War^b  31,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
;  i .) 
Book  Notices. 
The  Fruit  Garden.* 
In  the  preliminary  survey  of  the  contents  of  this  hook,  given 
in  last,  week’s  Juuntal,  it  was  stated  that  ]\Ir.  James  Hudson 
had  contributed  an  article  on 
Fruit  Trees  in  Pots. 
He  says:  “In  advocating  the  culture  of  fruit  trees  in  pots, 
it  must  not  be  supposed  that  this  mode  of  treatment  is  intended 
to  supersede  planted  out  trees,  wliether  under  glass  or  in  the 
open  "air.  It  is  rather  an  addition  to  the  older  and  more 
general  sy.stem,  and  liy  its  means  very  early  ci’ops  of  fruit  can 
1)6  more  easily  .secured— such,  for  instance,  as  Figs,  Nectarines, 
Peaches,  Cherries,  and  Plums  ;  the  same  structiu'e  will  pemnit 
of  two  or  even  three  crops  being  produced  within  it  in  twelve 
months.  Again,  under  pot  culture  the  finest  dessert  Plums  are 
much  more  satisfactory.  The  latest  Peaches  and  Nectarines, 
if  not  under  the  most 
favourable  conditions  in 
the  open  air,  are  of  much 
better  flavour  when  grown 
in  pots  and  ripened  under 
glass.  To  the  connoisseur 
of  dessert  fruits,  Cox’s 
Orange  Pippin,  or  Ribston 
Pippin  Apples,  for  instance, 
from  ^  pot  trees,  are  of 
snperfor  finish  and  the 
finest  flavour.  In  some 
districts  the  culture  of  the 
best  dessert  Cherries  on 
walls  or  as  bushes  is 
practically  a  failure.  If 
grown  in  pots  in  an  abso¬ 
lutely  cold  house,  it  is 
astonishing  what  crops  may 
be  secured.  It  is  often 
said,  and  with  much  truth, 
that  it  takes  years  to  con¬ 
vert  a  Briton  to  anything 
really  novel  and  dis¬ 
tinct,  and  the  culture  of 
fruit  trees  in  pots  is  a  case 
in  point.  If  anyone  requires 
an  object  les.son  in  this 
direction,  a  visit  should  be 
paid  to  nurseries  where  this 
mode  of  fruit  culture  is 
practised.  . 
The  Best  Houses. — The  | 
most  convenient  houses, 
and  also  the  best  for  the 
trees,  are  span-roofed  ones  ; 
these  afford  a  maximum  of 
light  and  the  best  ventila-  \ 
tion.  A  useful  size  is  that 
of  about  18ft  wide,  with  a 
central  walk  (Strawberries 
in  pots  can  be  grown  on 
shelves  above  the  walk). 
This  house  may  be  5ft  high 
at  the  sides,  and  10ft  high 
at  the  apex  of  the  roof. 
For  some  purposes  and 
for  large  trees  it  is  better 
in  many  respects  to  arrange  for  houses  of  greater  width  and  two 
walks — say,  24ft  wide.  Oft  high  at  the  sides,  and  12ft  to  the  roof 
centre.  The  length  can  be  regulated  as  may  be  necessary,  a  very 
convenient  length  being  30ft  for  one  division.  A  large  house 
without  a  division  is  not  advisable  in  private  gardens,  as  a 
different  temperature  in  each  is  often  desiiable. 
In  the  smaller  house  the  pipes  can  be  arranged  at  the  sides, 
whereas  in  the  larger  it  is  better  to  provide  for  at  least  two 
pipes  around  the  central  bed.  No  staging  is  necessary ;  if  some 
trees  need  raising  it  can  be  done  with  inverted  flower  pots.  All 
the  rain  water  possible  should  be  conserved  in  tanks,  the  best 
position  for  which  is  under  the  beds  upon  which  Hie  trees  stand. 
One  .standard  size  of  roof  gla.ss  should  always  be  msed — say,  loin 
by  20in — and  for  the  sides  above  the  ventilators  only  21in 
squares,  and  of  good  quality.  The  top  ventilation  should  be 
by  means  of  rising  lights,  the  side  and  end  ventilation  by  means 
of  wooden  shutters.  These  side  ventilators  should  always  be 
hung  at  the  bottom  rather  than  at  the  top.  This  is  the  method 
adopted  in  niir.series,  and  in  the  Gunnersbury  Gardens,  and  is 
found  to  answer  well ;  it  pi'events  cold  currents  of  air  from  rush¬ 
*  "  The  Fruit  Garden,”  1)7  Geo.  Bunyard,  V.M.H. ,  and  Owen  Thomas,  V.M.H. 
London  ;  Published  at  the  office  of  ‘‘  Country  Life,”  .Southampton  Street,  Covent 
Garden,  W.C.,  1901.  Price  21s. 
ing  in  during  rough  weather  in  the  spring.  These  houses  need 
not  he  of  elaborate  construction,  nor  ai’e  they  costly.  A  great 
saving  is  effected  in  l)rickwoik,  but  little  being  I’cquired  in  theii' 
construction. 
