JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  21,  190 1. 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
STRAWBERRIES.— Where  it  is  intended  to  mulch  these 
\^ith  stable  litter  for  the  protection  of  the  fruit,  this  should 
before  long  be  got  on  the  beds.  If  put  on  only  a  short  time 
previous  to  the  fruit  ripening,  it  is  apt  to  impart  a  tainted, 
musty  flavour.  The  litter  is  also  handy  if  night  frosts  are 
experienced  when  the  plants  are  in  flower.  Laid  lightly  over 
the  trusses  it  will  ward  off  danger  from  this  source.  Forced 
plants  that  have  undergone  a  hardening  process  may  be  planted 
outside  now  in  beds  or  borders.  Though  perhaps  not  of  such  a 
lasting  nature  as  plants  grown  wholly  outside,  they  will  usually 
pi’oduce  heavy  crops  for  a  season  or  two.  Pot  plants  of  Royal 
Sovereign  planted  out  last  May  produced  a  heavy  crop  of  fine 
l)erries  in  September,  and  had  the  weather  conditions  been  more 
favourable,  we  should  have  had  many  gatherings. 
APRICOTS. — Where  these  have  set  very  freely  the  trees 
should  be  early  looked  over,  first  thinning  out  the  smallest  and 
the  bunches  of  twos  and  threes,  reducing  to  single  fruits.  An 
opportunity  should  at  the  same  time  be  taken  of  rubbing  out 
some  of  the  superfluous  growths.  Remove  protecting  material 
from  the  trees  after  the  fruit  commences  swelling. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES.— These  have  been  slow  in 
opening  the  flowers  with  us,  and  our  trees  will  require  little 
attention  until  the  fruit  is  set.  Trees  that  are  more  forward 
should  early  have  attention  in  di.sbudding.  Go  over  them  about 
once  a  week,  removing  a  portion  of  the  unnecessary  growths 
on  each  occasion,  until  the  work  is  accomplished.  Do  not  be 
in  a  hurry  to  remove  the  protecting  materials  if  the  weather  is 
unfavourable,  but  on  the  other  hand,  as  soon  as  convenient, 
the  trees  should  be  exposed  to  all  the  light  and  air  possible. 
YOUNG  TREES. — Pears  planted  at  the  foot  of  walls  to  be 
trained  horizontally  must  early  receive  attention  in  training 
the  growing  shoots.  If  the  leader  was  properly*  shortened  in 
winter,  the  top  growth  wall  now  be  pushing,  and  will  need  fasten¬ 
ing  in  an  upright  position.  Disbudding  may  with  advantage 
be  carried  out  if  too  many  growths  start,  reserving  the  proper 
number  for  deflecting  later  at  right  angles  to  the  central  .stem. 
Maidens  both  of  Apples  and  Pears  that  had  their  single  shoots 
shortened  back  are  apt  to  push  too  many  shoots,  and  by  regu¬ 
lating  the.se  now  much  cutting  of  the  trees  may  be  averted 
later  on.  Thin  and  pinch  the  gi  owths  of  Gooseberries  on  walls. 
This  particularly  applies  to  those  tiained  as  cordons,  as  these 
so  quickly  become  thickets  of  growth  if  neglected. 
Trees  that  were  pruned  and  thinned  in  winter,  in  the  latter 
case  having  large  branches  removed,  should  be  looked  over 
in  good  time.  From  the  cuts  and  below  them  numbers  of 
growths  frequently  break,  and  the.se  must  l)e  early  removed,  or 
the  trees,  iustead  of  being  better  for  the  thinning,  will  be  in  fai' 
worse  case  in  a  couple  of  years. 
GRAFTED  STOCKS. — These  must  be  watched,  and  all 
growths  below  the  union  removed,  or  the  scions  will  be  lobbed, 
and  fail  to  gro^y  away  freely.  Should  any  of  the  latter  appear 
likely  to  fail,  it  is  sometimes  an  advantage  to  allow  a  con¬ 
veniently  placed  shoot  to  grow;  this  can  then  be  budded  in  the 
(‘arly  summer.  There  is  not  then  so  much  loss  of  time  in  having 
to  wait  until  the  following  spring  for  regrafting  to  be  effected. 
