October  2,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
323 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
GATHERING  FRUIT. — Another  substantial  addition  may  now 
be  made  to  the  quantity  of  fruit  in  store,  completely  clearing  the 
trees  of  those  varieties  of  Apples  and  Pears  which  should  now 
have  matured  well.  The  latest  may  hang  until  they  are  more 
fully  advanced  towards  ripening.  Premature  gathering  is  detri¬ 
mental  to  their  keeping  in  good  condition  for  a  lengthened 
period.  They  probably  would  not  decay,  but  they  are  liable  to 
shrivel,  and  gain  no  flavour.  The  late  varieties,  both  of  Apples 
and  Pears,  are  of  hardy  texture,  and  Avill  not  suffer  from  a  few 
slight  frosts.  With  careful  picking  and  storing  a  large  percen¬ 
tage  of  the  fruit  will  keep  well,  examining  them  occasionally  for 
defective  specimens,  which  remove.  The  early  varieties  now  in 
store  must  be  more  frequently  inspected,  as  being  softer  in 
texture  they  are  more  liable  to  decay. 
COB  NUTS  AND  FILBERTS. — On  the  nuts  becoming  quite 
ripe  they  are  readily  gathered  from  the  trees  or  bushes.  Before 
placing  them,  however,  in  store,  it  is  necessary  to  thoroughly 
dry  the  husks.  Lay  the  nuts  thinly  in  a  dry  airy  place  under 
glass  for  some  days,  turning  them  over  frequently.  They  may 
then  be  stored  in  a  cool,  dry  room.  After  the  leaves  fall,  suckers 
from  old  plants  may  be  dug  up,  and  planted  to  form  fresh 
plantations. 
RENOVATING  WALL  TREES.— After  the  clearance  of  fruit 
from  the  trees,  no  better  opportunity  can  be  chosen  to  examine 
thoroughly  the  branches  and  spurs  of  the  various  forms  of  fruit 
trees.  Spurs  may  be  elongated,  and  the  branches  too  thickly 
placed.  Elongated  or  distorted  spurs  are  caused  bv  the  crowding 
of  the  branches.  The  removal  of  all  branches  that  are  nearer 
together  than  a  foot  is  desirable  now.  The  spurs  may  be  gradu¬ 
ally  thinned  out,  and  shortened  as  opportunity  permits  through¬ 
out  the  winter  and  early  spring.  Where  quite  a  large  number 
of  branches  require  removal,  it  will  be  better  not  to  attempt 
them  all  in  one  season,  as  too  severe  amputation  is  likely  to  be 
detrimental.  Pare  cuts  smoothly.  In  the  case  of  fan-shaped 
trees,  a  re-arrangement  of  the  principal  branches  may  be  effected, 
and,  in  doing  so,  cut  out  those  weak  and  exhausted. 
ROOT-PRUNING. — Carrying  out  a  judicious  system  of  root- 
pruning  is  an  excellent  manner  of  bringing  fruit  trees  into  a 
bearing  condition.  The  luxuriance  which  is  fatal,  is  where 
trees  make  long  and  strong  growths,  form  large  leaves,  and  do 
not  produce  or  properly  perfect  fruit  spurs.  The  real  cause 
usually  lies  at  the  roots;  these,  instead  of  being  present  in  dense 
fibrous  masses,  are  more  in  the  nature  of  long  and  strong,  thick 
roots,  which  have  a  greater  tendency  to  grow  straight  downwards 
than  in  any  other  way.  The  object  of  root-pruning  is  to  alter  the 
character  of  these  roots,  which  can  be  effected  by  shortening 
them,  thus  giving  them  a  check,  and  inducing  them  to  put  forth 
their  vigour  in  a  greater  number  of  smaller  roots.  When  root- 
pruning  is  decided  upon,  it  is  wise  not  to  carry  it  out  too  severely, 
therefore,  in  the  majority  of  cases  only  operate  on  one  side  of 
a  tree  in  any  onei  season.  A  trench,  not  less  than  3ft  from  the 
bole,  should  be  excavated.  The  strong  roots  found  should  be 
cut  smoothly  at  the  side  of  the  trench.  Go  down  low  enough  to 
see  whether  there  are  any  strong,  descending  roots.  If  so,  one 
or  more  of  these  may  be  severed,  leaving  the  ends  perfectly 
smooth,  not  jagged  or  split,  for  by  this  care  only  can  fibrous 
roots  be  expected  to  push.  Where  it  is  possible  to  lift  the  roots 
and  place  them  horizontally,  do  so,  as  a  more  fruitful  condition 
of  the  trees  will  ultimately  be  ensured  if  the  roots  can  be  induced 
to  ramify  and  multiply  near  the  surface.  The  lowest  descending 
roots  cannot  be  so  readily  raised,  but  the  higher  roots  may.  In 
filling  in  the  soil  again,  which  may  consist  of  the  staple  material 
taken  out,  with  the  addition  of  some  substantial  loam,  mixed 
with  a  little  bonemeal  and  wood  ashes,  work  it  well  round  the 
roots,  and  make  it  firm.  The  fibrous  roots  found  in  the  course  of 
excavation  should  be  carefully  placed  on  one  side,  and  laid  out 
horizontally  to  their  full  extent.  Mulch  the  surface  with  light, 
flaky  manure. 
