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CULTURE OF FRUIT TREES
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LONDON
THE
MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
AND
MODERN ORCHARD
ob THE CULTURE op
PYRAMIDAL AND BUSH FRUIT TREES
WITH
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ROOT- PRUNING
Mel. Truly, Sir, a fair garden ! here have you governed nature by your art ;
your ordered ranks of fruitful trees are thankful for your care, and
for your reward give you of their best
Hort. You do me too much honour, friend ! {Old Play)
Insere, Daphni, piros, carpent tua poma nepotes — Vieg. Eel. ix
BY
THOMAS EIVEES and T. FRANCIS RIVERS
TWENTIETH EDITION
LONDON
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
AND NEW YOEK : 15 EAST 16th STREET
1891
All rights reserved
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2010 with funding from
University of British Columbia Library
http://www.archive.org/details/miniaturefruitgOOrive
PREFACE
The publication of the twentieth edition is a satisfac-
tory proof of the successful application of the rules laid
down in the preceding editions. I am happy to think
that the work has contributed to the pleasure of many
by drawing their attention to the fact that fruit trees
may be cultivated in a smaller space than was formerly
supposed to be possible, and I hope that with the
spread of knowledge the pleasure aud profit derived
from the cultivation of small fruit trees may be ex-
tended to many cottage gardens in England.
I may here remark that apples on the Paradise
stock are especially suited for cottagers. With a good
selection of trees on this stock, the cottage may compete
successfully at autumnal shows with the garden of the
mansion, and in certain situations, well selected, the
fine varieties of Belgian and French pears — peculiarly
the property of skilful and wealthy horticulturists —
will, by attention to the simple rules given in this
work, be exhibited by the humble but triumphant
cottager.
vi PREFACE
I cannot — and it is not a matter of regret — add
anything new. Trees do not change their nature, and
the rules for their cultivation in one year, if sound,
must be the same in all succeeding years.
I have endeavoured to point out a method of making
condensed orchards on a system which I believe to be
sound, as it is no theory but practice. I can only
hope that the present edition may deserve the same
success that has hitherto attended all the previous
editions.
T. Francis Eivers.
October 1891.
PREFACE TO TEE SIXTEENTH EDITION
By Thomas Rivers
In giving the seventeenth thousand of my little book
to the public, I trust I may be allowed to express my
pleasure and gratitude for its success — perfectly un-
precedented in books devoted to horticulture. The
reception given to it by those numerous and increasing
horticultural amateurs who seem to love to devote their
leisure to the culture of fruit and fruit trees has been
to me a source of much pleasure. For thirty years and
more have I watched the growth of this taste in
England, and more particularly in those who garden
with their own hands and heads ; it is such men that
form the true vanguard of fruit culturists, for they
almost invariably improve on any suggestion given by
a writer ; and, if I wanted them, I could fill a volume
with letters from clever amateurs who have given new
ideas, always suggestive if not always practicable. As
a prominent but not new feature in this enlarged
edition, I may refer to the management, and above all
the protection, of low lateral cordon fruit trees. I
PREFACE TO THE SIXTEENTH EDITION
have also pointed oat more forcibly than in former
editions the capability of growing choice pears and
apples on any low cheap walls, and also against walls
in kitchen gardens not fully furnished with trees —
in short, in all bare spaces so often found between
wall trees in old gardens. These methods of culti-
vating choice pears and the finer kinds of American
apples are worthy of much more attention than they
have hitherto received.
The method of cultivating plums as vertical single
cordons has been practised here for some few years ;
it is original, highly worthy of attention, and may be
made a profitable venture, not only for the amateur
but for the market gardener.
The management of those charming structures,
ground vineries, is in this edition more fully gone into
than before ; in short, all the modes of culture hitherto
recommended have been revised and made as perfect as
practice can make them, for it must be recollected that
all the modes of culture here recommended have been
well tested, and no foreign practice recommended till
found adapted to our wet English climate, the mean
temperature of which is just about two degrees too
low for the choice kinds of fruits to ripen without
assistance.
mler 1870.
INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION
By Thomas Rivers
My attention was drawn to the benefits fruit trees derive
from root-pruning and frequent removal about the year
1810. I was then a youth, with a most active fruit-appe-
tite, and if a tree bearing superior fruit could be discovered
in my father's orchard I was very constant in my visits
to it.
In those days there was in the old nursery, first cropped
with trees by my grandfather about the middle of last
century, a 'quarter' — i.e., a piece of ground devoted to the
reception of refuse trees — of such trees as were too small
or weak for customers ; so that in taking up trees for
orders during the winter they were left, and, in spring, all
taken up and transplanted to the ' hospital quarter,' as the
labourers called it. The trees in this quarter were taken
up, often annually, and planted nearer together, on the
same piece of ground. This old nursery consisted of about
eight acres, the soil of a deep reddish loam, inclining to
clay, in which fruit trees flourished and grew vigorously.
I soon found that it was but of little use to look among
the young free-growing trees for fruit, but among the re-
fuse trees, and to the 'hospital quarter' I was indebted
for many a fruit-feast — such Ribston Pippins ! such Golden
Pippins !
X INTRODUCTION
When I came to a thinking age, I hecame anxious to
know why those refuse trees never made strong vigorous
shoots, like those growing in their own immediate neigh-
bourhood, and yet nearly always bore good crops of fruit.
Many years elapsed before I saw 'the reason why,' and
long afterwards I was advised by a friend, a F.H.S., to
write a crude, short paper on the subject, and send it to
be read at a meeting of the Horticultural Society : this
paper is published in their 'Transactions.' I had then
practised it several years ; so that I may now claim a
little attention, if the old adage that ' practice makes per-
fect ' be worthy of notice.
This little work is not designed for the gardens and
gardeners of the wealthy and great, but for those who take
a personal interest in fruit-tree culture, and who look on
their garden as a never-failing source of amusement. In
some few favoured districts, fruit trees, without any extra
cai*e in planting and after-management, will bear good
crops, and remain healthy for many years. It is not so in
gardens with unfavourable soils : and they are greatly in
the majority. It is to those possessing such, and more
particularly to the possessors of small gardens, that the
directions here given may prove of value. The object
constantly had in view is to make fruit trees healthy and
fruitful, by keeping their roots near the surface. The root-
pruning and biennial or occasional removal, so earnestly
recommended, are the proper means to bring about these
results, as they place the roots within the influence of the
sun and air. The ground over the roots of garden trees as
generally cultivated is dug once or twice a year, so that
every surface-fibre is destroyed and the larger roots driven
downwards ; they, consequently, imbibe crude, watery sap,
which loads to much apparent luxuriance in the trees.
This, in the end, is fatal to their well-doing, for the
vigorous shoots made annually are seldom or never ripened
INTRODUCTION xi
sufficiently to form blossom -buds. Canker then comes on,
and although the trees do not die, they rarely give fruit,
and in a few years become victims of bad culture, existing
in a sort of living death.
There is, perhaps, no fruit tree that claims or deserves
our attention equal to a pear. How delicious is a fine melt-
ing pear all the winter months ! and to what a lengthened
period in the spring may they be brought to table ! Till
lately, Beurre Ranee has been our best spring pear ; but
this i3 a most uncertain variety, rarely keeping till the end
of May, and often ripening in January and February.
The Belgian pears, raised many years since by the late
Major Esperen, and more recently by Monsieur Gregoire,
are likely for the present to be the most valuable for pro-
longing the season of rich melting pears ; and of these
Josephine de Malines and Bergamotte d'Esperen are espe-
cially deserving of notice ; they have the excellent quality
of ripening slowly. But improvement will, I have no
doubt, yet take place j for pears are so easily raised from
seed, and so soon brought into bearing by grafting or
buckling them on the quince stock, that new and valuable
late pears will soon be as plentiful as new roses.
In the following pages it will be seen that I strongly
advocate the culture of pyramidal fruit trees. This is no
new idea with me. I have paid many visits to the Conti-
nental gardens during the greater portion of my active life
in business, and have always admired their pyramidal trees
when well managed, and I have for many years cultivated
them for my amusement ; but, owing to a seeming preju-
dice against them amongst some English gardeners, I was
for some time deterred from recommending them, for I
thought that men older than myself must know better ;
and when I heard some of our market-gardeners and large
fruit growers in the neighbourhood of London scoff at
pears grafted on the quince stock as giving fruit of a very
Xli INTRODUCTION
inferior flavour, I concluded, like an Englishman, that the
foreigners were very ignorant, and very far behind us in
the culture of fruit trees.