— T.  W.,  Newent,  Glos. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CHERRY  HOUSE.— Directly  the  stoning  is  completed  the 
fruit  commences  colouring,  and  takes  its  swelling  for  ripening. 
'I'he  temperature  may  then  be  raised,  but  it  must  not  exceed 
(tldeg  by  artificial  means  and  oodeg  to  GOdeg  at  night,  with  a 
itt  e  ventdation,  increasing  it  at  70deg.  Subject  to  leaving  a 
little  air  on  constantly  at  the  top  of  the  house,  close  at  70deg, 
nut  the  temperature  must  not  be  allowed  to  exceed  that  dej^ree 
in  the  early  part  of  the  day  without  full  ventilation,  as  a  close 
moist  atmosphere  may  cause  the  fruit  to  swell  irregularly,  if 
not  split.  T  rom  the  commencement  of  colouring  until  the 
frees  are  cleared  of  their  fruits  syringing  mii.st  cea.se,  or  the 
I  ruits  will  crack  ;  but  good  moisture  should  be  maintained  by 
ilamping  the  floors  and  borders  as  they  become  dry.  Ajihides 
must  be  kept  down  by  an  in.secticide,  but  only  fumigation  or 
vapori^sation  with  tobacco  or  nicotine  can  be  had  recour.se  to 
after  the  fruit  commences  ripening.  The  borders  must  not  lack 
moisture,  and  liquid  manure  should  be  liberally  accorded  to 
trees  in  pots. 
VINES:  EARLIEST  HOUSE.-Early  forced  Vines  usiiall 
contract  red  spider,  when  a  timely  washing  of  the  leaves  wit 
sponge  moistened  in  solution  of  paraffin  oil  emulsion,  2oz  to  a 
gallon  of  hot  water,  is  the  safe.st  and  best  remedy,  though 
rather  a  tedious  proce.ss.  Syringing,  even  between  the  bunches, 
spoils  the  appearance  of  the  Grapes  for  market  purposes,  and 
applying  sulphur  on  the  hot-water  pipes,  or  vaporisation  with 
sulphur,  is  sometimes  attended  with  serious  discoloration  in 
white  Grapes.  Afford  a  thorough  supply  of  water  to  the 
inside  border,  applying  it  early  in  the  day,  so  that  surplus 
moisture  may  be  passed  off  before  closing  time.  A  light  mulch 
of  dry  material  will  prevent  moisture  arising  prejudicial  to 
the  Grapes,  but  we  use  rather  fresh,  yet  well  sweetened,  short 
litter  from  the  stables,  and  it  prevents  the  soil  cracking, 
encourages  surface  roots  and  affords  nouiishment.  Early 
Grapes  do  not  always  colour  well,  the  defect  chiefly  arising  from 
ovei’cropping  or  continued  hard  forcing  and  attacks  of  red 
spider.  It  is  only  avoided  by  moderate  cropping,  rational  treat¬ 
ment,  and  cleanly  culture.  A  constant  supply  of  rather  dry, 
warm  air,  but  a  comparatively  low  night  temperature,  will  do 
much  to  assist  heavily  cropped  Vines  and  colouring  the  Grapes. 
M*here  the  Grapes  are  fully  ripe  a  reduction  in  temperature  is 
advisable,  but  GOdeg  is  essential  to  the  after-welfare  of  the 
Vines,  and  moderate  moisture  should  be  maintained  for  the 
benefit  of  the  foliage. 
SUCCESSION  HOUSES.— The  stopping  and  tying  of  the 
shoots  must  have  attention.  Where  the  space  is  restricted, 
stop  the  shoots  two  joints  beyond  the^fruit,  and,  as  foliage  is 
necessary  to  maintain  root  activity,  leave  the  laterals  on  the 
shoot  above  and  below  the  bunch,  or  at  least  those  from  the 
two  lowermost  eyes  and  those  level  with  and  above  the  bunch. 
