September  17,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  cottage  GARDENER. 
269 
Figs  under  Glass. 
Earliest  Forced  Trees  in  Pots. — Figs  are  more  appreciated 
than  formerly,  and  the  earliest  supplies  are  highly  prized  for 
dessert.  Those  out  in  large  pots,  say  13in  or  more,  should  have 
the  roots  examined,  and  as  it  is  not  advisable  to  increase  the 
size  of  pot,  a  few  inches  of,  soil  may  be  removed  from  the  base 
of  the  balls.  Loosen  these  a  little  at  the  sides  to  admit  of  fresh 
compost;  remove  the  surface  soil  as  far  as  loose,  shorten  the 
roots,  and  repot  in  fresh  compost.  Let  this  be  of  turfy  loam, 
with  a  sixth  of  old  mortar  rubbish,  and  a  handfvd  of  bonemeal 
with  a  quart  of  wood  ashes  and  a  pint  of  soot  to  each  bushel  of 
compost,  thoroughly  incorporated.  Afford  a  good  watering,  and 
place  the  trees  where  they  can  have  plenty  of  air,  with  shelter 
from  heavy  rains  and  snow,  also  safety  from  frost. 
Trees  in  large  pots  that  are  stood  on  brick  pedestals  to  pre¬ 
vent  their  sinking  require  different  treatment.  In  their  case 
every  particle  of  old  fermenting  material  (Oak  or  Beech  leaves) 
should  be  removed,  also  all  the  surface  dressing  from  amongst 
the  roots,  with  a  handfork.  After  shortening  the  strongest  roots 
and  attending  to  the  drainage,  applj^  a  surface  dressing  of  the 
comimst  named,  with  a  fifth  of  well-rotted  manure  added,  and 
ram  it  firmly  into  the  pots.  Supply  water  to  settle  the  soil,  and 
after  that  keep  the  house  cool,  dry,  and  well-ventilated  until  the 
time  of  starting  in  November  or  December.  This  method 
answers  well  for  trees  in  18in  or  20in  pots. 
Succession  Houses.- — Remove  all  soft  and  useless  growths, 
thin  out  where  crowded,  and  when  the  fruit  is  gathered,  cut 
away  the  growths  that  have  reached  the  extremity  of  the  trellis, 
and  are  not  necessary  for  next  year’s  bearing. 
Unsatisfactory  Trees. — Unfruitfulness  is  generally  a  result  of 
exuberance,  and  commonly  induced  by  too  large  and  too  rich 
borders.  Lifting  sterile  trees  is  a  certain  means  of  promoting 
fertility,  and  should  be -  performed  as  .soon  as  the  leaves  have 
commenced  turning  yellow.  Good  drainage  is  of  great  impor¬ 
tance,  and  should  not  be  less  than  a  foot  thick  with  a  drain 
to  cai'ry  off  superfluous  water.  There  is  nothing  better  for 
drainage  than  brickbats,  with  a  thin  layer  over  them  of  old 
mortar  rubbish.  Good  turfy  loam,  preferably  calcareous  forma¬ 
tion  and  interspersed  with  calcareous  gravel  or  flints,  when  it 
needs  no  admixture,  otherwise  add  a  sixth  of  old  mortar  rubbish 
and  a  similar  proportion  of  road  scrapings.  This  forms  a  suitable 
compost  for  Figs,  and  2ft  depth  of  border  is  ample.  The  com- 
po.st  should  be  moderately  moist  when  used,  and  a  watering  given 
to  settle  it.  Keep  the  house  cool  and  dry.  A  border  of  about 
one-third  the  width  of  the  trellis,  sa}-  4ft  to  6ft,  is  much  better 
than  a  wude  border,  for  what  is  wanted  is  a  sweet  calcareous  soil 
firmly  put  together,  yet  so  friable  as  to  admit  of  the  free 
percolation  of  water  through  consistently  with  retaining  the 
elements  essential  to  the  production  of  Figs.— Grower. 
Pine  Suckers. 
Those  recently  started  should  be  raised  near  the  glass  as  soon 
as  the  roots  are  iilentifully  made,  so  as  to  secure  a  sturdy, 
thoroughly  solidified  growth,  especially  in  plants  intended  to  be 
wintered  in  small  iiots.  When  the  suckers  become  well  rooted, 
transfer  the  stronge.st  started  in  late  summer  to  the  fruiting  pots 
at  once,  draining  these  well.  Employ  the  fibrous  part  only  of 
.sound  turfy  loam,  in  lumps  proportionate  to  the  size  of  the  pots. 
