November  27,  1902.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
£05 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
RASPBERRIES.- — The  best  of  the  numerous  suckers  which 
may  now  be  found  in  the  Raspberry  quarters  can  be  utilised  for 
forming  a  new  plantation.  The  strong,  succulent-looking  canes 
are  not  really  the  best  for  planting,  because  they  are  not  so 
well  furnished  with  fibrous  roots,  but  have  long,  thick  roots, 
prone  to  descend  and  make  growth  in  the  subsoil  rather  than 
branch  out  laterally  and  multiply  into  a  number  of  fibres.  The 
smaller  and  thin-looking  canes,  on  the  other  hand,  have  abun¬ 
dance  of  these  desirable  fibrous  roots,  and  as  these  are  much  more 
serviceable  for  the  future  welfare  of  the  plants,  by  all  means 
select  canes  of  this  character  for  planting.  They  are  chiefly  to 
be  found  at  some  distances  away  from  the  main  stools.  The 
readiest  manner  of  selecting,  however,  is  to  lift  all  the  suckers 
and  pick  out  the  best  for  planting,  laying  them  in  to  keep  the 
roots  from  drying.  In  addition  to  the  removal  of  suckers  from 
between  the  clumps  or  rows  of  Raspberries,  the  canes  should  be 
thinned  out,  retaining  the  strongest  and  most  vigorous  for  future 
bearing.  The  weak  canes  in  this  case  are  not  desirable.  When 
in  lines  the  canes  may  be  left,  so  that  they  can  be  tied  in  to 
about  Gin  apart.  In  clumps,  five  or  six  strong  canes  are  suf¬ 
ficient.  Side  shoots  have  in  some  cases  started  from  the  canes. 
These  must  be  shortened  back  to  the  leaf  axils.  Canes  should 
not  be  left  to  their  full  extent,  as  their  upper  parts  are 
attenuated  and  fail  to  ripen.  It  is  usual  to  shorten  them  to 
the  tops  of  the  stakes  or  trellis,  wdiich  are  about  5ft  high.  The 
canes  are  or  ought  to  be  well  ripened  to  this  point.  After 
pruning  and  cleaning  established  quarters,  spread  over  the  soil 
between  the  plants  a  liberal  mulching  of  rich  manure.  During 
mild  periods  in  winter  liquid  manure  may  be  applied  to  the  soil 
with  beneficial  results. 
PLANTING  GOOSEBERRIES.— In  preparing  the  soil  for 
these  the  treatment  must  be  generous  in  every  respect.  Deeply 
dig  or  trench  the  ground  and  loosen  the  subsoil.  Intermix 
thoroughly  decomposed  manure  with  the  soil,  which  should  be 
broken  up  and  pulverised  when  in  a  half  dry  condition.  Small 
bushes,  two  or  three  years  old,  are  the  best  for  forming  a  plan¬ 
tation.  Though  the  trees  look  small  when  planting,  they  should 
be  inserted  at  a  distance  which  does  not  permit  of  ultimate 
crowding.  Six  feet  apart  is  a  suitable  distance.  For  a  year  or 
two  other  crops  of  an  annual  character  may  be  grown  between,  or 
a  row  of  Strawberries.  Gooseberries,  with  single,  double,  or 
triple  stems,  are  admirably  adapted  for  wall  or  fence  planting. 
They  may  be  grown  in  this  manner  where  space  is  limited,  or 
to  supplement  the  ordinary  plantations  of  bush  specimens.  Walls 
of  any  aspect  can  be  furnished,  but  it  is  usual  to  grow  them  on 
north  or  east  walls,  so  that  a  late  crop  may  be  secured. 
