494 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GABDENER. 
November  26,  1903. 
Bottling  Fruit— A  Neglected  Industry. 
A  lecture  on  this  subject  was  given  before  the  Croydon  and 
District  Horticultural  Mutual  Improvement  Society  on  Friday, 
Novembei'  6,  by  Mr.  R.  B.  Leech,  of  M  ood  Hall  Gardens, 
Dulwich.  In  bis  opening  remarks  he  alluded  to  the  great  waste 
of  fruit  which  occurs  in  years  of  plenty,  when  perhaps,  if  the 
knowledge  of  preserving  became  more  widely  circulated,  there 
would  he  ample  supplies  of  this  valuable  commodity  for  years  of 
famine  such  as  we  are  experiencing  this  year,  and  instead  of 
relying  on  the  foreigner  to  supply  our  wants  we  could  well  save 
this  expenditure  by  keeping  a  good  stock  of  the  home  made 
article.  The  first  thing  to  understand  was  that  decay  is 
carried  on  by  bacterial  organisms.  Therefore,  when  com¬ 
mencing  to  preserve  fruit  we  have  to  combat  this  lower  form  of 
plant  life.  The  best  vessels  for  bottling,  he  explained,  are 
some  made  expressly  for  this  purpose.  They  are  Avide  at  the 
neck  to  admit  the  fruit,  and  fitted  Avith  rubber  rings  and 
screAv  capsules,  so  that  all  air  is  excluded  from  the  fruit  Avhen 
properly  sterilised.  The  A^eissels  are  filled  Avith  fruit  and  a 
syrup  made  of  one  pound  pure  cane  sugar,  over  Avhich  a  ciuart. 
of  boiling  water  has  been  poured,  added,  and  the  Avhole  alloAved 
to  cool,  so  that  three  parts  of  the  fruit  in  each  bottle  has  been 
covered.  The  capsule  should  be  slightly  screAved  cloAvn  and  the 
bottles  placed  in  a  boiler  Avith  cold  Avater  reaching  half-Avay  up 
the  bottles.  Tlie  Avater  should  tlien  be  gradually  brought  to 
a  heat  of  ICOdeg,  and  kept  at  this  temperature  for  from  ten 
to  thirty  minutes,  according  to  the  size  of  the  fruit.  The 
maximum  time  would  be  sufficient  for  most  fruits  that  are  fairly 
ripe,  although  the  lecturer  recommended  using  fruit  that  is  not 
too  ripe.  The  capsules  must  then  be  screAved  doAvn  perfectly 
tight,  and  the  bottles  alloAved  to  cool,  being  careful  not  to 
give  them  too  severe  change  of  temperature,  as  that  might 
cause  them  to  crack.  The  bottles  could  then  be  stored  aAvay 
for  some  length  of  time,  and  to  verify  this  he  exhibited  some 
fruit  that  he  had  treated  Avith  this  process  some  three  and  four 
years  ago,  and  AA’hich  Avas  perfectly  sound.  He  alsO'  clAvelt  on 
]naking  jellies,  preserved  meat  and  vegetables,  adding  that 
during  his  experience,  Avhich  extended  back  about  sixteen 
years,  he  had  found  the  instructions  given  in  eveiy^  Avay  satis¬ 
factory. 
Hints  on  Pine  Culture. 
Suceessional  plants  succeed  best  in  span  or  three-quarter 
span — roofed  pits  or  small  houses  properly  ventilated,  for  young 
stock  often  suffer  irreparable  injury  at  this  season  from  being 
kept  too  close  and  Avarm,  also  from  being  croAvded  and  far  from 
the  glass,  the  plants  being  draAvn  and  Aveakly.  A  temperarurs 
of  60deg  at  night  and  65deg  in  the  daytime  will  keep  all  young 
plants  gently  progi’essing,  admitting  a  little  air  at  the  top  of 
the  house  at  65deg,  leaving  it  on  all  day,  but  not  to  loAver  the 
temperature  beloAV’  that  point,  and  Avhen  the  sun  raises  the 
temperature  to  75deg  a  free  circulation  of  air  should  bo  aiic  Aveci. 