SOIL  PREPARATION  FOR  FRUIT  TREES.— As  the  plant¬ 
ing  season  is  fast  approaching  it  is  necessary  to  prepare  the 
proposed  sites  for  planting  trees  and  bushes.  In  all  cases,  deep 
cultivation  should  be  practised,  taking  pains  to  thoroughly  break 
up  the  soil  to  a  good  depth.  With  the  exception  of  Gooseberries 
and  Currants,  Raspberries  and  Blackberries,  manure  should  not 
be  introduced,  for  rich  soil  induces  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  and 
Cherries  to  make  strong  and  unfruitful  wood.  In  breaking  up 
the  soil  do  so  to  a  depth  of  2ft,  and  manage  so  as  to  keep  the 
spits  of  soil  in  their  same  relative  position,  for  it  so  happens  that 
the  best  soil  lies  usually  near  the  surface. 
S  L RAW  BERRIES. — A  final  planting  of  young,  well  rooted 
specimens  should  be  made.  These  can  be  obtained  from  between 
the  rows  of  established  Strawberries,  reserving  promising  young 
plants  when  clearing  the  beds  of  weeds  and  runners.  Small 
plants,  too,  which  have  been  rooted  in  special  beds,  will,  with 
good  treatment  have  become  strong  and  abundantly  furnished 
with  roots,  and  should  lift  with  compact  balls  of  soil  attached. 
Plant  firmly  in  rows  2ft  apart.  All  plants  for  forming  new  beds 
ought  to  be  secured  from  good  fruiting  plants,  as  it  is  unsafe  to 
use  any  from  a  fruitless  source.  Newly  procured  varieties  of 
Strawberries  are  necessarily  not  furnished  with  soil  to  the  roots. 
Spread  out  the  fibres  on  small  mounds  of  soil,  and  cover  carefully 
so  as  to  give  them  a  good  start. — East  Kent. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CHERRY  HOUSE. — Where  light,  airy,  and  well-heated  lean-to 
or  three-quarter  span-roofed  houses  are  available,  and  these  face 
the  south,  Cherries  can  be  had  with  certainty  early  in  April,  and 
are  then  welcome  additions  to  the  dessert.  The  trees  may  be  either 
in  pots  or  planted  out.  By  the  first  of  these  methods  the  trees 
can  be  removed  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  gathered  and  the  wood 
sufficiently  matured,  to  a  sheltered,  sunny  situation  outdoors, 
and  the  house  is  then  at  liberty  for  growing  Cucumbers,  Melons, 
or  Tomatoes,  which,  from  a  remunerative  point  of  view,  are  quite 
as  good  an  investment  as  the  Cherries.  On  the  planting-out 
system  finer  fruit  is  had,  the  growths  being  trained  9  to  12in 
from  the  glass,  but  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  roof  lights  move- 
able,  and  the  house  can  only  be  used  for  the  Cherries.  If  it  is 
intended  to  plant  any  trees  it  should  be  seen  to  as  soon  as  the 
leaves  commence  falling.  Cherries  thrive  best  in  calcareous 
gravelly  or  sandy  soils,  but  for  trees  under  glass  the  compost  is 
preferably  rather  strong,  especially  when  the  loam  contains  a 
free  admixture  of  calcareous  or  flinty  particles.  Turfy  loam, 
with  a  sixth  of  old  mortar  rubbish,  and  a  similar  proportion  of 
road  scrapings,  will  grow  Cherries  well.  If  the  soil  be  light,  add 
a  fourth  of  dry  marl,  dried  and  powdered  fine.  Provide  a  drain 
of  3  or  4in  pipes,  having  due  fall  and  sure  outlet.  There  should 
also  be  9in  depth  of  brickbats  or  rubble  for  drainage,  the  roughest 
at  the  bottom,  with  the  material  diminishing  in  size  upwards  to 
that  of  road  metal,  and  on  this  place  3in  thickness  of  old  mortar 
rubbish,  being  careful  to  have  it  free  from  pieces  of  wood.  A 
depth  of  24in  of  border  is  ample,  and  6ft  width  will  meet  the 
requirements  of  trees  grown  under  glass.  The  compost  should 
be  placed  together  firmly.  Early  Rivers,  Governor  Wood,  Black 
Tartarian,  and  Elton  are  excellent  varieties,  both  for  size  and 
quality.  The  lights  having  been  removed,  they  need  not  be 
replaced  for  six  or  eight  weeks,  the  old  surface  soil  being  removed 
without  injury  to  the  roots,  and  fresh  compost  supplied,  'that 
above  named  answering  with  the  addition  of  a  fourth  of  well- 
decayed  manure. 
