'September  li,  1902.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
R±9 
Ptasgood’s  Nonsuch  Apple. 
I  have  made  great  efforts  to  succeed  with  this  magnificent 
Apple,  but  cannot  yet  say  I  have  attained  my  wishes.  I  am 
aware  they  are  longer  in  commencing  to  bear  than  most  varieties, 
but  when  they  do  the  patience  of  the  grower  is  rewarded.  A 
specimen  tlrat  I  lifted  and  root-pruned  last  autumn  is  now 
covered  all  over  with  lovely  blossoms.  I  should  like  to  ask  some 
of  your  readers,  should  I  take  off  those  blossoms  now,  or  will 
it  prevent  fruiting  next  year? — W.  J.  Mtjkfhy,  Clonmel. 
Mutations  of  Seasons. 
The  article  which  appeared  under  the  head  (September  4, 
page  214),  discussing  “the  untoward  nature  of  the  weather  this 
season,”  suggests  a  subject  at  once  interesting  and  seasonable. 
I  do  not,  myself,  detect  any  deterioration  of  the  climate  of  our 
island,  and  I  have  made  weather  notes  and  observations  for  now 
well  nigh  fifty  years.  I  incline  to  the  theory  of  cycles,  and, 
the  opinion  that,  roughly  speaking,  a  seven  years’  dry  time  is 
followed  by  a  seven  years’  Avet ;  and  that  this,  is  probably  uoav 
being  the  case.  People  in  general,  I  think,  haAre  rather  short 
memories  regarding  the  weather,  and  reference  to  old  journals 
will  usually  show  that  what  we  are  denouncing  as  unprecedented 
is  very  much  the  reverse.  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  admitted 
the  weather  has  of  late  become  demoralised  to  a  very  high  degree, 
perhaps  even  to  an  unusual  extent,  and  the  terrible  atmospheric 
disturbances  which  have  taken  place,  and  alas!  are  taking  place, 
may  very  possibly  have  something  to  do  with  this.  I  can 
remember  far  worse  seasons,  where  whole  fields  full  of  stooks 
showed  a  bright  ring  of  green  Avhere  the  Corn  was  sprouting,  but 
scarcely  one  marked  Avith  all  the  present  phenomena.  “  Great 
earthquakes  in  divers  places  ”  are  a  Avell  knoAvn  prescribed 
feature  in  an  approaching  “  end  of  the  age.” — A.  C. 
A  Good  Crop  of  Raspberries. 
In  a  season  when  the  hardy  fruit  crops  are  so  unsatis¬ 
factory  in  general,  it  is  pleasing  to  have  an  exception  to 
the  rule.  The  only  really  good  crops  here  have  been 
Peaches,  Gooseberries,  and  Raspberries.  The  latter  lias 
been  an  exceptionally  good  crop,  a  few  details  of  which 
may  be  of  some  interest  to  readers  of  the  Journal  in  this  special 
fruit  number.  I  may  say  that  the  canes  are  groAvn  in  the  ordinary 
Avay,  the  stools  being  4ft  apart  between  the  rows,  and  the  same 
distance  from  each  other  in  the  rows.  About  six  canes  are 
allowed  to  each  stool ;  these  are  pruned  to  three  different  lengths, 
the  longest  to  about  4ft,  and  the  shortest  to  18in  from  the 
ground.  By  this  method  fruit  is  produced  from  the  bottom 
to  the  top  of  the  stool.  The  fruit  on  the  lower  part  is  somewhat 
shaded  and  protected  from  birds,  and  will,  consquently,  hang 
longer.  Superlative  is  the  variety  groivn,  and  is  one  of  the 
best  Raspberries  that  can  be  had  for  productiveness  and  appear¬ 
ance.  The  flavour,  however,  is  not  so  good  as  some  other 
varieties.  In  some  localities  it  produces  canes  rather  sparingly. 
Here  just  the  reverse  is  the  case. 
The  plot  in  question  consists  of  three  roAArs  about  30yd  long, 
each  1’Oav  containing  twenty  stools,  or  a  total  of  sixty  stools. 