Pinch  these  at  the  first  joint,  especially  those  from  the  basal 
leaves,  also  those  above,  unless  there  is  space  for  extending  the 
laterals,  when  they  may  be  allowed  to  make  two  or  three  leaves, 
but  no  more  growth  should  be  encouraged  than  can  have  full 
exposure  to  light  and  air.  After  the  space  is  fairly  furnished, 
keep  the  growths  closely  pinched  to  one  joint  as  made.  The 
great  evil  in  Grape  growing  is  overcrowding,  which  deprives 
the  foliage  of  light  and  air,  and  restricting  the  growths  is 
intended  to  avoid  that  and  secure  thoroughly  solidified  wood  as 
it  is  made. 
TYING  DOWN. — It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  the  rods  lower 
than  the  trellis,  so  that  the  side  shoots  have  a  slight  incline 
upwards.  In  tying  these  in  the  places  where  they  are  to 
remain  during  the  summer,  it  is  a  common  practice  to  begin 
to  tie  them  down  as  soon  as  they  are  long  enough  to  bend. 
This  is  not  advisable,  unless  as  a  precaution  against  injury 
from  frost  by  their  points  touching  the  glass,  as  the  shoots  at 
this  stage  are  so  tender  that  the  slightest  twist  the  wrong  way 
breaks  them.  It  is  a  good  method  to  defer  tying  down  until 
the  shoots  are  less  sappy,  which  may  be  when  the  bunches  are 
showing  clear  of  the  leaves,  or  not  until  the  shoots  are  stopned. 
Stifficieiit  space  should  be  left  in  the  ligatures  for  the  swelling 
of  the  growths.  Stopping  ought  to  commence  when  the  leaf 
at  the  joint  or  place  of  pinching  is  the  size  of  a  halfpenny. 
LATE  HOUSES. — The  Vines  are  making  satisfactory  pro- 
giess.  Disbud  and  tie  down  the  shoots  as  they  require  it.  It 
is  best  to  have  the  rods  lower  than  the  wires  of  the  trellis,  then 
the  rods  will  only  require  tying  out,  and  there  is  less  danger  of 
sna))i)ing;  besides,  the  shoots  receive  an  equal  supply  of  sap, 
and  have  their  points  and  fiaiit-shows  well  up  to  the  light. 
Close  the  house  early  in  the  afternoon  with  sun  heat,  and  main¬ 
tain  plenty  of  atmospheric  moisture  by  frequently  damping  the 
houses  and  .syringing  the  Vines  at  closing  time,"  but  not  after 
the  bunches  show.  The  latest  hou.ses  of  thick-skinned  Grapes 
must  now  be  started,  giving  them  every  encouragement  to 
make  growth,  and  .set  the  fruit  by  the  early  part  of  June. 
LATE  HAMBURGHS  are  starting  naturally,  and  neetl  only 
have  a  little  fire  heat  to  exclude  fi'o.st,  but  it  is  not  advisable  to 
allow  the  temperature  to  fall  below  oOdeg.  Take  care  tnat  the 
points  of  the  shoots  do  not  come  into  and  remain  in  contact 
with  the  glass,  oi'  they  may  be  scorched  bv  sun  or  injured  by 
fio,st.--G.  A.,  St.  All)ans,  Herts. 
The  Flower  Garden. 
PREPARATION  OF  SOIL  FOR  HERBACEOUS  BOR¬ 
DERS.  -In  forming  a  new,  or  renovating  an  old,  herbaceous 
border,  the  most  thorough  method  of  giving  ultimately  the  be.st 
results  in  the  growth  and  flowering  of  the  various  subjects  is  to 
deeply  dig  the  soil.  Some  soil  may  require  but  little  addition, 
but  others  will  need  an  application  of  rotted  manure  and  leaf 
soil,  digging  it  in  and  incorporating  with  the  staple  material, 
■Well  decomposed  vegetable  matter  also  proves  serviceable  for 
enriching.  Heavy  soil  should  be  lightened  by  gritty  matei'ml, 
while  sandy  soil  may  be  improved  by  some  marl  or  clay  intv^i’- 
mixed.  Subsoil  draining  is  the  best  remedy  for  waterlo"g<'d 
positions.  '  " 
SELECTION  OF  PLANTS  FOR  HERBACEOUS  BORDERS. 
—The  mo.st  useful  herbaceous  plants  for  the  majority  of  culti- 
yators  are  those  which  can  be  utilised  for  cutting.  These  may 
piedomniate,  as  they  aie  usually  tall,  but  thert'  ai’o  various 