It was only by repeated visits to foreign gardens that
this prejudice was dispelled. I felt convinced that our
neighbours excelled us in the management of fruit trees
adapted to the open borders of our gardens. I have there-
fore endeavoured to make the culture of pyramidal trees
easy to the uninitiated ; and, having profited largely by
experience in attending to it with my own hands, I trust
that my readers will benefit by the result.
A humid, mild climate seems extremely favourable to
the well-doing of the pear on the quince stock. Jersey,
with its moist warm climate, as is well known, produces
the finest pears in Europe : these are, for the most part,
from trees on quince stocks. The western coast of Scot-
land, I have reason to know, is favourable for the culture
of pear trees on the quince ; and within these very few
years Ireland has proved remarkably so, more particularly
in the south, where some of our finest varieties of pears on
quince stocks are cultivated with perfect success.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Pyramidal Teak Trees on the Quince Stock . . l
The Young Pyramid 5
The Mature Pyramid 8
Soot-pruning of Pyramidal Pear Trees on
Quince Stocks ........ 13
Pyramids for Market Gardens .... 18
Ornamental Pyramidal Pear Trees on Quince
Stocks ......... 20
Pear Trees as Bushes ok the Quince Stock . 20
Pear Trees on the Quince Stock, trained as Cordons 26
Cordon Pears on Trellises under Glass . . . . 35
Horizontal Cordon Pear Trees on Dwarf Walls . 39
Espalier Pears on Quince Stocks 43
Pear Trees trained as Single Vertical Cordons . 47
Diagonal Single Cordons 48
Pear- Tree Hedge 53
Pyramids on the Pear Stock 54
Root-pruning of Fruit Trees 59
Planting and After-management 61
XIV CONTEXTS
PAGE
Gathering the Fbuit 66
Keeping Peaks in a Greenhouse 69
Pyramidal Apple Trees on the Paradise Apple Stock 71
Apples as Bushes on the Paradise Stock . . . . 79
Apples as Bushes for Market Gardens .... 83
Apples and Pears as Single and Double Lateral
Cordons 87
Shelter Trenches 96
Vertical Cordon Apple Trees 97
Apples as Wall Trees 98
Pyramidal Apples on the Crab Stock . . . . 100
Pyramidal Plum Trees 102
Plum Trees as Bushes 105
Plum Trees as Cordons 106
Market Garden Plum Trees 108
Cherries as Bushes and Pyramids on the Mahaleb
Stock (Cerasus viahaleb) 109
Cherries as Single Vertical Cordons . . . . 115
blgarreau and heart cherries a3 pyramids on the
Common Cherry Stock 117
Filberts and Nuts as Standards 120
Figs as Half Standards or Bushes 121
Seedling Fruits 123
The Biennial Eemoyal of Fruit Trees without Root-
pruning . 125
Pyramid Orchards 126
Double Grafting of Fruit Trees 130
Renovating Old Standard Pear Tbhes . . . . 135
How to Prepare a Peach Tree Border in Light Soils 136
CONTENTS XV
PAGE
A Cheap Method op Protecting Wall Trees . . . 137
Standard Orchard Trees 139
Insects peculiar to the Pear 142
Methods op Planting small Pyramid Trees . . . 145
Proper Distances for Planting Pit . al and oth or
Fruit Trees 146
Miniature Fruit Garden Calend .... 148
APPENDi:
The Ground Vinery . . . . . . . . 151
Planting and Pruning Vines froji . . . 160
Cordon Training 164
APPENDIX
Insect Pests, by H. Somers River-: . . . 186
INDEX 207
THE
MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
PYRAMIDAL PEAR TREES ON THE
QUINCE STOCK
There is no description of fruit trees more interesting
to cultivate in our gardens than the pyramid — a name
adopted from the French, the originators of this species
of culture. The word conical would, perhaps, convey a
better idea of the shape of such trees ; but as pyramidal
trees are now familiar things in English gardens, it is
scarcely worth while to attempt to give a new name to
these very pretty garden trees.