They  cover  an  area  of  120  square  yards,  or  about  one-fortieth 
part  of  an  acre.  The  actual  Aveight  of  fruit  gathered  Avas 
12  stone ;  this  gives  about  2flb  per  stool.  In  this  neighbourhood 
the  retail  price  is  4d.  per  pound.  The  value  of  the  crop  would, 
therefore,  be  £2  16s.  In  the  “  Fruit  Growers’  Guide  ”  an  average 
crop  of  Raspberries  is  stated  to  be  H  ton  per  acre,  or  from  canes 
in  full  bearing  2  tons  per  acre.  The  crop  here  is  considerably 
above  the  latter  weight,  working  out,  I  find,  to  no  less  than 
3  tons  per  acre.  The  value  per  acre  at  the  same  price,  4d.  per 
pound,  would  be  £112.  No  record  has  been  kept  previously, 
so  cannot  say  how  the  crop  this  season  would  compare  Avith 
other  years.  As  the  crop  was  a  good  one  all  the  fruit  was 
weighed  as  soon  as  gathered,  with  the  above  result.  The  fruit 
was  not  netted,  consequently  the  birds  w'ould  get  some,  and  a 
quantity  was  destroyed  during  a  very  wet  week,  when  it  could 
not  be  gathered,  or  the  crop  Avould  have  been  even  greater  than 
it  was.  I  might  add,  that  last  year  when  it  was  so  very  hot, 
and  everything  dried  up,  this  Raspberry  stood  the  test  well, 
giving  a  good  crop,  and  the  fruit  lasting  a  long  time  in  good 
condition. — J.  S.  U.  . 
Lilium  giganteum. 
At  different  times  a  good  deal  has  been  said  about  Lilium 
giganteum,  but  still  it  may  be  of  interest  to  many  of  your  readers 
to'  knoAV  Iigav  this  fine  Lily  thrives  in  the  Avest  of  Argyll.  One 
specimen  at  Achnamara,  the  property  of  Colonel  Malcolm  of 
Poltallocli,  reached  the  height  of  10ft,  the  circumference  round 
the  stem  at  ground  level  13in,  a  fact  I  think  worth  recording. 
At  the  same  time,  at  Poltallocli,  the  residence  of  Colonel 
Malcolm,  three  bulbs  in  a  group  floAvered,  the  tallest  one  reach¬ 
ing  the  height  of  8ft,  Avith  fifteen  floAvers.  They  grew  in  a  border 
Avhich  cannot  be  called  shady,  but  fairly  rich  in  vegetable 
matter. — D.  S.  M. 
- - - 
The  Conference  Pear. 
I  am  very  pleased  to  see  you  drawing  attention  to  Conference 
Pear.  The  figure  on  page  230  is  somewhat  different  from  the 
great  majority  of  my  specimens,  inasmuch  as  the  fruit,  as  a 
Avhole,  is  gracefully  curved  on  both  sides — none  straight.  [Nor 
was  ours. — Ed.]  Shortly  after  the  Pear  Conference  in  1885 — 
after  which  it  is  named — the  late  Mr.  Francis  Rivers  sent  me  a 
specimen,  which  has  borne  heavy  crops  in  rather  poor  soil  in  my 
town  garden  ever  since.  This  year  it  is  about  the  only  variety 
cropping  fairly  Avell.  Such  “old  reliables”  as  Louise  Bonne  of 
Jersey,  Williams’  Bon  Chretien,  Bergamotte  Esperen,  Marie 
Louise,  Doyenne  du  Cornice,  and  Jargonelle  have  small,  imperfect 
fruits,  or  none  at  all.  I  have  met  none  whose  Pear  crop  is  not 
sadly  deficient. — W.  J.  M.,  Clonmel. 
- - 
Planting  Conifers. 
