File:The century book of gardening; a comprehensive work for every lover of the garden (1900) (20402889439).jpg

Title: The century book of gardening; a comprehensive work for every lover of the garden
Identifier: centurybookofgar00cook (find matches)
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Cook, E. T. (Ernest Thomas), 1867-1915, ed
Subjects: Gardening
Publisher: London, The Offices of "Country life" (etc. )
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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FRUIT TREES IN POTS. MORE attention is now being given to the culture of fruit trees in pots, especially stone fruits and Grapes. In the case of stone fruits, as soon as the fruits are gathered the trees can be placed outside to ripen and rest, and the house used for some other purpose. An empty house is especially valuable in October now that so many Chrysanthemums are grown, and there are other purposes to which valuable space could be put in winter that will occur to anyone interested. ApriCOtS.—The Apricot is not always satisfactory as a pot tree, though when a house can lie given up lo il it does well, but in this case we should prefer to plant it out in soil that was freely dressed with old plaster and wood ashes, and the house should he constructed with movable lights, so that the trees can be fully exposed when the fruit has been gathered. We have seen very heavy crops in cool houses under these conditions. The ventilation is a most important matter. Success to a considerable extent hinges upon this being :<s perfect as possible without cold currents being created. Cherries.—Cherries are not so much grown under glass as formerly ; they do not succeed so well with other fruit, but when a light house can be given up to them Cherries are very prolific, and they are easily protected from birds, which is not so easy to do outside, for even when netted the birds somehow seem to find their way inside. For pot culture Cherries should be budded on the Mahaleb stock. In preparing the potting compost do not forget the old plaster, for lime is essential for allstone fruits, especially for Cherries. When failures occur it is usually through imperfect ventilation when the trees are in blossom or from a deficiency of lime in the soil. Fruit trees are easily kept free from green and black fly by vaporising with nicotine. And il is true economy in every sense to begin when the first fly is seen. Pinch the young shoots when five leaves have been made, and turn the trees outside as soon as the crop has been gathered. The compost used for Peaches and Plums will do for Cherries. Varieties : May Duke, Arch- duke, Late Duke (all the Duke Cherries succeed in pots), Early Rivers', Waterloo, Governor Wood, Elton, liigarreau, Frogmore Early, Bigarreau Napoleon, and Black Fleart (Werder's). Fig's.—These are dealt w ith separately. Nectarines. -In all cultural details Nectarines require the same treatment as Peaches. Those who grow for sale often find Nectarines more satisfactory than Peaches. Early Rivers' is the best early variety ; Lord Napier succeeds ; Early Humboldt follows quickly after Lord Napier; Violette Hative, Rivers' Orange, Stanwick Elruge, and Victoria (late). Peaches. — The value of light and free ventilation for Peaches, in fact for all fruits, has always been under- stood and appreciated by gardeners. A span-roofed structure is best, and it can scarcely be too wide or too lofty. There should be ample ventilation along the ridge, and also along each side, though side ventilation may not be much required when the trees are in blossom unless the weather is mild and sunny; but later on the side ventilation will be essential fcr perfect ripening of both fruit and wood. The initial expense of potted trees may in some cases be rather more than w hen permanent trees are planted, but in the latter case border-making is expensive, especially when the maiden loam insisted on by gardeners has to be pur- chased. We have known more money spent on Peach borders than would have purchased trees and pots several times over, and then afterwards the training of these permanent trees takes up much more time than need be given to trees in pots, so that the latter system in the matter of labour appears to offer some compensation. It is true that bearing trees are rather expensive to buy, but a neighbour of ours bought bearing trees in pots at half-a-guinea each, and he said the first year's crop paid for the trees. This may

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