For gardens with a moderately deep and fertile
soil, pears budded on the quince stock will be found
to make by far the most fruitful and quick-bearing
trees; indeed, if prepared by one or two removals,
their roots become a perfect mass of fibres, and their
stems and branches full of blossom-buds. Trees of
this description may be planted in the autumn, with
2^
2 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
a certainty of having a crop of fruit the first season
after planting — always recollecting that a spring frost
may destroy the blossoms unless the trees are pro-
tected. It must always be recollected that pears on
quince stocks are strictly garden trees, and not adapted
for orchards.
The most eligible season for planting pyramidal
pear trees is during the months of November and
December, but they may be planted even until the
end of March ; in planting so late, no fruit must be
expected the first season. Still I ought to say here
that I have frequently removed pear trees on the
quince stock in March and April, just as the blossom-
buds were bursting, and have had fine fruit the same
season, particularly if sharp frosts occurred in May.
The buds being retarded, the blossoms opened after
the usual period, and thus escaped. The experiment
is quite worth trying in seasons when the buds swell
very early.
About ten or fifteen fruit may be permitted to
ripen the first season ; the following season one to
two dozen will be as many as the tree ought to be
allowed to bring to perfection ; increasing the number
as the tree increases in vigour, always remembering
that a few full-sized and well-ripened pears are to be
preferred to a greater number inferior in size and
quality.
The engraving (fig. 1 on the following page) is
a faithful portrait of a pyramidal tree of the Beurre
AMIUAL PEAE TEEES ON THE QUINCE STOCK 3
2 ^fe^
Fig. 1
b 2
4 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
de Capiaumont pear budded on the quince ; it was
about ten years old, and had been root-pruned three
times. Nothing could be more interesting than this
tree, only six feet high, laden with fruit of extra-
ordinary beauty ; for, in this soil, pears on quince
stocks produce fruit of much greater beauty, and of
finer flavour, than those on pear stocks. I have,
however, introduced the figure as much to show its
imperfection as its beauty ; it will be observed that its
lower tiers of branches are not sufficiently developed ;
this was owing to neglect when the tree was young —
the upper branches were suffered to grow too luxu-
riantly. Summer pinching in the youth of the tree is
the only remedy for this defect, if it be not well
furnished below ; and a severe remedy it is, for all the
young shoots on the upper tiers, including the leader,
must be pinched closely in May and June, till the lower
ones have made young shoots of a sufficient length
to give uniformity to the tree. This requires much
attention.
Pyramids, bushes, and cordons are the trees best
adapted for small gardens. To those conversant with
such matters, I need only point to the very numerous
instances of rich garden ground entirely ruined by
being shaded by large spreading standards, or half-
standard unpruned fruit trees. Now, by cultivating
pyramidal pears of the quince, apples in the same
form on the paradise stock, the cherry as pyramids
and dwarf bushes on the Cerasus Mahaleb, and the
PYEAMIDAL PEAE TEEES ON THE QUINCE STOCK 5
plum as a pyramidal tree, scarcely any ground will be
shaded, and more abundant crops and finer fruit will
be obtained.
THE YOUNG PYRAMID
If a young gardener intends to plant, and wishes to
train up his trees so that they will become quite perfect
in shape, he should select plants one year old from the
bud or graft, with single upright stems ; these will, of
course, have good buds down to the junction of the
graft with the stock. The first spring a tree of this
description should be headed down, so as to leave the
stem about eighteen inches long. If the soil be rich,
from five to six and seven shoots will be produced ; one
of these must be made the leader, and, if not inclined to
be quite perpendicular, it must be fastened to a stake.
As soon, in summer, as the leading shoot is ten inches
long, its end must be pinched off; and if it pushes forth
two or more shoots, pinch off all but one to three leaver,
leaving the topmost for a leader. The side shoots will,
in most cases, assume a regular shape; if not, they may
be this first season tied to slight stakes, to make them
grow in the proper direction. This is best done by
bringing down and fastening the end of each shoot to
a slight stake, so that an open pyramid may be formed
— for if it is too close and cypress-like, enough air is
not admitted to the fruit. They may remain unpruned
6 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
till the end of September, when each shoot must be
shortened to within eight buds of the stem. This will
leave the tree like the annexed figure (fig. 2), and no
pruning in winter will be required.