I  fully  endorse  the  remarks  on  the  aboA'e  subject  made  by 
“Piuus”  in  his  “Notes  on  Conifers,”  on  page  170.  I  have  had 
under  observation  some  Austrian  Pines,  English  Ye  Ays,  Retino- 
sporas,  and  Cupressus,  some  of  Avhich  Avere  planted  in  autumn 
and  some  in  spring.  The  latter  in  most,  if  not  all  cases,  have 
done  the  best.  The  specimens  Avere  not  large  when  planted,  and 
Avere  devoid  of  soil  attached  to  the  roots,  as  the  majority  of 
nursery  stock  necessarily  must  be  in  transferring  it  to  a  distance. 
Chying  to  the  dry  cutting  winds,  the  plants  received  in  spring 
Avere  at  once  attended  to  by  laying  them  in  the  heels  to  prevent 
the  roots  drying,  and  previous  to  planting  the  roots  Avere  im¬ 
mersed  in  water.  The  planting  was  carefully  carried  out,  and  a 
good  soaking  of  Avater  applied,  folloAved  by  another  during  the 
drying  month  of  April.  Since  then  the  Aveather  has  been  propi¬ 
tious  in  regard  to  establishing  newly  planted  trees  and  bushes. 
If  a  dry  summer  had  prevailed,  watering  must  have  continued, 
othenvise  they  might  not  have  fared  so  well.  It  is  evident, 
however,  that  spring  planting  is  reliable,  and  even  safer  than 
early  autumn,  for  Avith  a  little  judicious  care  good  results  must 
necessarily  follow.  There  is  little  or  no  danger  in  transplanting 
trees  with  balls  of  soil  from  one  part  of  the  garden  to  another 
either  in  autumn  or  spring,  or  any  suitable  time  during  the 
winter.  The  details  of  planting  described  by  “  Pinus  ”  are  reliable, 
and  if  folloAved  Avill  ensure  success  in  establishing  the  specimens. 
— E.  D.  S.  t 
One  Reason  why  Gardeners  should  he  Educated. 
Ha\Ting  throughout  the  discussion  on  this  subject,  been  very 
considerably  interested,  I  experienced  no  small  surprise  that  in 
its  progress  no  one  appeared  on  the  scene  to  give  effect  to  a 
phase  of  the  question  Avhich  your  diffident  servant  the  writer 
supposes  to  be  a  vital  one.  Though  the  average  gardener  claims 
the  oossession,  of  an  intellectual  superiority  over  the  members  of 
some  trades,  it  is  doubtful  if  it  is  more  than  skin  deep.  _  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  more  than  external  polish  is  needed  in  the 
gardener.  His  avocations  bring  him  in  daily  intercourse  with-a 
class — our  British  nobility — who,  I  say  Avith  pride,  are  pre¬ 
eminently  the  foremost  in  the ' Avorl d.  Pedigree,  education,  and 
refinement  are  assuredly  their  inheritance,  and  it  is  by  no  means 
unreasonable  to  think  that  those,  combining  these  invaluable 
qualities,  Avould  greatly  appreciate,  at  least,  a  semblance  of  them 
in  their  servants  Avho  hold  offices  of  trust  and  importance.  Hoav 
essential  it  is  that  such  a  servant  deports  himself  in  a  highly 
creditable  manner  in  the  presence  of  a  class  Avho  must  be 
extremely  sensitive  to  every  little  symptom  of  vulgarity  or 
rudeness!  To  gain  this  high  standard  of  excellence  in  one’s 
conduct  is  not  such  an  easy  matter  as  one  Avould  suppose.  It  is 
the  Avork  of  a  lifetime,  and  without  due  regard  to  indefatigable 
studying  and  discipline,  no  one  can  ever  hope  to  achieve  it.  No 
man  of  spirit  would  feel  contented  to  rest  under  the  stigma  which 
brands  the  boorish  one,  or  feel  at  ease  beneath  the  appellation 
of  pitied  fool,  the  exponent  of  verbosity,  or  utterer  of  jargon. 
Truly  the  gardener  must  be  a  cultured  gentleman.  I  am  sorry 
to  say  many  of  them  are  not  so  ;  therefore  the  need  for  cultuie. 
Agno. 