The  method  of  training  may  be  upright,  each  branch  or 
cordon  having  a  space  of  Gin  between  it  and  the  next.  As  the 
growth  of  Gooseberries  is  vigorous,  especially  in  good  soil,  three- 
branched  cordons  are  practically  the  best,  and  should  be  inserted 
18in  apart.  Single  cordons,  of  course,  only  6in.  Side  shoots 
are  produced  freely  each  season,  and  must  be  summer-pruned  to 
six  leaves,  as  a  means  of  concentrating  the  vigour  in  the  basal 
buds,  furthering  shortening  in  winter  to  about  an  inch.  The 
method  of  pruning  for  bush  trees  may  be  less  formal,  allowing 
a  larger  number  of  young  shoots  to  extend,  removing  the  ex¬ 
treme  or  unripened  tips.  Keep  the  bushes  fairly  well  open 
in  the  centre,  and  prevent  the  branches  touching  the  ground 
by  clearing  away  the  lower  growths.  Where  plantations  of 
Gooseberries  have  in  former  years  been  planted  thickly  it  is 
desirable  to  thin  the  trees  themselves  out  previous  to  severely 
pruning. 
RED  AND  WHITE  CURRANTS.— The  details  of  culture  as 
regards  these  fruits  are  precisely  the  same  as  for  Gooseberries, 
with  the  exception  that  the  annual  winter  pruning  is  based  on 
one  special  line  of  treatment  only.  This  consists  of  originating 
while  the  trees  or  bushes  are  young,  a  definite  number  of  branches, 
■five  or  seven  being  a  suitable  number  to  form  a  medium-sized 
bush.  These  main  branches  may  each' year  have  the  leading 
shoot  encouraged  to  extend  during  the  summer,  but  in  the  winter 
shorten  back  to  lOin.  On  the  older  part  of  the  same  branch 
side  shoots  push,  as  they  are  encouraged  to  do  so  by  the  shorten¬ 
ing  of  the  leader  previously.  The  side  shoots  must  be  summer- 
pruned,  as  described  for  cordon  Gooseberries,  and  in  winter  he 
similarly  pruned  or  spurred  in.  Red  Currants  are  excellent  for 
cordon  treatment  on  walls  and  fences. 
BLACK  CURRANTS. — These  are  only  profitable  on  the  bush 
system,  so  that  young  wood  may  be  freely  produced,  and  a  good 
selection  of  it  retained  annually  for  fruiting.  The  older  parts 
of  trees,  or  the  previous  season’s  bearing  growths,  may  be  cut 
out.  Plant  two  or  three  year  old  bushes  on  ground  prepared 
as  for  Gooseberries,  and  at  similar  distances  apart.  When 
bushes  cease  to  produce  strong  young  shoots  they  are  not  pro¬ 
fitable. — East  Kent. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CUCUMBERS. — At  this  time  of  year  continued  firing  is 
needful,  and  where  the  heat  is  radiated  at  a  high  temperature 
the  atmosphere  is  dried  more  than  is  good  for  the  plants,  either 
at  the  roots,  when  the  beds  are  near  the  liot-water  pipes,  or 
the  foliage  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  In  consequence  of  these 
circumstances  the>  roots  become  stunted  and  swell  irregularly. 
Careful  attention  to  watering  and  damping  is  the  only  palliative 
under  such  conditions.  Ventilation  also  needs  carefui  attention, 
affording  it  whenever  a  favourable  opportunity  offers,  but  ex¬ 
cluding  air  when  the  external  atmosphere  is  sharp  and  cold. 
In  bright  weather  turn  off  the  top  heat  when  the  sun  is  powerful 
and  likely  to  raise  the  temperature  above  85deg  or  90deg  in  such 
weather,  damping  the  house  morning  and  afternoon,  and  closing 
early.  In  damping  care  must  be  taken  not  to  wet  the  embryo 
fruits,  as  they  will  damp  off  if  water  remains  on  them  or  hangs 
from  their  points  for  any  length  of  time.  Water  will  be  required 
at  the  roots  about  twice  a.  week.  Maintain  a.  temperature  of 
GOdeg  to  G5deg  at  night  and  70deg  to  75deg  by  day. 