The second season the tree will make vigorous
growth ; the side shoots which were stopped last
Fig. 2
September will each put forth three, four, or more
shoots. In June, as soon as these have made seven or
ten leaves, nip out the terminal buds of all hut the
leading shoot of each side branch ; this must be left on
to exhaust the tree of its superabundant sap, till the
THE YOUNG PYRAMID 7
middle or end of September. The perpendicular leader
must be stopped once or twice ; in short, as soon as
it has grown ten inches pinch off its top, and if it
break into two or three shoots pinch them all but the
leader, as directed for the first season ; in a few years
most symmetrical trees may be formed.
• When they have attained the height of six or eight
feet, and are still in a vigorous state, it will be neces-
sary to commence root-pruning, to bring them into a
fruitful state.
If some of the buds in the stem of a young tree
prove dormant, so that part of it is bare and without
a shoot where there should be one, a notch, half an
inch wide and nearly the same in depth, should be
cut in the stem just above the dormant bud. If this
be done in February a young shoot will break out in
the summer.1
These directions are for those who are inclined to
rear their own pyramids. Time and attention are re-
quired, but the interest attached to well-trained pyra-
mids will amply repay the young cultivator.
1 Bare places in the stems of pyramids, and in the branches of
esraliers or wall trees, may be budded towards the end of August
with blossom buds taken from shoots two years old. This is a very
interesting mode of furnishing a tree with fruit-bearing buds.
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
THE MATURE PYRAMID
The following figure (fig. 3) is a pyramidal tree
in its second and third year, and such as it ought to
be in July before its leading side shoots and leading
upright shoot are shortened. This, as I have said, is
best done towards the second or third week in September.
The shortening must be made at the marks ; all the
side shoots must be shortened in this manner, as well
as the leading shoot ; no further pruning will be required
until the following summer. The spurs a, a, a, are the
bases of the shoots that have been pinched in June ; these
will, the following season, form fruit-bearing spurs.
The best instrument for summer and autumnal pruning
is a pair of hooked pruning scissors or ' secateurs,'
which are now sold of all sorts and sizes.
As the summer pinching of pyramidal pears is the
most interesting feature in their culture, and perhaps
the most agreeable of all horticultural occupations,
I must endeavour to give plain instructions to carry
it out.
The first season after the planting, by the
middle of June, the side buds and branches have put
forth young shoots : each will give from one to three
or four. Select that which is most horizontal in its
growth (it should be on the lower part of the branch,
as the tree will then be more inclined to spread) for a
leader to that branch, and pinch off all the others to
THE MATUKE PYRAMID
Ki« 3
10 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GAEDEN
six or seven leaves (see fig. 3, a, «, a). From the point
of pinching, a shoot will again grow, and should be left
untouched until September. The first pinching forms
the basis of fruit buds, and if the horizontal branch has
a good leader it will take off all the superfluous sap, the
buds will only swell, and the following season they will
be fruit spurs. The upper shoots of the tree, say to about
two feet from its top, should be pinched a week before
the lower shoots ; this gives strength to those on the
lower part of the tree.
Fig. 4 is a side branch in June, with its shoots not
yet pinched; about the middle of the month nip off
the terminal buds of the laterals when these have made
from seven to nine leaves, and, in September, stop the
leading shoot to one-third of its length.
In spring the peipendicular leader of the preceding
year's growth will put forth numerous shoots, which
must be pinched in June in the following manner :
those nearest the base leave six inches in length,
gradually decreasing upwards, leaving those next the
young leading shoots only two inches long. The leader
of these ready formed pyramids need not be shortened
in summer as directed for younger trees; it may be
suffered to grow till the horizontal leaders are shortened
in September, and then left six or eight inches in
length ; but if the trees are to be kept to six or seven
feet in height under root-pruning, this leading shoot
may be shortened to two inches, or even cut close
down to its base. For tall pyramids of ten, twelve,
THE MATURE PYRAMID
11
or fifteen feet, it may be left from eight to ten inches
in length till the required height be attained ; it may-
then be cut to within two inches of its base every
season.
