December  24,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
591 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
The  Editor  welcomes  short  letters  from  under  gardeners.  Letters  should  be  con¬ 
fined  to  500  words  in  length,  should  be  written  only  on  one  side  of  the  paper, 
as  clearly  as  possible,  with  one  inch  space  at  both  top  and  bottom,  as  well 
as  at  the  sides,  llie  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers  must  accompany 
all  coiiimunications,  not  necessarily  for  publication,  but  as  a  guarantee  of 
good  faith.  If  these  points  are  not  respected,  the  letters  cannot  be  considered. 
The  Etephanotis  in  an  Intermediate  House. 
The  Stephanotis  will  thrive  well  in  an  intermediate  house.  I 
know  of  many  that  do,  and  even  if  a  little  later  in  their  bloom¬ 
ing,  they  are  excellent  in  every  respect.  If  grown  in  the  latter 
temperature,  they  do  not  require  too  shady  a  place,  and  .scarcely 
so  much  water.  Mealy  bug  is  the  great  enemy.  This,  with  the 
many  valuable  fumigating  compounds  and  insecticides,  is  easily 
exterminated  in  the  early  stages.  Once  let  it  get  a  firm  hold, 
and  a  year’s  attention  is  soon  gone — R.  P. 
Greenhouse  Lachenalias. 
These  free-flowering  greenhouse  bulbs  give  a  grand  display 
during  the  spring  months,  whether  grown  in  pots,  as  an  edging 
to  the  stages,  or  in  wire  baskets  suspended  from  the  roof,  the 
latter  method  being  very  effective.  Natives  of  South  Africa, 
it  is  essential  to  their  well  doing  that  after  the  flowering  period 
the  bulbs  receive  a  thorough  ripening,  placing  them  in  as  sunny 
a  position  as  po.ssible.  About  the  middle  of  Augmst  shake  out 
the  bulbs  from  the  old  soil,  and  prepare  a  compost  consisting 
of  about  two  parts  of  loam  and  one  of  leaf  soil,  together  with 
a  liberal  addition  of  coarse  sand  or  lime  rubble,  and  a 
sprinkling  of  finely-sifted  dried  cow  or  sheep  manure,  aiming 
to  keep  mixture  as  porous  as  possible. 
If  they  are  to  be  grown  in  pots,  five-inch  size  will  be  found 
suitable,  having  them  well  crocked  and  clean,  placing  five  or 
six  bulbs  in  a  pot,  selecting  the  bulbs  for  each  pot  as  evenly  as 
possible.  If,  however,  they  are  to  be  grown  in  baskets,  have 
them  well  lined  with  fresh  moss,  in  the  bottom  of  wdiich  put  a 
fine  layer  of  soil,  and  place  some  of  the  bulbs  upside  down  at  a 
distance  of  about  3in  apart,  and  gradually  work  up  the  sides, 
finishing  on  the  surface,  aiid  just  covering  them  with  soil. 
Place  them  in  a  cool,  shaded  house,  and  syringe  to  keep  them 
moist,  but  apply  water  carefully  until  growth  becomes  more 
advanced,  when  it  can  be  more  liberally  given. 
When  the  flower  spikes  begin  to  show,  give  some  weak 
application  of  an  approved  fertiliser  once  or  twice  a  week, 
but  avoid  pouring  it  into  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  or  the  spikes 
will  probably  decay.  At  this  period  a  slightly  warmer  situation 
will  help  to  bring  up  the  flowers,  but  as  long  as  the  night 
temperature  does  not  fall  much  below  40deg  Fahr.,  they  will 
take  no  harm.  The  two  varieties  most  commonly  met  with  are 
L.  tricolor  and  L.  Nelsoni,  of  which  I  prefer  the  latter. — 
Journeyman. 
The  Bee-keeper. 
Reply  to  “X.  Y.  Z.” — The  hornet  is  larger  than  the  wasp, 
and  may  be  distinguished  from  the  British  .species  of  the  latter 
by  its  reddi.sh  tint,  and  red  .spots  on  the  sides  of  the  abdomen. 