Winter  fruiters  or  plants  from  August  or  September  sow¬ 
ings,  having  grown  to  the  extent  of  the  trellis,  will  have  produced 
some,  and  have  abundance  of  fruits  showing  or  swelling.  It  is 
not,  however,  a  good  plan  to  allow  the  plants  to  bear  to  any 
great  extent  for  some  time,  unless  there  is  a  pressing  demand 
for  fruit,  and  then  the  cropping  will  tell  disastrously  on  the 
supplies  later.  Winter  Cucumber  plants  cannot  be  too  sturdy 
in  growth  and  too  thick  and  leathery  in  the  leaves,  but  they 
may  be  too  luxuriant,  and  in  that  condition  highly  susceptible 
of  atmospheric  changes.  Attend  to  stopping  and  tying  fre¬ 
quently,  thinning  to  avoid  overcrowding,  allowing  space  for  the 
unshaded  development  of  the  foliage.  If  canker  appears  in  the 
stem,  subdue  by  rubbing  quicklime  into  the  affected  part,  re¬ 
moving  bad  leaf  and  decayed  growth  promptly,  rubbing  a  bit 
of  the  lime  on  the  wounds.  If  mildew  appear,  clust  with  flowers  of 
sulphur,  it  being  well  to  dust  some  over  the  plants  with  a  view 
to  its  prevention. 
When  white  fly  is  first  seen,  a  little  sulphur,  formed  into 
a  cream  with  skim  milk,  should  be  brushed  on  the  hot-water 
pipes ;  this  is  equally  effective  against  mildew  and  “  spot  ” 
fungus,  which  sometimes  causes  brown  streaks  and  spots'  on  the 
fruits,  and  then  they  grow  crooked  and  have  hard  flesh  in 
places.  Sulphur  fumes  are  also  disagreeable  to  red  spider,  and 
in  nowise  inimical  to  Cucumbers  unless  the  pipes  are  too  highly 
heated  and  the  fumes  given  off  for  a  prolonged  period  at  a  high 
temperature.  Aphides  should  be  destroyed  by  vapourisation 
with  nicotine  or  fumigation  with  tobacco,  being  careful  not  to 
give  too  much  vapour  or  smoke.  It  is  best  to  vapourise  or  fumi¬ 
gate  on  two  or  three  successive  evenings  moderately,  or,  pre¬ 
ferably,  follow  the  evening  with  early  morning  treatment, 
choosing  calm  weather. 
MELONS. — Fruits  on  the  latest  plants  are  beginning  to  net 
and  will  be  ripe  during  December.  To  swell  them  off  they  re¬ 
quire  a  rather  moist  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere,  damping 
the  house  in  the  morning  and  early  afternoon,  admitting  a  little 
air  early  in  the  forenoon  to  insure  the  dispersion  of  moisture 
and  induce  evaporation  from  the  foliage.  Maintain  the  night 
temperature  at  60deg  to  65deg,  70deg  to  75deg  by  day,  advanc¬ 
ing  to  85deg  or  90deg,  and  as  much  as  can  be  had,  after  the  sun 
passes  the  meridian.  The  plants  should  have  liquid  manure 
about  once  a  week.  Plants  that  set  the  fruit  in  September  are 
now  ripening.  The  house  should  have  air  constantly,  and  a 
temperature  of  70deg  to  75deg  by  day,  and  more  heat,  with  a 
free  ventilation,  when  the  external  conditions  are  favourable, 
yet  husbanding  the  sun  heat,  but  not  closing  the  house,  with¬ 
holding  water  from  the  atmosphere  and  roots.  Fruit,  though 
not  of  high  flavour,  proves  acceptable  from  variety  at  this  time 
and  up  to  Christmas  or  later. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES  :  Earliest  House. — To  have 
ripe  fruit  in  April  or  early  in  May  a  start  should  be  made  at 
the  beginning  of  next  month.  Alexander  and  Waterloo,  both 
very  early  varieties  of  Peaches,  giving  fruit  about  three  weeks 
earlier  than  Early  Louise,  and  a  month  or  more  before  Stirling 
Castle  and  Royal  George.  Of  Nectarines  Cardinal  is  the  earliest, 
and  forces  admirably.  The  trees  having  been  at  rest  some  time, 
and  previously  forced,  will  start  promptly,  but  those  not  before 
started  early  will  not  respond  so  quickly  ;  therefore,  the  house 
should  be  kept  close,  but  admitting  air  freely  above  50deg, 
employing  fire  heat  only  to  prevent  the  temperature  falling 
below  35deg.  The  more  slowly  the  trees  are  excited  the  stronger 
will  be  the  blossoms.  The  outside  border  must  be  protected  to 
exclude  frost,  for  the  roots  cannot  absorb  nourishment  from  the 