Fig. 4
I ought here to remark that pear trees differ in
their habits to an extraordinary degree ; some make
shoots most robust and vigorous ; others under pre-
cisely the same treatment are very delicate and
slender. In the final shortening in September this
12 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GAEDEN
must be attended to ; those that are very vigorous
must not have their shoots pruned so closely as those
that are less so ; indeed, almost every variety will
require some little modification in pruning, of which
experience is by far the best teacher. It will, I think,
suffice if I give the following directions for shortening
the leaders of the side shoots, and the perpendicular
leaders : — All those that are very robust, such as
Beurre d'Amanlis, Conseiller de la Cour, Beurre Diel,
&c, shorten to eight or ten inches, according to the
vigour of the individual tree ; those of medium vigour,
such as Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marie Louise, and
Beurre d'Aremberg, to six inches ; those that are deli-
cate and slender in the growth, like Winter Nelis, to
four inches ; but I must repeat that regard must be
had to the vigour of the tree. If the soil be rich, the
trees vigorous and not root-pruned, the shoots may be
left the maximum length ; if, on the contrary, they be
root-pruned, and not inclined to vigorous growth, they
must be pruned more closely. As a modification of
pinching which sometimes induces excessive growth in
non-fruiting trees, and in humid climates, I have found
that stripping the leaves from the shoots to be operated
upon has the same effect as pinching, without disturb-
ing the flow of the sap.
If pyramidal fruit trees, either of pears, apples,
plums, or cherries, are biennially removed, or even
thoroughly root-pruned without actually removing
them, summer pinching becomes the most simple of
THE MATURE PYRAMID 13
all operations. The cultivator has only to look over
his trees during June (penknife in hand), and pinch
the terminal bud of every shoot on the lateral or side
branches ; the buds below the point of pinching will
develop into fruit spurs, the shoots which push again
from the terminals may, if the growth is not well
balanced, be stopped in August, but all pruning should
be deferred until the end of September.
It is possible that in some soils and climates, with
a non-ripening power, summer pinching may be carried
to an excess. It is difficult to lay down a hard and
fast rule. As a matter of fact, in favourable fruit-
growing districts — and it is hardly worth while to plant
in any other — summer pinching with certain modifica-
tions will be found to give good results. The first
pinching in June is really the most important, as it
provides the fruit buds for the following year in the
most convenient part of the tree — i.e. near the stem.
If the leading shoot be shortened in September, the
supplementary shoots produced by the first pinching
may either be pruned or left until October.
BOOT-PRUNING OF PYRAMIDAL PEAR
TREES ON QUINCE STOCKS
Before entering on the subject of root-pruning of pear
trees on quince stocks, I must premise that handsome
and fertile pyramids, more particularly of some free-
14 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
bearing varieties, may be reared without this annual or
biennial operation. I must impress upon my readers
that my principal object is to make trees fit for small
gardens, and to instruct those who are not blessed with
large gardens how to keep the trees perfectly under
control ; and this can best be done by annual, or at
least biennial, attention to the roots, for if a tree be
suffered to grow three or more years and then be root-
pruned, it will receive a check if the spring be dry,
and the crop of fruit for one season will be jeopardised.
Therefore, those who are disinclined to the annual
operation, and yet wish to confine the growth of their
trees within limited bounds by root-pruning say once
in two years, should only operate upon half their trees
one season ; they will thus have the remaining half in
an unchecked bearing state ; and those who have ample
room and space may prune their pyramids in summer,
and suffer them to grow to a height of fifteen or twenty
feet without pruning their roots. In rich soils, where
the trees grow freely, they may be root-pruned annually
with great advantage.
The following summary will, perhaps, convey my
ideas respecting the management of pyramids and
bushes when cultivated as garden trees : — In small
gardens with rich soil either root-prune or remove all
the trees annually, early in November. In larger
gardens perform the same operation biennially at the
same season. For very large gardens with a dry good
subsoil, in which all kinds of fruit trees grow without
ROOT-PRUNING OF PYRAMIDAL PEAR TREES 15
any tendency to canker, and when large trees are
desired, neither remove nor root-prune.
