File:The century book of gardening; a comprehensive work for every lover of the garden (1900) (20563341196).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 CULTURE. Knight's Monarch, Nouvelle Fulvie, a delicious late Pear ; Bergamotte d'Esperen, another prolific bearer ; Beurre Ranee, Olivier de Series, Ne plus Meuris, Passe Crassane. Easter Beurre and Doyenne d'Alencon are ihe latest of all. The last mentioned cannot always be depended upon to produce a satisfactory crop, for though it is one of the last Pears to ripen, the tree is invariably in flower very early— one of the first, in fact, and so the blossoms are liable to suffer from frost. Catillac, Verulam, Vicar of Winkfield, and Uvedale's St. Germain are the best stewing Pears, the first-named, perhaps, the best t if all. THE PLUM. This is one of the most esteemed of hardy fruits, and there are many forms of it—Buliace, Damsons, and so forth. Propagation.—The usual w ay is by budding and graft- ing, and sometimes by suckers and seeds. It is for raising stocks that the latter method is usually employed. Plum stocks are required in large numbers, for they are used for grafting Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, besides Plums. if, however, the variety is weakly, it should be budded or grafted higher up the stock. It is important to carefully distinguish between a wood bud and a flower bud, and to insert only the former when performing the operation of budding in July. Stocks upon which it is intended to graft should be cut down early in January, and also cut the scions then and lay them in the soil on a north border, until required for grafting in March. The Plum is not fastidious as to soil, providing that this is of ordinary fertility and the subsoil is not wet and cold. The fruit produced on trees which make a strong growth in too rich a soil is not of such a line flavour as that upon trees of moderate growth in lighter soil. The roots of the Plum do not go very deep, consequently a great depth of soil is not necessary. In soil that is trenched the roots w;ll naturally extend farther than in soil not dug; and in the former case the trees would not be 'liable to suffer so much from drought in a dry season ; it is important, therefore, to well prepare the soil before planting. To have the finer dessert Plums in perfection, the trees should have wall protection, and in cold, bleak situations a southern aspect is
Text Appearing After Image:
THE FAMOUS VICTORIA PLUM. Suckers should not be used for producing stocks, as the tendency of the Plum to form numerous suckers would then probably be still further increased Damsons are often raised from stones, and the Green Gage Plum comes fairly true in the same manner. The stones may be placed in a prepared bed of soil outside when taken from the fruit, or may be kept in dry sand and sown in November. The seedlings ought to be ready for transplanting in the winter following their first year's growth into rows 3ft. apart, there to remain until large enough to be budded or grafted. The green tops of the leading shoots should be cut off, and, after another year's growth has been made, the stem pruned down to the two or three lowest buds ; the best shoot from these is selected the next spring, and the other two pinched off. When trans- planted the previous autumn, the tap root requires shortening. The best stocks for the Plum are the While Pear Plum, St. Julien, and Mussel. As mentioned when writing of the Pear, if the variety to be budded or grafted is a strong - growing one, the scion may be worked on the stock low down, and itself form the stem for a standard tree ; required. The majority of our Plum trees are planted against walls facing east, and a few varieties upon north walls—this in the South of England. The Plum tree succeeds well as a standard and bush in the open, although the blossoms are very liable to be nipped by spring frosts. On several occasions disappoint- ments of this kind have been experienced. Those on walls are easily protected when in flower, and a crop is almost always to be depended upon. Another method to be recommended is to train Plum trees against espaliers, made by stretching stout wires between poles 6ft. high. Standard Plum trees are generally planted about 20ft. apart, and espaliers and wall trees I 5ft. Mulchings of manure are most beneficial In the Plum, especially in dry seasons. The roots, being for the most part near to the surface, quickly suffer, and such a state of affairs tends to produce the gum disease so prevalent amongst Plums and Peaches. The stem of standard trees should be not less than 6ft. high ; this and the first branches of the tree may be formed in the same manner as advised for the Pear.

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