The  bottom  heat  should  be  kept  steady  at  80deg.  Avoid  any¬ 
thing  approaching  a  damp  atmosphere  ;  moderate  luimidity  only 
is  needed  at  this  time  of  year.  Apply  Avater  Arhen  the  planls 
become  dry,  and  then  afford  a  thorough  supply  of  weak  liquid 
manure.  It  is  essential  that  the  plants  be  kept  well  uir  to  the 
glass  and  be  given  plenty  of  room. 
Suckers  ready  for  starting  noAv  should  be  kept,  until  March, 
and  if  there  is  likely  to  be  a  scarcity  of  sucikers  any  recently 
potted  may  be  retained  in  oin  pots,  affording  them  a  light  situa¬ 
tion  in  a  rather  narroAv  pit,  with  a  temperature  of  oodeg  at 
night  and  a  slight  bottom  heat,  keeping  them  rather  dry. 
Take  every  opportunity  of  collecting  Oak  and  Beech  leaves,  and 
AvheneA’er  favourable  push  forward  Avhatever  may  be  necessary, 
in  the  reneAving  or  augmenting  the  fermenting  beds,  effecting 
this  Avithout  giving  a  check  to  the  plants. — Practice. 
Figs. 
Succession  Houses. 
Prune  the  trees  Avhen  the  foliage  has  fallen.  Shoots  Avhich 
have  reached  the  limits  of  the  trellis  must  be  cut  back  to  Avhere 
the  .succeeding  shoots  start,  in  order  that  they  may  occupy 
their  places  in  the  coming  season.  Cut  away  all  elongated  spurs, 
reserving,  hoAvever,  as  there  is  room,  a  few'  of  those  that  are 
short -jointed  and  fruitful.  Loo, sen  the  trees  from  the  trellis, 
thoroughly  cleanse  the  woodwork  Avith  soap  and  water,  the 
glass  with  clear  Avater,  limewash  the  Avails,  adding  a  little 
sulphur,  and  Avash  the  trees  with  soapy  Avater,  afterwards  dress¬ 
ing  them  Avith  an  approA’ed  insecticide,  aA'oiding  those  con¬ 
taining  sub.stances  injurious  to  the  bark.  Tie  the  trees  to  the 
trellis,  leaA'ing  .sufficient  space  in  the  ligatures  for  the  SAvelling 
of  the  branches.  Liglitly  point  the  border,  remoA'e  the  loose 
material,  supplj'  fre.sh  loam  Avith  a  sprinkling  of  bonemeal,  and 
scatter  a  few  SAveetened  horse  droppings  on  the  surface.  Venti¬ 
late  freely  in  mild  Aveather,  only  closing  Avhen  frost  preA'ails. — 
Groavee. 
Apple  Imports. 
It  is  expected  that  this  year  the  imports  of  Apples  from 
Canada  will  reach  the  unprecedented  total  of  1,500,000  barrels. 
This  Avill  be  about  half  a  million  barrels  in  excess  of  the  previous 
record,  and  Avill  form  a  high  Avatermark  Avhich  Avill  take  .some 
beating  in  the  future.  At  the  same  time  it  can  scarcely  be  said 
that  the  limit  of  importation  of  the  fruit  can  be  reached  Avhen 
picked  Canadian  Apples  are  now  selling  in  some  of  the  London 
fruit  shops  at  as  much  as  threepence  each.  Something  like  half  a 
million  barrels  have  come  from  Nova  Scotia  alone,  and  an 
instance  of  the  enterprise  of  the  GoAmrnment  of  that  province 
is  afforded  by  the  announcement  now  made  by  Mr.  Howard,  the 
Agent-General,  Avho  states  that  specimens  of  the  exhibition  of 
Nova  Scotia  Apples  now  on  aToav  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Avill  be 
loaned  to  local  collections  on  application  to  his  London  office. 
These  Nova  Scotian  Apples  at  the  Cry.stal  Palace  are  admirable 
in  .'^ize,  Aveight,  and  high  colour. 