Pyramidal pear trees on the quince stock, tvhere the
fruit garden is small, the soil rich, and when the real
gardening artist feels pleasure in keeping them in
a healthy and fruitful state by perfect control over the
roots, should be annually operated upon as follows : — A
trench should be dug round the tree about eighteen
inches from its stem every autumn, just after the fruit
is gathered, if the soil be sufficiently moist — if not it
will be better to wait till the usual autumnal rains have
fallen ; the roots should then be carefully examined,
and those inclined to be of perpendicular growth cut
with the spade, which must be introduced quite under
the tree to meet on all sides, so that no root can possibly
escape amputation. All the horizontal roots should be
shortened with a knife to within a circle of eighteen
inches from the stem,1 and all brought as near to the sur-
face as possible, filling in the trench with compost for the
roots to rest on. The trench may then be filled with
the compost (well-rotted dung from an old hot-bed, and
good turfy loam, equal parts, will answer exceedingly
well) ; the surface should then be covered with some
half-rotted dung, and the roots left till the following
autumn brings its annual care. It may be found that
after a few years of root-pruning the circumferential
1 If they have not spread to this extent the first season, or even
the second, they need not be pruned, but merely brought near to
the surface and spread out.
16 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
mass of fibres will have become too much crowded with
small roots ; in such cases thiu out some of the roots,
shortening them at nine inches or one foot from the
stem. This will cause them to give out fibres, so that
the entire circle of three feet or more round the tree will
be full of fibrous roots near the surface, waiting with
open mouths for the nourishment annually given to
them by surface dressings and liquid manure.
The gardener who does not mind extra trouble will
feel a real pleasure in every operation that tends to
make his trees perfect in fruitfulness and symmetry.
The annual root-pruning may, however, be irksome to
the amateur ; nor is it always required in the south of
England, except for small gardens and in rich moist
soils in which pear trees are inclined to grow too
vigorously. In the cool moist summers of the northern
counties, annual root-pruning is quite necessary to
make the trees produce well-ripened wood. In other
cases, if the trees are summer-pruned, biennial root-
pruning will be sufficient to check over-luxuriance in
growth.
The following will be found a good selection of
varieties for pyramidal trees on quince stocks. They
may be planted in rows six feet apart, or a square may
be allotted to them, giving each plant six feet, which
will be found amply sufficient for root-pruned trees.
Some few esteemed sorts of pears do not grow well on
quince stocks, unless ' double-grafted ' — i.e., some free-
growing sort is budded on the quince, and after having
ROOT-PRUNING OF PYRAMIDAL PEAR TREES 17
been suffered to grow for one or two seasons, the sort
not so free-growing is budded or grafted on it. For
varieties,1 placed in order of their ripening, the following
list may be safely recommended : —
Summer Doyenne
Jargonelle
Clapp's Favourite
Beurre Giffard
Bon Chretien
Beurre d'Amanlis
Summer Beurre" d'Aremberg
Madame Treyve .
Beurre Superfm
Louise Bonne of Jersey
Fondante d'Automne .
Gansel's Bergamot
Marie Louise
Conseiller de la Cour .
Baronne de Mello
Pitmaston Duchess
Emile d'Heyst .
Doyenne de Cornice
Beurre d'Anjou .
Josephine de Malines
July.
August.
August.
Aug. Sept.
September.
September.
September.
Sept. Oct.
Sept. Oct.
October.
October.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
November.
Nov. Dec.
December.
January.
1 All the varieties recommended for pyramids may also be
planted as espaliers to train to rails in the usual mode.
18 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
PYRAMIDS FOR MARKET GARDENS
First, a good climate must be selected somewhere
south of the Trent, the site sheltered from the north
and east and north-west by hedges, evergreens, or walls ;
also a favourable soil, which, however, by care and
culture, may be made of secondary importance ; a loam
eighteen or twenty inches deep, on a dry stony subsoil,
is perhaps the most favourable, but a clayey loam resting
on clay or on sand will do very well. If required,
draining must be practised, so that clays, loams, or sands
must be dry.
