August  20,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
183 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES— The  luiclseason  varieties 
are  now  attaining  full  size,  and  the  fruits  coinniencing  to  colour. 
They  must  have  the  benefit  of  full  exposure  to  light  and  sunshine, 
with  free  acc&ss  of  air  among  the  branches  and  shoots.  To  attain 
this  end  the  growths  ought  to  be  carefully' laid  in,  and  leaves 
shading  the  fruits  drawn  on  one  side.  As  far  as  possible  cut  out 
all  superfluous  shoots — that  is,  weakl}^  or  ill-placed  growths  which 
will  be  of  no'  use  to  train  in  as  future  bearing  shoots.  Crowding 
is  detrimental  to  the  fruit,  and  a  great  means  of  preventing  the 
wood  ripening  as  it  ought.  Further  attention  must  be  paid  to 
this  when  the  fruit  has  been  gathered  by  removing  the  bearing 
shoots.  Affix  nets  below  the  fruit  when  ripening  to  prevent  the 
best  samples  from  falling  and  becoming  bi’uised.  Give  liquid 
manure,  and  a  mulching  to  the  late  varieties,  disposing  the  shoots 
thinly,  and  admitting  light  to  the  fruit. 
Young  trees  not  yet  in  bearing  must  have  the  branches  and 
shoots  disposed  so  as  to  well  balance  the  growth.  In  addition 
to  the  removal  of  weakly  shoots,  the  strong  and  rampant  must 
be  prevented  taking  too  much  lead.  Cut  out  all  that  cannot 
readily  be  laid  in  and  prove  serviceable.  The  first  opportunity 
should  be  taken  as  soon  as  trees  are  clear  of  fruit  to  give  a 
thorough  syringing.  If  comparatively  clean,  clear  water  only  may 
be  used,  but  infestations  of  insects  require  the  applications  of 
insecticide. 
GOOSEBERRIES. — Free  grown  bu.shes  ought  to  be  looked 
over  as  soon  as  the  fruit  has  been  cleared  from  them,  reducing 
the  crowded  interior,  and  thinning  out  generally,  in  order  that 
the  ripening  of  the  wood  may  be  facilitated.  Cut  back  the  side 
shoots  of  cordons  on  walls  or  fences  if  not  previously  done,  leaving 
three  pairs  of  leaves.  After  the  continued  moist  weather  weeds 
have  grown  rankly  among  fruit  bushes,  and  need  prompt  removal. 
CURRANTS. — The  side  shoots  on  the  main  branches  of  Red 
and  White  Currants  are  better  for  being  shortened  back  to  a 
few  leaves,  as  it  will  help  the  basal  buds,  which  will  produce  the 
fruit  to  develop.  Black  Currants  may  undergo  the  process  of 
thinning,  merely  cutting  out  the  old  bearing  shoots,  weakljq 
crowded,  and  interlacing  branches,  and  regulating  the  re¬ 
mainder. 
GATHERING  EARLY  APPLES  AND  PEARS.— Some  of  the 
small  early  varieties  of  Apples,  including  Irish  Peach,  American 
Mother,  and  Mr.  Gladstone,  may  be  gathered  and  eaten  direct  from 
the  trees  on  becoming  ready  to  pick.  As  a  rule.  Pears  ought  not  to 
be  left  on  the  trees  to  fully  ripen,  but  gather  them  when  they  part 
readily  from  the  spurs.  Spread  the  fruits  out  thinlj’  in  "a  box 
or  di’awer  for  a  few  days  when  they  will  be  ready  for  use.  Summer 
Doyenne,  Jargonelle,  Williams’  Bon  Chretien,  Citron  des  Cannes, 
and  Beurre  Superfin  are  good  early  varieties. 
OUTDOOR  VINES. — Liberal  treatment  must  be  given  to 
ensure  the  Grapes  swelling  to  their  full  size,  and  finishing  off 
with  good  colour  and  quality.  A  free  but  not  crowded  growth  of 
laterals  may  be  permitted,  keeping  them  from  unduly  extending 
by  judicious  shortening.  Admit  plenty  of  light  to  white  Grapes, 
black  varieties  needing  more  shade  to  ripen  properly.  It  is 
assumed  that  the  berries  in  the  bunches  have  been  properly 
thinned  out,  and  the  bunches  reduced  to  a  fair  number.  A 
mulching  of  manure  over  the  roots  will  be  appreciated  by  the 
Vines,  especially  should  hot,  drying  weather  prevail.  WateV  and 
liquid  manure  may  be  given  freely  over  the  mulching. 