For  retarding  fruit  so  as  to  extend  the  season,  a  small  north 
hou.se  will  be  found  very  tiseful.  Fnder  the  pot  system  of  cul¬ 
ture  it  is  always  possible  to  keep  the  trees  close  together  until 
after  flowering,  hut  as  soon  as  growth  commences  they  are  best 
placed  wider  apait.  Thus  trees  sufficient  for  two  houses  may  be 
kept  in  one  division  iintil  the  embryo  fruits  are  formed,  thereby 
effecting  an  economy  in  both  space  and  fuel. 
Cultivation-Choice  of  Trees.— The  best  time  to  commenc  ’ 
the  odture  of  fniit  trees  in  pots  is  in  the  autumn;  then  the 
wood  is  well  ripened  and  all  active  growth  has  ceased.  Tree:; 
two  or  three  years  old,  established  in  pots,  are  the  best.  These- 
should  be  bristling  with  spurry  shoots  and  fruit-huds.  To  grow 
fruit  trees  in  the  open  ground  and  sell  them  after  one  year’s 
pot  culture  is  not,  in  the  case  of  Nectarines  or  of  Peaches,  a  safe 
plan  to  adopt.  It  may  answer  for  Plums  or  Cherries,  Pears  oi’ 
Apples,  but  even  then  the  trees  are  not  so  satisfactory  as  those 
which  had  been  in  pots  foi’ 
two  .seasons.  To  attemp: 
to  obtain  fruit  from  tree:; 
lifted  from  the  open 
^  ground  in  the  previoirs 
autumn  is  absurd.  As  a 
rule,  the  size  of  pots  in 
which  the  trees  are  gro.vn- 
by  the  trade  varies  but 
little,  those  of  9,  10,  and 
y  11  inches  diameter  being 
generally  used.  If  early 
forcing  is  contemplated, 
the  trees  .should  be  re¬ 
potted  at  the  beginning  of 
October.  The  later  trees 
ought  to  be  potted  by  the 
end  of  October,  otherwise 
autumnal  rains  will  I'ender 
the  work  inconvenient, 
y  'Watering,  Ac. — After 
ly,  potting,  water  the  plants 
1^  well,  and  occasionally  after¬ 
wards,  according  "to  the 
weather.  Trees 
early  in  October 
somewhat  careful 
ing  if  the  weather 
and  dry.  When 
and  sunny,  use  the  .syringe, 
in  order  to  prevent  the 
wood  from  shrivelling, 
which  ought  not  to  take 
place  in  the  slightest  de¬ 
gree.  I  have  known  this 
to  occur  and  the  trees  to 
suffer  in  consequence 
during  the  ensuing 
season.  Trees  iiotted  early 
will  still  retain  a  fair  por¬ 
tion  of  foliage,  thus  enforc¬ 
ing  the  need  of  syringing. 
Farly  in  November  trees 
intended  for  forcing  should 
all  be  housed,  not  because 
they  are  tender,  but  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  soil  becoming  too 
wet.  Even  then,  if  fine  and  dry,  the  syringe  may  still  be  used  ; 
after  forcing  lias  coinineiiced,  little  water  will  be  required  at  the 
roots  until  the  buds  are  swelling.  ^\hat  has  to  be  guarded 
against  is  actual  dryness  at  the  roots.  Trees  not  forced  at  all 
can  be  left  out.side  all  the  winter ;  the  pots  shoiild  be  protected 
fi'om  fro.st,  hovevei',  by  a  covering  of  stable  litter,  the  plants 
.standing  close  together,  and  either  upon  boards  or  bricks,  so 
that  during  heavy  rainfall  the  water  can  pass  away  freely.  Ihey 
will  not  require  any  more  attention  until  the  buds  are  upon  the 
point  of  expanding  in  the  spring  (unless  it  is  to  guard  against 
the  depredations  of  birds).  The  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  aio 
then  placed  in  a  cool  house  for  flowering,  and  aftervaids  moved 
into  other  houses  as  opportunity  occurs.  The  Plums,  Pears,  and 
Apples  with  us  remain  outside  under  a  temporary  shelter,  just 
sufficient  to  keep  off  frost  and  wet.  The  forced  trees  do  not, 
as  stated  above,  need  much  water  for  some  time.  Their  demands 
will,  however,  increase  as  growth  progres.ses.  The  secret  of 
success  lies  in  avoiding  the  two  extremes  of  drought  and  excess 
of  moisture.  When  the  fruits  are  siyelling  quickly  and  wood 
growth  is  active,  the  trees  will  retpiire  careful  attention.  It 
the  weather  is  fine  and  warm,  watering  is  a  matter  of  daily 
importance;  the  trees  will  require  water  frequently  twice  in  the 
day  when  the  fruits  are  almost  fully  grown.  Rain  water  is  pre¬ 
ferable  both  for  watering  and  syringing.” 
potted 
require 
watch- 
is  fine 
warm 
Cypripedium  ><  Beckmani. 
