540 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  2!?,  1904. 
Tomatoes  in  the  Open  Air. 
At  this  season  a  good  deal  of  interest  is  attached  to  Tomato 
cnltnie  in  the  open  air,  and  as  rve  have  had  tvo  had  seasons  in 
success  on  for  tliis  crop,  we  may  leasonably  hope  for  more 
favourable  conditions  this  year.  The  majority  of  plants  have 
now  been  set  out,  as  all  grow  ers  are  aware  that  it  is  useless  to 
expect  good  I’esults  unless  planting  is  done  as  early  as  it  is 
safe  to  do  it.  The  aim  of  the  cultivator  should  then  be  to  get 
three  or  four  trusses  of  fruit  set  on  each  plant  as  quickly  as 
possible,  so  that  these  shall  have  time  to  ripen  before  the  cold, 
wet  Aveather  of  autumn  comes.  Anything  Avhich  tends  to 
hasten  the  foimation  of  the  requisite  quantity  of  fruit  per 
plant  is  to  be  commended.  In  regard  to  this  point,  I  have  tried 
scAmral  experiments  dui’ing  the  last  two  years,  and  the  result 
is,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  allowing  tAvo  main  shoots 
to  groAv  on  each  plant,  is  the  best  plan  to  folloAv  in  open-air 
culture,  because  by  that  method  four  trusses  of  fruit  may  be 
obtained  more  quickly  than  by  folloAving  the  orthodox  plan  of 
confining  each  plant  to  a  single  stem. 
At  the  point  Avhere  the  first  truss  of  floAver  is  formed  the 
plant  usually  makes  a  natural  break,  and  sends  out  tAAo  shoots 
of  almost  equal  vigour.  If  these  are  tiained  in,  and  all  side 
shoots  removed  on  both,  four  trusses  of  fruit  are  obtained  tAvo 
or  three  Aveeks  earlier  than  Avhen  the  single  stem  system  is 
])ractised.  And  this  gain  often  makes  all  the  difference  betAveen 
just  managing  to  get  the  fruit  ripe,  and  having  it  in  a  green 
state  at  the  end  of  the  season.  The  plants  I  treated  in  this 
Avay  last  year  ripened  the  Avhole  of  their  fruits  by  the  end  of 
September.  That,  I  think,  Avas  a  fairly  satisfactory  test.  If 
those  Avho  have  not  tried  this  plan  Avith  do  sO  this  year,  I  tlvink 
tliey  Avill  be  satisfied  AA’ith  the  result.  —  Onwards. 
- - 
Comparative  Hardiness  oi  Outdoor  Peaches. 
Though  all  kinds  of  Peaches  are  considered  more  or  less 
hardy,  it  is  not  difficult  to  note  the  influence  of  cold  spells  of 
spring  Aveather  acting  both  on  the  floAvers  and  leaves.  There 
are  not  many  seasons  pass  Avhich  do  not  put  the  Peach  tree  to  a 
test  more  or  less  severe,  and  though  the  passing  spring  has  not 
been  so  drastic  in  cold  snaps  as  some  AvhicJi  are  still  fresh  in  the 
memory,  still  there  has  been  ample  to  illustrate  the  baneful 
effect  of  the  ordeal,  imposed  mostly  by  cold  easterly  Avinds. 
Frosts,  though  thej’  have  been  fairly  frequent  in  Ioav  places,  have 
not  this  season  been  severe  enough  to  harm  a  Potato  leaf  or  a 
StraAvberry  blossom  during  the  jAeriod  Avhen  they  are  exposed 
to  these  elements,  and  therefore  Peaches  groAving  against 
southern  Avails  have  not  felt  any  ill  effects  from  frost  visits. 
Cold  AAunds,  hoAvever,  have  been  by  no  means  absent,  and  the 
usual  leaf  blisters  have  been  almost  as  common  as  in  previous 
years,  and  it  is  in  this  j’es])ect  Avhere  the  hardiness  of  differing 
kinds  is  noAv  apparent.  llie  American  Peaches,  Alexander  and 
Waterloo,  are  both  hardy  kinds,  and  another  from  the  same 
source,  Hale’s  Early,  is  none  the  less  so;  indeed,  they  have 
given  us  perhaps  the  least  trouble  of  all  established  trees. 
Gladstone  comes  next,  and  is  a  Amriety  both  free  and  hardy,  and 
a  splendidly  coloured  autumn  Peach.  Poyal  George  feels  the 
cold  rather  keenly,  and  has  required  a  deal  of  leaf-picking;  so 
also  has  Violette  Hative  ;  the  last-named  seems  to  me  the  most 
delicate-leaved  of  all  Ave  have  outdoois.  Dymond  is  more  hardy. 