AUTUMN  PRUNING  FRUIT  TREES.— If  there  is  an  oppor- 
tunitj"  of  relieving  trees  overburdened  with  crowded  wood,  the 
first  opportunity  may  be  taken  to  carry  out  the  work,  not  wait¬ 
ing  until  winter,  the  usual  time  for  pruning  and  thinning.  The 
present  time  offers  facilities  for  judging  to  what  extent  thinning 
out  is  necessar3’  better  than  winter  when  the  trees  are  bare  of 
foliage.  Trees  on  which  fruit  is  hanging  cannot  be  dealt  with 
until  it  is  removed,  but  others  which  may  have  had  an  indifferent, 
or  no  crop,  are  ready  for  examination.  In  the  case  of  standard 
and  free  growing  trees  generally  much  crowded  wood  and  spray 
in  the  interior  parts  of  the  trees  should  be  removed  first.  Follow 
next  with  the  principal  branches,  carefully  effecting  the  removal 
of  all  that  do  not  stand  clear,  but  press  into  others.  When  light 
is  excluded  fruitful  buds  cannot  form  at  the  base  of  shoots  which 
make  strong  efforts  to  reach  the  light,  and  therefore  bear  onl.y 
at  the  extremities.  Restricted  trees,  too,  if  allowed  to  retain 
too  many  branches  or  cordons  must  necessarily  have  elongated 
spurs  which  are  usuall.v  crowded  and  unfruitful.  It  is  advisable 
to  thin  out  these  branches  to  a  distance  not  less  than  a  foot  apart, 
also  to  shorten  the  spurs,  and  thin  them  out.  Whole  clusters  may 
oe  removed,  sometimes  with  advantage. — East  Kent. 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CUCUMBERS. — Old  plants  bearing  from  an  earl.v  part  of  the 
season  produce  fruit  about  this  time  with  “  knobbj-  ”  ends.  These 
are  capital  for  seed,  but  they  are  poor  for  use.  To  keep  the 
plants  producing  straight  fruits,  old  growths  should  be  cut  out, 
and  j'oung  encouraged.  Train  this  thinlj',  removing  old  leaves  to 
make  room  for  new,  and  stopping  at  one  joint  bej-ond  the  fruit. 
The  surface  soil  should  be  removed,  and  fresh  lump,v  loam  sup¬ 
plied.  Plants  in  frames  maj'  be  restored  to  vigour  by  a  free 
thinning  out  of  the  shoots,  suppljung  fresh  loam  in  lump,v  state, 
and  laying  a,  few  of  the  most  promising  growths  at  a  joint,  giving 
a  moderate  watering  and  a  sprinkling  over  the  foliage  on  bright 
afternoons,  closing  at  about  3  p.m.  The  autumn  fruiting 
plants  must  be  encouraged  to  make  a  strong  growth  bj’  earthing 
betimes,  applying  enough  soil  each  time  to  cover  the  protruding 
roots,  and  taking  care  to  have  the  soil  moist  and  warm.  Supply 
water  to  the  roots  onlj'  when  wanted,  and  give  a  thorough  supply 
each  time.  Syringe  at  3  p.m.,  damping  in  the  morning,  at 
noon,  and  in  the  evening  in  bright  weather.  Maintain  a  night 
temperature  of  6odeg  to  70deg,  70deg  to  75deg  by  day.  artificially, 
SOdeg  to  90deg  from  sun  heat,  and  close  so  as  to  retain  90deg, 
95deg,  or  even  lOOdeg. 
MELONS. — In  the  case'  of  the  latest  plants  the  leading  shoot 
should  not  be  stopped  until  it  reaches  two-thirds  across  the  trellis, 
rubbing  off  the  laterals  up  to  the  lowest  wire,  and  then  every 
alternate  one  on  opposite  sides  of  the  primary.  Maintain  a  tem¬ 
perature  of  65deg  to  70deg  at  night.  70deg  to  75deg  by  day,  SOdeg 
to  90deg  with  sun  heat,  closing  earty  so  as  to  run  up  to  90deg  or 
even  lOOdeg.  Stopping  the  laterals  should  not  be  practised  unless 
the  plants  are  weak,  and  they  do  not  show  fruit  at  the  second  or 
third  joint.  Weakly  plants  should  have  the  first  shows  of  fruits 
removed.  Earlj’  ventilation  and  plenty  of  light  are  essential. 
The  last  plants  in  pits  and  frames  are  .swelling  the  fruit  freely. 
