatment  of  late  Peaches  and 
Plums — his  aspects,  altitude,  variety,  and  mode  of  protection.— R.  A. 
Tuberous  Begonias  for  Bedding. 
For  the  decoration  of  the  flower  beds  during  the  summer  months 
where  a  mass  of  colour  is  requiied  tuberous-roc  te  d  BegoDias  are 
unrivalled.  Tiue,  some  persons  still  have  a  great  leaning  to 
“Geraniums,”  which,  given  favourable  weather,  are  undoubtedly 
valuable  in  the  garden,  but  when  we  cons’der  that  they  are,  under 
adverse  weather  conditions,  a  failure,  and  the  time  and  space  required 
to  accommodate  the  plants  during  the  winter  and  spring,  the  balance 
is  certainly  in  favour  of  the  Begonia.  No  n  atter  whether  the 
weather  be  continuously  wet  or  dry,  tuberous  Begonias  under  proper 
management  appear  not  to  mind  in  the  least. 
Although  seedlings  make  a  good  display  the  first  season  if  started 
early,  the  plants  grow  larger  and  give  m  >re  bloom  the  second  season. 
Sow  the  seeds  in  pans  or  boxes  early  in  January  in  a  compost  of  peat, 
leaf  mould,  and  loam  in  equal  portions,  adding  silver  sand  freely. 
Fill  the  receptacles  to  within  an  inch  of  the  surface,  having  the  soil 
quite  fine  on  the  top  ;  well  water  the  soil  at  once  to  dispense  with  the 
necessity  of  giving  water  in  quantity  later.  Sow  the  seeds  thinly, 
covering  with  sand  only  ;  place  on  the  top  a  square  of  glass,  as  this 
will  prevent  the  rapid  evaporation  of  moisture  from  the  soil,  covering 
the  glass  with  moss  UDtil  the  seedlings  appear  on  the  surface.  Stand 
the  |  ans  or  boxes  in  a  moist  temperature  of  not  less  than  65°  or  70°. 
Directly  the  plants  are  large  enough  to  handle  prick  out  the  strougest 
into  other  pans,  encouraging  them  to  grow  rapidlv  yet  stockily  by 
affording  a  position  close  to  the  glass.  Gradually  inure  them  to 
cooler  quarters  until  a  cold  frame  is  sufficient  to  harden  them  prepara¬ 
tory  to  going  to  the  beds. 
In  the  case  of  one-year-old  tubers,  some  persons  start  them  into 
growth  in  a  strong  heat,  but  this  I  consider  an  error,  as  it  weakens 
their  alter  growth.  When  takiDg  them  from  the  sand  in  which  they 
were  stored  during  the  winter  place  them  in  boxes  of  fairly  rich  moist 
soil,  giving  no  water  beyond  a  gentle  daily  sprinkle  for  a  time.  A 
vinery  or  Peach  house  started  early  in  March  provides  a  suitable 
temperature  ar  d  the  requisite  moist  atmosphere.  When  half  an  inch 
or  so  of  growth  has  been  made  the  tubers  should  be  rebuxed.  Ordinary 
cutting  boxes  answer  capitally,  employing  a  compost  of  two  parts 
fibrous  loam  to  one  of  leaf  mould  and  half-d  cayed  horse  droppings, 
with  a  handlul  of  finely  ground  bones.  Allow  ample  space  for  the 
full  development  of  the  leaves,  standing  the  boxes  in  the  warmest 
part  of  the  greenhouse  until  growth  is  fairly  started,  when  abundance 
of  air  should  be  given  to  encourage  a  robust  steady  growth.  For 
several  weeks  before  planting  the  lights  should  be  drawn  off  the 
frames  during  the  daytime  to  make  the  plants  thoroughly  hardy. 
Ear  y  planting  in  the  beds  is  important,  so  as  to  give  the  plants  a  long 
season  of  growth,  but  means  should  be  in  rea  lint  ss  to  protect  them  in 
case  of  a  laie  spring  frost  or  cold  easterly  winds,  which  are  at  times 
prevalent  in  May. 
The  preparation  of  the  soil  in  the  beds  is  an  important  item  in  the 
successful  culture  of  tuberous  Begonias.  A  fairly  rich  soil  is  a 
necessity  to  produce  a  vigorous  growth,  without  which  a  quantity  of 
bltom  cannot  be  obtained.  Moisture  at  the  roo’s  is  esseutial,  but 
stagn'tinn  is  harmful.  Where  the  soil  is  strong  and  retentive  it 
should  be  trenched  2  feet  deep,  breaking  up  the  subsoil  below  to  admit 
of  a  free  percolation  of  water  fiom  heavy  rains.  At  the  bottom  of 
each  trench  place  a  layer  of  long  stable  manure  as  a  means  of 
improving  the  soil  in  the  future,  and  to  assist  drainage  in  the  top 
spit  add  half-rotted  stable  nanuie  and  decayed  vegetable  refuse 
fieely.  Soil  of  a  sandy  character  should  have  abundance  of  cow 
manure  added  to  it.  A  little  bone  dust  added  will  induce  a  more 
vigorous  growth,  and  add  colour  to  the  leaves  as  well  as  lustre  to 
the  blooms. 
If  possible  choose  showery  weather  for  planting,  as  the  roots  more 
quickly  take  hold  of  the  new  soil.  Should  the  weather  be  hot  and  dry 
at  p  anting  tin  e  a  light  shade  ought  to  be  provided  to  prevent  the 
leaves  becoming  burnt.  The  most  suitable  time  for  planting  is  a 
n  atter  tor  local  decision.  Some  districts  are  much  more  subject  to 
late  spring  frost  than  othrrs,  hence  the  caution  in  time  of  putting  out 
the  pla  ts.  Tne  middle  of  May  is  generally  suitable.  In  planting 
ample  space  should  be  given  to  each  plant  to  admit  of  a  free  develop¬ 
ment  of  leaf  and  blo-som.  The  habit  of  growth  of  various  strains 
d  ffers  so  much  that  it  is  difficult  to  lay  down  a  hard  and  fast  rule. 
To  my  mind  the  soil  which  is  exposed  between  the  plants  for  some 
months  until  the  growth  of  ODe  unites  with  its  neighbour  is  most 
objectionable.  1  strongly  advise  the  use  of  some  I  w  growing 
foliage  plant  thereon,  not  only  to  hide  the  soil,  but  to  give  enhanced 
effect  io  the  various  colours  below.  For  instance,  what  a  thorough 
contrast  is  secured  by  scarlet  BegoDias  growing  above  Anteunaria 
tonmntosa  or  Sedum  glaucum.  Herniaria  glabra,  Mesembryanthemum 
coraifolium  variegatum,  Ytronica  repens,  or  some  of  the  low  growing 
Alternantheras. 