So  also  is  Nectarine  Peach,  Bellegarde,  and  Desse  TardiA'e. 
Strange  though  it  seems.  Sea  Eagle,  usually  so  vigorous 
and  unrelaxiug  in  its  effort  to  overload  itself,  has  displayed  much 
Aveakness  in  leaf  troubles  this  year,  the  cold  Avinds  rendering 
necessary  much  leaf-pickiug,  and  Barrington  is  not  much  better 
in  this  respect.  The  last-named  is  a  fine  Peach  AAdiere  the  soil  is 
found  to  suit  its  coustitutiou,  but  it  so  often  fails  to  retain  its 
fruits,  even  after  they  liaA'e  groAvn  to  a  good  size.  Some  attri¬ 
bute  this  Aveakness  to  absence  of  lime  in  the  soil,  but  in  cases 
Avhere  others  do  remarkably  Avell,  Barrington  Avill  fail,  or  only 
prove  a  partial  success. 
AMien  leaf  bli.ster  continues  until  it  has  spread  almost  over 
the  entire  surface  of  the  tree,  there  is  much  loss  of  vigour 
inflicted  by  the  necessity  of  their  I’emoA’al.  It  occurs,  too,  at  a 
most  critical  period  of  the  fruiting  time,  and  aa  hen  those  of  deli 
cate  natures  are  inade  victims  of  this  leaf  trouble  to  a  serious 
I'xteut,  it  necessarily  iolloAvs  that  the  embryo  fruits  must  suffer 
to  some  extent,  and  Avhich  they  do,  by  making  a  halt  auc 
efiiNiug  to  go  further.  Earlier  in  the  season,  aa  hen  the  trees 
ai<'  passing  out  of  floAver,  the  gardener’s  hopes  ai’e  raised  to  a 
high  pitch  by  the  abundance  of  the  promise.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  experience  A\dien,  after  the  trees  pass  out  of  bloom, 
and  there  are  apparent  evidences  of  a  great  yield,  there  is  a 
clAA'indling  doAA’ii  as  the  AA'eeks  folloAA’  each  other  and  inspections 
are  made.  At  the  time  of  Avriting,  though  there  has  been  a 
Avonderful  set  of  Peaches,  there  is  a  large  percentage  that  are 
taking  on  this  stationary  attitude;  but  it  is  hoped  there  are 
ample  and  to  spare  even  noAv.  A  fcAV  years  since  it  Avas  note- 
AA'orthy  hoAA’  young  vearling  and  tAVO-year-old  trees  evaded  the 
leaf  blister,  while  older  Peach  trees  became  so  badly  crippled, 
though  all  occupied  the  same  Avail  and  shared  the  same  means  of 
protection. 
It  is  not  so  apparent  noAv  ;  all  sIioaa-  the  same  tendencies,  and 
require  individual  treatment.  Noaa'  the  AA'eather  has  become 
more  summer-like  there  is  a  marked  advance  in  neAv  growth, 
ancl  soon  all  trace  of  injury  from  this  source  Avill  have  disap¬ 
peared.  On  light  soils  a  muich  of  straAvy  manure  and  a  Avatering 
Avith  clear  or  "diluted  farmyard  liquids  are  of  much  service  in 
SAA’elliiig  up  the  fruit  to  a  normal  size ;  but  soil  moisture,  if 
derived  only  from  clear  AA'ater,  is  of  real  importance.  Trees 
inclined  to  leaf  vigour  Avould  only  require  clear  Avater,  and  on 
strong  soils  nothing  more  Avould  be  required,  even  Avith  fruitful 
trees,  neither  is  mulching  of  the  roots  so  strictly  necessaiy, 
liecause  clayey  soils  are  made  cold  by  shutting  out  the  sun’s 
influence  AAith  a  straAvy  mulch.  Though  trees  vary  in  their 
resistance  of  common  blister,  all  are  subject  to  curl,  brought 
about  by  aphis  attacks. — W.  S. 
What  is  the  Cause  oi  Mildew? 