Earth  the  roots  if  neceissarju  but  late  plants  on  manure-heatedl 
beds  do  not  require  much  soil.  Close  early,  affording  the  need¬ 
ful  supplies  of  water,  not  allowing  the  laterals  to  interfere  in  any 
way  with  the  principal  leaves.  If  the  weather  be  dull,  afford 
good  linings,  and  admit  a  little  air,  as  nothing  is  so  fatal  to 
quality  in  the  fruit  as  a  close  atmosphere.  Practise  sprinkling 
only  in  fine  afternoons.  Graduallj^  withhold  water  at  the  roots, 
and  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  from  plants  ripening  fruit. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES  :  EARLY  FORCED  TREES. 
—The  leaves  will  soon  be  off,  but  there'  must  not  be  any  attempt 
to  forcibly  remove  them.  When  leafless,  loosen  the  trees  from, 
the  trellis,  cleanse  the  house,  attending  to  needful  repairs,  and 
painting  the  woodwork  and  trellis.  Whatever  pruning  is  neces¬ 
sary  should  be  done  as  soon  as  the  house  is  put  in  order.  Dress 
the  trees  with  an  insecticide.  In  applying  insecticides  take  care 
to  reach  everj'  part,  and  use  the  brush  in  such  a  manner  as  not 
to  disturb  the  buds.  Trees  cleansed  and  neatly  secured  to  the 
trellis,  look  and  are  better  than  those  left  untrimmed  until  the 
latest  period  before  starting.  Remove  the  mulching  and  loose 
surface  soil,  giving  fresh  loam  with  an  admixture  of  a  fifth  part 
of  thoroughlv  decaved  manure. 
PLANTING  OR  LIFTING  TREES  FOR  EARLY  FORCING. 
— Where  new  houses  or  fresh  trees  have  to  be  inserted,  and  fruit 
is  wanted  at  an  early  period,,  the  trees  should  be  planted  at  as 
early  a  time  as  consistent  with  safety.  The  most  suitable  trees 
are  those  that  have  been  trained  three  or  four  years  under  glass 
or  on  walls,  and  have  been  lifted  annually  or  biennially. 
Those  against  walls,  if  intended  for  moving,  to  be  started  early, 
might  iiow,  especially  if  there  is  any  tendeney  to  q.  late  growth, 
or  any  doubt  as  to  the  maturity  of  the  Avood  and  buds,  have  the 
soil  taken  out  as  deeply  as  the  roots,  one-third  the  distance  from 
the  stem  that  the  trees  extend,  letting  the  trench  remain  open  for 
a  fortnight  or  three  Aveeks,  Avlien  it  may  be  refilled,  but  do  not 
alloAV  the  trees  to  suffer  from  insufficient  supplies  of  AA-ater  Avhilst 
the  trench  is  open.  This  Avill  effectually  check  the'  groAvth  and 
insure  its  ripening-,  Avhilst  it  Avill  materially  assist  lifting  the 
trees  Avith  a  mass  of  fibrous  roots.  Plant  the  trees  for  early 
forcing  bj'  the  end  of  September. 
LIFTING  EARLY  FORCED  TREES  should  conunence  as  soon 
as  the  leaves  give  indication  of  falling.  Soil  and  drainage 
materials  ouglit  to  be  in  readiness,  so  that  the  Avork  can  be  per¬ 
formed  Avith  dispatch.  The  mould  maj'  consist  of  any  good  loam, 
preferabi.y  rather  strong  and  calcareous.  Any  deficiencj^  of  cal¬ 
careous  substances  may  be  overcome  bA'  an  addition  of  chalk  to 
sandy  soil,  and  of  old  mortar  rubbish  to  heavj’  soil.  New 
borders  must  liaA’c  efficient  drainage,  the  bottom  of  the  border 
being  concreted  if  the  strata,  beneath  be  unfaA'ourable,  or,  tetter, 
laid  tA-ith  bricks  on  flat  run  in  cement,  the  border  being  enclosed 
Avith  Avails  .so  as  to  confine  the  roots,  but  it  mu.st  have  3in.  drain, 
AA'ith  proper  fall  and  outlet,  the  bottom  of  the  bolder,  Avhether 
concrete  or  cement,  falling  to  the  drains.  A  border  one-third  the 
Avidtli  of  the  trellis  Avill  bo  .sufficient  in  first  in.stance,  and  need 
not  at  any  time  exceed  the  Avidth  of  the  trellis.  The  best 
varieties  for  very  earlv  forcing  are  Early  Loui.=e,  Stirling  Castle, 
or  Royal  George  Peaches;  Cardinal,  Early  Rivers  or  StaiiAvick 
Elruge  Nectarines. 