It  generally  builds  its  nest  in  trees.  Queen  wasps  (the  females 
propeQ  have  .stings.  They  are  larger  than  the  males,  or  workers^ 
sometime.s  equal  in  weight  to  six  of  the  workers,  and  produce 
both  males  and  females.  The  smaller  females  lay  only  drone 
eggs.  The  queen  bee  also  has  a  sting,  which  is  used  principally 
against  rivals.  It  is  similar  in  structure  but  curved  and  longer 
than  that  of  the  worker,  with  from  three  to  fiA-e  very  small  barbs. 
The  poi.son  sac  contains  only  a  milky  substance  entirely  different 
to  the  venom  of  the  worker. 
• 
- - 
Trade  Note. 
Messrs.  Cooper,  Taber  and  Co.,  Limited,  whole, sale  seedsmen, 
issue  the  following  notice: — “In  consequence  of  the  exception¬ 
ally  wet  and  sunless  season,  seeds  generall,v  liave  again  been 
indifferently  ripened  and  harvested,  and  many  samples  of  Pea.s 
and  Beans  are  somewhat  stained.  We  therefore,  beg  our  friends 
to  unpack  all  goods  immediately  on  ai-rival,  and  to  recommend 
their  customers  to  sow  more  thickly  than  usual.” 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
.Tames  Carter  and  Co.,  237,  High  Holborn,  London.  —  Practical 
Gardener  and  Seeds  for  the  Garden. 
Cooper,  Taber,  and  Co.,  Ltd.,  90  and  92,  Southwark  Street,  London, 
S.E. —  Wholesale  Seed. 
Dicksons,  Chester. — Vec/etable  and  Flower  Seeds. 
Samuel  Dobie  and  Son,  Heathfield  Cardens,  near  Chester. — Amateurs' 
Garden  Annual  for  1904. 
John  l^ecd  and  Son,  West  Norwood,  London,  S.E. — Chrysanthemum 
Novelties,  Winter -floiceriny  Begonias.  5 
Hardy  Fruit  Garden. 
PRUNING  BUSH  FRUIT  TREES. Large  trained  bush 
trees  of  Apples  and  Pears  require  but  simple  treatment  in 
pruning,  becau.se  as  a  rule  the  number  and  position  of  the 
branches  are  and  have  been  fixed  for  some  time.  Trees  long 
established,  houmver,  and  sometimes  when  only  recently  formed 
and  trained,  may  posse.ss  too  many  branches,  or  rather  tney 
are  crowded,  having  in  the  first  instance  been  originated  too 
closely  together.  This  has  an  important  bearing  on  the  con¬ 
tinued  fruitfulness  of  trees,  and  should  as  far  as  possible  be 
rectified,  so  that  each  branch  has  a  fair  share  of  light  and  air. 
The  best  di.stance  is  from  a  foot  to  15m,  much  depending  on 
the  size  of  the  clumps  of  spurs.  These  must  also  be  reduced 
in  size  and  number  if  crowded,  shortening  those  parts  extend¬ 
ing  too  far  from  the  main  branch.  In  shortening  the  current 
year’s  shoots  leave  as  a  rule  two  buds.  The  leading  shoots 
mu.st  receive  treatment  in  accordance  with  their  development. 
If  there  is  still  further  room  for  extension,  shorten  to  one- 
third,  otherwise  the  leading  grov-ths  must  be  cut  clo.sely  in. 
Weak  growths  and  sappy  growths  cut  out  entirely,  as  Avell  as 
any  spray  tending  to  choke  the  interior. 
OPEN  BUSH  TREES. — Sometimes  trees  are  groum  in  a 
less  formal  way,  and  are  termed  open  bush  trees.  They  have 
their  branches  disposed  thinly,  and  the  side  shoots  are  more 
encouraged  to  form  fruit  buds  than  extend  into  growth.  Those 
that  do  the  latter  must  be  shortened  to  form  spurs.  Shorten 
the  unripe  tips  of  leaders. 
