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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  8,  1903. 
Pot  Culture  of  Fruit  Trees. 
The  value  of  this  method  of  cultivating  Peaches  and  Nec¬ 
tarines  cannot  be  over-estimated.  In  establishments  where  the 
demand  for  fruit  is  large,  and  where  fruit  houses  are  limited,  pot 
culture  of  fruit  trees  should  specially  recommend  itself.  Houses 
that  are  occupied  with  fruit  trees  in  summer  may  during  the 
vunter  be  filled  with  Chrysantheiinums,  Azaleas,  bedding  stuffs, 
or  other  plants  that  need  protection. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  from  trees  trained  on  trellises 
occupying  a  whole,  or  part,  of  a  house  we  get  a  good  supply  of 
fine  fruit,  but  it  has  this  di.sadvantage,  that  too  many  fruits  are 
ripe  at  the  same  time,  and  must  of  necessity  be  gathered  and 
used  immediately,  as,  unlike  Grapes,  they  will  not  hang  until 
required  ;  eonsequently,  there  is  for  a  time  an  over-abundance, 
and  then  none  at  all.  Now,  with  trees  grown  in  pots,  this  would 
not  happen,  for  where  we  grow  one  tree  on  a  trellis  we  can  grow 
half  a  clozen  or  more  in  pots,  in  one  or  more  varieties,  and  in 
different  stages  of  growth ;  and  instead  of  one  tree  and  a  supply 
of  fruit  of  short  duration,  we  have  several  trees  giving  us  a  pro¬ 
longed  supply,  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be  easily  disposed  of. 
This  is  an  advantage  of  considerable  importance  where  a  long 
supply  of  fruit  is  rec^uired. 
In  commencing  the  culture  of  fruit  trees  in  pots,  it  is  better 
to  begin  with  treevs  specially  prepared  for  the  purpo.se.  The 
pyramid  is  the  form  of  tree  best  adapted  for  this  method  of  cul¬ 
ture;  but  where  there  are  lofty  houses  standards  or  half-stan¬ 
dards  may  be  u.sed  if  desired.  Whichever  form  is  decided  on, 
trees  of  a  fruiting  size  should  be  obtained ;  by  so  doing  much 
time  will  be  saved. 
When  the  trees  arrive  from  the  nursery  it  will  be  necessary 
to  repot  them;  shake  away  some  of  the  old  soil,  and  cut  off  all 
suckers;  drain  the  pots  thoroughly,  and  use  good  turfy  loam,  to 
which  may  be  added  some  lime  rubble,  wood  ashes,  and  a  little 
bonemeal ;  pot  firmly,  and  leave  a  space  of  a  few  inches  on  the 
top  for  a  summer  dressing.  When  completed  stand  outside  with 
a  slate  under  each  pot  to  keep  out  the  worms.  To  prevent  break¬ 
age  by  frost  cover  the  pots  with  ashes  or  some  other  suitable 
material . 
Before  forcing  operations  commence,  the  heads  of  the  trees 
should  be  overhauled  and  the  necessary  pruning  done ;  very 
little  will  be  needed  if  disbudding  has  been  properly  attended 
to.  other  than  shortening  long  or  unripened  shoots,  shortening 
being  advisable  for  pot  grown  trees.  The  time  for  moving  the 
early  ones  inside  will  depend  on  the  time  the  fruit  is  req,uired ; 
but  six  or  seven  months  should  be  allowed  from  starting  to 
finish.  W^'hen  the  trees  are  in  bloom  assist  them  to  set  their 
fruits  by  keeping  the  house  dry  and  airy,  and  by  a  daily  use  of 
the  camel-hair  brush  upon  the  flowers.  As  the  late  varieties 
show  signs  of  expanding  flowers  they  must  be  placed  under 
shelter ;  but  when  the  fruit  is  set,  and  all  fear  of  frost  past,  they 
may  be  stood  in  some  sunny  spot  outside.  This  will  have  a 
tendency  to  .still  further  retard  them;  they  must,  however,  be 
placed  inside  again  as  they  show  signs  of  ripening,  or  as  the 
early  ones  are  brought  out. 
During  summer,  when  the  trees  are  growing  fast  and  swelling 
fruit,  they  must  have  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  or  disap¬ 
pointment  and  failure  will  be  the  result.  Further,  having  only 
limited  root  space,  feeding  should  commence  early,  and  be  con¬ 
tinued  until  the  fruits  commence  to  ripen.  A  top-dressing  of 
rich  loam  and  horse  droppings  may  be  given  in  space  left  at 
potting  time,  when  the  fruits  are  about  an  inch  in  diameter. 
When  the  roots  have  taken  possession  of  this,  manure  water  from 
the  cow  sheds,  dis.solved  bones,  and  other  fertilisers  may  be  used 
alternately  with  clear  water  with  good  results. 
As  the  leaves  turn  yellow  and  begin  to  fall  off,  repot  any  that 
need  it,  though  this  will  hardly  be  necessary  more  than  once  in 
two  years,  or  remove  a  few  inches  of  surface  soil  and  top-dress 
with  the  matierial  as  advised  for  potting.  This  will  destroy  some 
fibrous  roots,  but  that  is  of  little  consequence.  The  same  sized 
pots  will  do  for  a  number  of  years,  and  large  crops  of  good 
flavoured  fruits  may  be  obtained  for  five  or  six  months  out  of 
the  twelve. — P. 