Jamaicas  are  apt  to  become  weak  and  attenuated  in  grow'th  when 
grown  in  large  pots;  9in  or  lOin  suffice  for  them,  and  they  must 
not  be  grown  a;vvay  from  the  glass,  or  be  kept  very  close  and 
moist.  Queens  succeed  in  lOin  pots,  or  very  strong  plants  may 
be  given  a  little  more  root  space,  say  llin  pots  ;  Envilles  have  all 
their  requirements  as  regards  soil  supplied  in  lOin  pots.  Smooth¬ 
leaved  Ca5’ennes  succeed  in  lOin  pots,  llin  at  most,  and  Pro¬ 
vidence  in  llin  or  12in  pots.  The  small  plants  should  bo  shifted 
into  7in  or  Sin  pots,  in  which  they  must  be  kept  until  spring. 
Plunge  the  pots  in  a  bottom  heat  of  OOdeg  to  95deg,  in  which 
tfiev  must  be  continued  until  the  roots  have  taken  freely 
to  the  fresh  compost,  when  they  may  be  raised,  a  temperature 
of  Sodeg  being  afterw'ards  sufficient. 
Growing  Stock. — Young  plants  require  free  ventilation  on  all 
favourable  occasions  to  keep  them  in  a  healthy,  .sturdy  condition, 
maintaining  a  night  temperature  of  60deg  to  Gfideg,  with  odeg 
to  lOdeg  more  by  day  artificially,  unless  dull  and  cold,  and  keep 
at  80deg  to  85deg  from  sun  heat.  Ventilate  early  in  the  day, 
but  not  so  as  to  lower  the  temperature,  keeping  the  bottom  heat 
steady  at  80deg.  Water  the  plants  whenever  they  require  it, 
employing  weak  an'.l  tepid  liquid  manure.  Avo’d  the  use  of  the 
syringe  too  frequently,  as  sprinkling  the  plants  in  the  morning 
and  evening  will  suffice  in  all  but  verv'  bright  weather.  Fruiting 
plants  should  have  a  night  temperature  of  TOdeg,  with  80deg 
to  90deg  by  day,  closing  at  8jdeg. — Practice. 
A  Pot  Nectarine. 
Following  the  article  on  “Orchard  Houses”  in  our  preceding 
issue,  we  have  had  a  specimen  pot  Peach  tree  figured.  Trees 
.such  as  the  one  on  thi'^  page  are  amongst  the  most  profitable 
subjects  in  a  garden.  Year  after  year,  for  thirty  years  on  end, 
the  same  sized  pots  will  do  for  them,  and  every  season  they  can 
be  expected  to  yield  a  good  crop.  By  reducing  the  root-ball 
annually,  and  supplying  fresh,  rich,  loamy  compost,  the  tree 
maintains  its  fertile  condition.  The  orchard  house  treatment  is 
simple,  and  a  large  number  of  varieties  of  all  kinds  of 
fruits  can  be  grown  side  by  side.  Me.ssrs.  Rivers  and  Son,  of 
Sawbridgeworth,  make  a  speciality  of  such  specimen  pot  trees  as 
the  one  we  here  notice. 
Straw? berries  In  Pots. 
The  plants  must  not  be  neglected  in  watering,  but  they  are 
.seriously  injured  by  continuous  needless  watering.  The  v'arieties 
intended  for  early  forcing  should  soon  be  given  the  protection 
0 
of  frames,  oiilj'  using  the  lights  in  frosty  weather  and  to  throw 
off  heavy  rains  and  snow,  ventilating  freely  when  the  weather  is 
mild,  withdrawing  the  lights  when  fair,  and  when  wet  tilting 
them.  Any  plants  that  have  the  soil  verj'  wet,  and  remain  so 
for  some  time  without  watering,  should  have  the  drainage  seen 
to.  The  crowns  are  often  too  numerous,  though  some  varieties, 
as  La  Grosse  Sucree,  are  single  crowned,  while  other  sorts,  as 
^hcomte.‘•se  Hericart  de  Thury,  have  many  crowns. 
Where  a  number  of  small  crowns  cluster  round  the  central 
one.  remove  the  small  ones  sideways  with  a  wedge-like  piece  of 
wood  without  injuring  the  central  crown  or  crowns  or  the  leaves. 
This  will  concentrate  all  the  vigour  of  the  plant  on  the  chief 
crown  or  crowns,  and  though  there  will  be  fewer  trusses  of  bloom 
there  is  no  need  to  fear  a  deficiency  of  crop.  There  is  nothing 
like  a  loose  surface  for  Strawberries  in  pots,  which  prevents  the 
soil  leaving  the  sides  of  the  pots,  and  admits  of  the  water  pa.s.sing 
evenly  through  the  ball,  moistening  the  soil  thoroughly. 
A  little  dried  cow  manure  or  horse  droppings,  rubbed  through 
a  jin  sieve,  applied  to  the  .surface  of  the  pots,  will  keep  all  right 
there.  Remove  all  runners,  as  they  appear,  also  weeds,  and  do 
not  allow  the  plants  to  suffer  through  want  of  room,  giving  them 
plenty  of  space  for  the  full  exposiire  of  the  foliage  to  light  and 
air,  which  is  essential  to  a  steady  growth,  and  plump,  well- 
developed  crowns. — G.  .\. 