TREES  IN  POTS  required  to  be  drifted  into  larger  sizes 
should  be  attended  to  at  once,  and  those  not  needing  such  treat¬ 
ment  may  be  turned  out  of  pots,  removing  a  few  inches  from  the 
base,  cutting  back  the  roots,  supplying  fresh  loom,  adding  old 
mortar  rubbish,  if  not  calcareous,  with  a  fourth  of  decayed 
manure,  and  providing  good  drainage.  Remove  the  surface  soiL 
in  other  cases  as  well  as  the  last  named,  and  supply  fresh  loam 
duly  enriched,  making  quite  firm.  Afford  a  good  watering,  and 
place  the  trees  in  a  position  where  they  can  have  abundance  of 
air. 
VINES— EARLIEST  FORCED  IN  POTS— For  affording 
ripe  Grapes  at  the  end  of  March  or  early  in  April,  well-ripened 
canes  from  cut-backs  started  early  in  the  year  are  most  suitable, 
they  being  as  stout  as  walking  sticks,  short -jointed,  brown  and 
hard,  with  eyes  like  nuts.  They  should  now  be  at  rest,  have  had 
the  laterals  cut  off  close,  and  the  cane  shortened  to  the  length 
required,  6  to  8ft.  The  Vines  do  best  in  a  lean-to  or  three- 
quarter  span-roof  house,  and  preferably  with  a  pit  along  the 
front  of  3  or  4ft  depth  for  holding  leaves,  there  being  a  pathway 
at  the  back,  and  a  trellis  for  training  the  growths  at  a.  foot 
distance  from  the  glass.  A  good  start  is  assured  if  bottom  heat 
can  be  provided,  a  bed  of  fermenting  material  two  parts,  two 
parts  leaves  and  one  part  stable  litter,  affording  a  mild,  lasting 
heat.  Place  loose  brick  pillars,  9in  square,  about  2rft  apart,  for 
the  pots  to  stand  on,  and  so  high  that  the  rims  of  the  pots  are 
level  with  the  top  of  the  fermenting  bed.  The  material  must  be 
brought  off  loosely  about  the  pots  in  the  first  instance,  and  not 
have  a  temperature  of  more  than  65  or  70deg  at  the  commence¬ 
ment.  Amines  that  have  ripened  early,  been  pruned,  and  had  six 
weeks’  rest,  may  be  started  at  once  for  supplying  fresh  ripe  thin- 
skinned  Grapes  as  early  in  the  year  as  possible,  which  cannot 
well  be  effected  before  March,  and  to  effect  this  the  earliest 
varieties,  as  White  Frontignan,  Foster’s  Seedling,  Black  Ham¬ 
burgh,  and  Madresfield  Court  should  be  chosen.  The  tempera¬ 
ture  at  starting  should  be  55deg  by  artificial  means,  and  when 
the  buds  show  signs  of  breaking  it  may  gradually  be  increased 
to  65deg.  The  canes  should  be  slung  in  a  horizontal  position, 
or  lower  at  their  extremities  than  the  base,  to  induce  them  to 
push  their  buds  evenly  throughout  the  length  of  the  canes, 
syringing  them  two  or  three  times  a  day,  also  the  paths  and 