Pines. 
Plants  Showing  Fruit. — These  will  be  valuable  when  the 
fruit  is  scarce  and  dear,  therefore  afford  such  plants  the  best 
positions  in  the  fruiting  department.  Maintain  a  temperature 
cf  70cleg  at  night,  75deg  artificially  by  day,  up  to  85deg  to  90deg 
with  sun,  closing  at  85deg,  sprinkling  the  paths  when  their  sur¬ 
face  become.s  dry,  and  occasionally  the  plants  on  fine  afternoons. 
Keep  the  bottom  heat  steady  at  8odeg  to  OOdeg.  Examine  the 
plants  once  a  week  for  watering,  and  if  any  require  it  afford  a 
supply  of  clear  licjfuid  manure  at  about  the  same  temperature 
as  that  of  the  beds.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  overwater  the 
truitens,  as  that  has  a  tendency  to  cause  the  fruit,  when  cut,  to 
be  black  at  the  centre. 
Plants  to  Fruit  Early.— Queens  are  the  best  for  this  pur¬ 
pose,  but  there  is  not  always  a  certainty  of  their  doing  so  unless 
they  are  given  a  period  of  comparative  rest  after  making  good 
powth.  Plants  intended  for  .starting  at  the  new  year  should  be 
kept  in  a  temperapre  of  about  65deg  in  the  daytime  by  artificial 
means,  bOcleg  at  night,  ventilating  at  70deg,  closing  at  that,  and 
allowing  the  bottom  heat  to  fall  to  70deg  to  75deg  Water  the 
plants  only  when  necessary,  but  do  not  allow  them  to  become  so 
dry  as  to  cause  the  foliage  to  become  limp. 
Yotng  Plants.-— All  young  stock  should  now  be  arranged  so  as 
to.  obtain  the  fullest  benefit  of  light  and  air.  As  the  sun 
dpimsps  a  corresponding  diminution  of  temperature  must  take 
place  at  night,  until  it  reaches  the  winter  .standard  of  55deg  to 
bUdeg  at  night,  and  Gocleg  in  the  daytime.,  Ventilate  freely 
whenper  conditions  are  pvourable,  paying  particular  attentibn 
to  watenng.  Examine  plants  about  once  a  week,  and  whenever 
The  Log^anberry. 
futuJ^  ^b^indispensable  fruits  of  the  near 
tuture.  Already  it  is  found  in  almost  every  garden,  and  in  noble 
ptates  it  has  been  cultivated  beyond  the  tentative  stage  till  at 
Itll  ’’’'"If''*  “V  in  suitable  pllcee  gene- 
sPooess.  Beyond  the  tact  thSt  th^,  fruits  tot 
which  Mr.  Geo.  Shayler  s  drawing  is  a  life-size  representations 
taken  from  the  bushes,  the  robust  growth 
o?  trdlise®®  of  the  plant  IS  ornamental,  either  on  walls,  palings, 
T  Logpben-y  can  be  grown  similarly  to  Ea|>^ 
berries,  though  we  believe  a  lighter  .soil,  or  one  of  ncher  biE 
r^se^sT^stt  n'-""  -11  on,  is  helpZ 
The  ^ruclcly-brown  calyces  are  characteristic  features  of  the 
f^b^eke’'^  earher  growth.  Me.ssrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Ltd  ,  of 
Chelsea,  recpved  a  First  Class  Certificate  this  year  fo^  theS 
— Tn  novelty,  but  it  is  in  the  hands  of  the  entire  trade 
a  l  the  nurserymen — ^so  tliat  stock  i,S'  easily  secured  The 
fruits  are  nearly  black  in  colour,  with  a  flavou?  “  slightly  more 
acid  than  a  Blackbeiry,”  and  with  a  faint  Mulberry  ad^dition. 
Raspberry  Culture. 
The  Easpberry  is  msually  propagated  from  suckers  •  these  are 
taken  up  and  planted  in  November.  The  ones  fS  growinir  ab 
from  the  parent  plant  are  the  best  for  tlfe  purpose 
as  they  generally  lift  with  an  abundance  of  fibrous  roots  Almost 
nrodu^pt^^°“  seems  to  suit  Easpberries,  but  the  finest  fruits  are 
produced  on  plants  grown  on  an  open  piece  of  ground  The  nlot 
btelanCn^  "betelVt^  '"'7^  "  pf-”atio 
ueiuie  planting,  be  well  trenched,  and  plenty  of  well  rlppa^rpri 
The  ZaZlZn,.  fCN  C  fl-t  ueetS^^.'' 
circu.nst.JSyZ  .uh£d  fsT hS'^itee^blS  tSthef  IS 
bifs  " 
s- hSsKsSg"  its  its?  isti; 
and  distance  between  the  rows  should  be  five'or  six  feet 
Establishfo  Pt  beginning  to  move, 
fallen  shorten  bark  to  each  stool.  When  the  leaves  have 
iugtlleSStVe  piute™' ThS  ““‘T" 
eaflier  yarieties,  Idth  &"teptt  o77i;Stunir''“cU°  11;“ 
canes  right  down  in  January  or  February  and  thin  o^i  +b 
as  soon  as  they  can  be  hanclled  retaining  nnW+i  shoots 
The  fruit  will  be  produced  at  the  ton  ^nf  IT  ^  ™ost  vigorous. 
autumn.-G.  E.,  Waddesdon  ^  ^^e 