Every  gardener  is  so  Avell  acquainted  Avith  the  effects  of  this 
plant  malady  that  description  is  entirely  unnecessary.  Not  so 
Avith  the  real  source  of  its  origin.  If  one  makes  the  random 
question,  What  is  the  cause  of  the  appearance  of  mildeAv  year 
after  year  in  a  certain  place?  a  variety  of  plausible  enough 
reasons  is  given.  “  Oh,  it  is  altogether  due  to  the  damp  and 
sour  character  of  the  soil,”  says  one.  “Nay,  but  to  the  cold, 
dry,  penetrating  nature  of  the  east  Avinds,”  says  another ;  and 
a  "third  ventures  the  assertion  that  the  mischief  is  due  to 
drought,  and  its  effects  upon  root  and  foliage.  Doubtless,  every 
one  of  these  vieAvs  is  resultant  upon  the  particular  observa¬ 
tions  of  each.  One  probably  found  the  mischief  dii-ect  under 
the  conditions  from  Avhich  he  deduces  his  conclusions,  and  all 
are  equally  satisfied  Avith  their  basis  of  reasoning.  MildeAvs  are 
fungi,  and  of  parasitical  propensities.  What  Avould  be  a  boon 
to  gardening  is  a  discovery  to  overcome  the  latent,  or  active 
spores  for  that  matter.  I  have  no  doubt  Avhatever  of  the  possi¬ 
bility  of  accomplishing  this,  for,  a  feAV  years  ago,  I  derived 
very  marked  results  in  the  case  of  a  Peach  house,  Avhere  one 
or  tAvo  of  the  trees  used  to  suffer  badly  from  mildeAv.  AVhen- 
ever  the  buds  began  to  break,  I  put  a  coating  of  about  an  inch 
of  machine-moAvn  gi'ass  over  all  the  border.  This  Avas  freshened 
up  Avith  a  sprinkling  occasionally  throughout  the  season,  Avith 
the  result  that  scarcely  a  liarticle  of  the  dreaded  foe  was  to  be 
seen.-H.  C..D.  ' 
British  Gardeners’  Association. 
With  reference  to  the  aspersive  letter  by  “  H.  D.,  WarAvick,” 
on  page  518  of  last  week’s  Journal,  one  must  ask,  “  Why  cannot 
the  fact  be  recognised  that  the  association  has  been  definitely 
formed?”  for,  to  insure  its  fullest  success,  unanimity  is  emi¬ 
nently  essential.  If  every  one  of  us  AAdio  has  a  grievance  or  an 
imaginary  one  is  going  to  ventilate  it  in  vitriolic  language,  theAi 
fareAA'ell  to  all  our  hopes  of  elevating  the  calling  of  the  horti¬ 
culturist,  for  the  labours  of  the  leaders  of  the  organisation  Avill 
be  largely  nullified.  It  Avould  surely  be  suicidal  Avere  an  opposi¬ 
tion  party  to  arise  and  attempt  to  prejudice  the  association 
and  its  committee;  but,  happily,  “  H.  D.”  is  vei-y  much  alone 
Avith  his  subversive  antipathies.  His  reference  to  the  “  gigantic 
‘  trusts’  for  the  benefit  of  the  friends  of  the  ‘  inner  circle  ’  ”  is 
a  calumnious  statement,  and  aao  are  to  believe  that  if  “  H.  D.” 
and  his  coterie  Avere  on  the  officership,  their  dpings  Avould  be 
absolutely  unimpeachable  in  everybody’s  eyes.  What  a  superbly 
mysterious  destiny,  that  a  committee  of  Avell-knoAvn  horticul¬ 
turists,  representative  of  every  department  of  horticulture,  from 
all  parts  of  the  Home  Counties,  shoidd  be  endoAved  Avith  one 
chief  aim,  and  that  having  for  its  ultimatum  the  formation  of 
“a  gigantic  trust”  for  the  benefit  of  the  friends  of  the  com¬ 
mittee  ! 
But  Avhile  it  Avould  have  been  more  satisfactory  had  the  com¬ 
mittee  published  the  Prospectus  before  the  Essex  Hall  meeting 
Avas  held,  one  must  remain  satisfied  Avith  Avhat  has  beeii  pro¬ 
posed,  and  trust  to  the  integrity  of  the  Amrious  gentlemen 
Avho  have  been  elected  to  manage  affairs.  Let  envious,  splenetic 
raillery  cease,  a«d  let  us  substitute  in  its  place  a  spirit  of 
courageous  determination  to  shoAv  to  the  Avoi-ld  that  Ave  as 
gardeners,  value  ourseh’^s,  our  services,  and  the  honour  of  our 
ancient  profession.  Employers  Aviil  speedily  recognise  improve¬ 
ment  Avithin  the  ranks,  and  shall  agree  to  remunerate  accord- 
j  ingly-let  there  be  no  fear  of  that.— Kiohard  Morningside. 