PRUNING  PYRAMID  TREES.— Pears  are  best  adapted  . 
for  this  form  of  training,  which  entails  the  growths  being 
restricted.  The  branches  should  be  disposed  at  equal  distances 
all  round  the  tree,  the  lower,  of  course,  being  the  longest. 
Shorten  the  side  growths  to  two  or  three  buds,  and  the  leading 
growths  of  each  branch  must  also  be  pruned  closely  back  except 
where  further  extension  is  needed,  when  only  shorten  to  ripe 
wood . 
PRUNING  STANDARD  TREES. — Severe  pruning  of 
standard  fruit  trees  is  not  desirable.  If  well  cultivated  from 
the  first,  and  the  branches  originated  in  the  be.st  form,  there 
should  be  little  or  no  pruning,  especially  with  Plums  and 
Cherries.  The  lines,  however,  on  which  pruning  should  be 
done  consist  of  thinning-out  branches  or  shoots  where  crowded. 
Trees  that  have  been  neglected  for  some  time  will,  of  course, 
require  most  attention.  The  crowded  interiors  ought  first  to 
be  dealt  with,  removing  crossing  and  interlacing  branches. 
Spray  which  starts  from  the  old  wood  must  also  be  cleared  out. 
Avoiii  shortening  back  branches.  Tho.se  which  need  removal 
must  be  cut  out  to  the  main.  Leave  no  snags,  and  cut  out 
dead  wood. 
RASPBERRIES.  ■  The  Raspberry  quarters  may  be  pruned 
and  put  into  order.  Many  cultivators  do  not  leave  the  prun¬ 
ing  out  of  the  old  bearing  canes  until  the  winter  season,  but 
remove  them  immediately  the  fruit  has  been  gathered.  This 
is  good  i^ractice,  because  it  enables  the  current  year’s  canes, 
which  will  be  the  future  bearing  canes,  to  become  thoroughly 
well  ripened,  much  more  so  than  if  they  had  been  crowded 
among  useless  growth  throughout  the  autumn.  Even  in  these 
cases  where  the  principal  pruning  has  been  done,  there  will 
still  be  weakly  canes  requiring  removing.  Leave  the  strongest 
and  best  ripened  canes,  limiting  the  number  to  five  or  six  for 
each  stool.  The  canes  may  be  left  their  full  length  now, 
shortening  them  in  spring  to  ripe  wood,  or  to  the  tops  of  tlie 
stakes  or  trellis.  New  stock  may  be  planted  now  in  lines  5ft 
apart,  or  in  clumps  3ft  apart.  Suitable  plants  for  the  purpose 
may  be  found  among  the  clunips  and  between  the  rows,  choo;^- 
ing  those  of  comparatively  slender  rather  than  stout  gz’owth. 
The  former  will  be  found  to  have  the  best  system  of  roots, 
these  being  of  a  fibrous  chai’acter,  hence  more  readily  taking 
hold  of  the  soil.  The  pruning  of  newly  planted  canes  need  not 
])e  attempted  until  spring,  but  when  doing  so  .cut  down  the 
canes  close  to  the  ground. 
LOGANBERRIES  AND  BLACKBERRIES.— Well  e.stab- 
lished  plants  will  have  produced  long  and  strong  growths. 
Select  the  ripest  of  them,  and  train  to  trellises,  wires,  or  stakes. 
Remove  the  unripe  ends.  Cut  out  weakly  growth  and  spray. 
In  planting  young  stock  place  the  suckers  5ft  apart  in  deeply 
dug  and  well  enriched  ground.  They  may  be  cut  closely  down 
to  the  ground  the  first  season,  like  Raspberries,  .so  as  to 
encoui-age  the  production  of  strong  canes  the  following  season, 
and  whicli,  becoming  well  zipened,  will  bear  freely  the  sue- 