West  End  Fruiterers— A  Growing  Trade, 
The  high-class  fruit  and  flower  shops  in  the  West  End  are 
paying  businesses  at  present,  the  profits  of  such  trades  having 
much  improved  of  late  years.  Twenty-five  years  ago  it  Avas 
generally  the  custom  for  Avealthy  and  fashionable  people  to  have 
their  fruit  and  floAvers  sent  up  to  their  London  residences  from 
their  country  homes,  but  noAA'adays  people  find  it  more  convenient 
to  order  their  fruit  in  London,  AA'hich,  of  course,  benefits  the 
London  fruit  merchant  veiy  largely.  Grapes  at  10s.  per  pound 
and  Pears  at  2.s.  6d.  each  are  a  mere  jot  in  the  housekeeping 
expen.ses  of  the  Avealthy  Londoner,  whilst  the  development  of  the 
high-class  restaurant  (.says  the  “  Western  Gazette  ”),  Avhere  the 
desisert  costs  more  than  an  old-fashioned  table  d’hote  dinner, 
has  proA^ed  a  great  .source  of  income  to  the  high-class  fruiterer, 
Avho  can  noAv  ea,sily  afford  to  pay  £1,000  a  year  in  rent  for  his 
shop. 
Farmyard  Manure. 
(Concluded  from  ^mge  443.) 
Treatment  of  Dung  in  the  Field. 
To  save  carting  in  spring,  or  to  empty  the  dungstead  or  the 
yards,  it  is  a  usual  practice,  in  the  course  of  the  Avinter,  to  form 
large  field  storage  heaps.  Doubtless,  in  most  cases,  this  practice 
is  thoroughly  justifiable,  though  the  fact  cannot  be  overlooked 
that  the  opportunities  for  loss  in  such  heaps  are  much  greater 
than  in  a  proper  dungstead,  so  that  field  heaps  should  onlj'  be 
formed  if  they  are  the  means  of  gaining  an  important  end. 
Where  these  heaps  must  be  formed  they  should  be  placed  on  firm, 
leA'el  ground,  and  they  should  be  made  as  deep  and  firm  as 
possible.  The  so-called  “  draAA'-heaps,”  on  to  Avhich  each  cart-load 
is  clraAvn,  thereby  con.solidating  the  mass,  are  the  best.  Sub¬ 
sequently  the  .sides  are  trimmed  up,  and  the  whole  should  be 
coA'ored  Avith  a  layer  of  soil  or  ashes  about  a  foot  thick.  Such 
a  covering  consolidates  the  mass,  prev'ents  to  some  extent  am¬ 
monia  ri.sing  into  the  air,  and  runs  off  rain  Avater. 
When  dung  comes  to  be  spread  on  the  land,  it  should  bo 
distributed  as  equally  as  possible.  Sometimes,  unfortunately, 
one  sees  great  lack  of  care  in  this  respect.  In  some  districts 
dung  is  roughly  spread  straight  from  the  cart,  the  finishing 
touches  being  .subsequently  given.  In  other  districts,  and  more 
frequently,  it  is  laid  doAvn  in  small  heaps  about  six  yards  apart. 
If  it  is  immediately  spread,  no  objection  can  be  taken  to  the 
system,  though  it  may  be  said  that  if  the  dung  is  A-ery  old,  and 
especially  if  it  is  largely  made  from  mo.ss  litter,  the  spots  on 
Avhich  the  heaps  rest  are  apt  to  be  left  over-manured,  and  e.speci- 
ally  is  this  the  ca.se  on  rough  meadoAVS.  Too  often  one  sees  these 
small  heaps  lying  for  days,  and  even  for  weeks,  unspread,  Avith 
the  re.sult  that  the  rain  Avashes  “  the  goodness  ”  from  the  dung 
into  the  patches  on  which  the  heaps  re.st.  These  patches  are 
consequentl.v  over-manured,  whereas  the  rest  of  the  field,  being 
supplied  Avith  impoverished  dung,  suffers  from  insufficient  nourish¬ 
ment. 
With  farmyard  manure,  even  more  than  Avith  artificials,  the 
farmer  should  .so  arrange  matters  that  the  quantity  of  dung  at 
his  disposal  is  distributed  over  as  large  an  area  as  is  consistent 
Avith  practical  convenience.  For  instance,  twenty  tons  of  dung 
.spread  equally  on  two  acres  Avill  give  a  much  better  return  than 
the  same  quantity  spread  on  one  acre,  and  yet  this  rule  is  often 
neglected. 
As  regards  the  time  of  year  when  dung  should  be  applied, 
much  depends  on  the  circumstances  of  the  particular  case.  By 