When a rich deep fertile soil is chosen there will
be nothing required but opening the holes and planting
the trees ; but if the soil be shallow, say less than'twelve
inches of staple, it should be stirred to a depth of twenty
inches, leaving the stirred subsoil in situ. The soil is
thus far prepared for planting, which will be best done
in October or November. The trees should be planted six
feet apart row from row, and the same distance tree from
tree in the row. After the trees are planted, the soil
within a circle of three feet round the stem of each tree
should be trodden firmly ; a small portion (the tenth of
a barrowful) of litter or manure placed round each tree
(or if the soil is rich this may be omitted), and the work
is done. For some four or five years the centre of the
space between the rows of trees may be cropped with
light vegetable crops, such as onions, &c. ; this culti-
CULTURE OF PYRAMIDAL PEAR TREES 19
vated space must be confined to a width of two feet ;
the remaining space next the trees must not be touched
with anything but the hoe to kill the weeds, and when
the intermediate cropping has covered the entire surface
of the ground, it must remain firm, the only culture
besides the hoe being an occasional surface-dressing of
manure. This system of hard soil and occasional sur-
face-manuring is the sum/mum bonum, the last step
towards perfect market garden fruit culture — except
gooseberries, currants, and raspberries, which require
other treatment. The quantity of manure required for
a surface-dressing is five bushels to twenty-five square
yards.
The rough and ready pruning necessary for market
garden pyramidal pears is as follows : — Towards the
middle (the end, if the season be late) of June all the
terminal buds of the side shoots must be nipped off,
and towards the end of September the trees are again
gone over, and the leading shoots stopped ; this is all
the pruning required, unless the amateur market gar-
dener pleases to amuse himself in winter by removing
a crowded shoot or shortening a spur. The varieties
best adapted for this mode of pear culture are few, as
there are but few sorts popular in the markets. Our
first and best is Louise Bonne, requiring, however, a
warm climate and good soil ; Williams' Bon Chretien,
Beurre d'Amanlis, Doyenne de Cornice, Souvenir du
Congres, Marie Louise, Marie Louise d'Uccle, Fertility
(very hardy), Durondeau, and Beacon.
e 2
20 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
ORNAMENTAL PYRAMIDAL PEAR TREES
ON QUINCE STOCKS
There are some very few varieties of pears the trees
of which may be made highly ornamental even on a
well-dressed lawn, as they grow freely and form natu-
rally beautiful cypress-like trees; at the same time
their fruit is of first-rate quality. Such are Summer
Beurre d'Aremberg, Baronne de Mello, Fondante d'Au-
tomne, White Doyenne, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Passe
Colmar, Zephirin Gregoire, Olivier de Serres, Souvenir
du Congres, Delices d'Hardenpont, Doyenne du Cornice,
Bergamotte d'Esperen, Marie Louise, Conseiller de la
Cour, Fertility, Durondeau, Emile d'Heyst, Marie
Benoist.
PEAR TREES AS BUSHES ON THE QUINCE
STOCK
This mode of cultivating pear trees has struck me as
being eligible, from having observed that the fruit7 of
some of the large heavy varieties, such as Beurre
Diel and Beurre d'Amanlis, is very liable to be blown
off pyramids by even moderate autumnal gales. The
trees also of these and several other fine sorts of pears
are difficult to train in the pyramidal form ; they are
PEAK TEEES AS BUSHES ON THE QUINCE STOCK 21
diffuse in their growth, and, with summer pinching,
soon form nice prolific bushes, of which the following
figure (fig. 5), from nature, will give some idea. The
pruning of these bushes is a simple matter. As they
are likely to throw out many shoots, and so fill up the
centre of the bush, thus impeding the circulation of
light and air, I go over the branches in June and thin
out those which are growing too thickly, the final
pruning being left until the end of September. If the
bushes are fruitful the pruning should be deferred until
the fruit is gathered, and the summer thinning only
practised.
22 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
Bushes are admirably adapted for gardens exposed
to winds, and if removed biennially they may be grown
in the smallest of gardens with great advantage. This
biennial removal or lifting should be performed as
follows : — A trench should be opened round the tree
the width of a spade, and from twelve to fifteen inches
deep ; the tree should then be raised with its ball of
earth attached to its root intact. If the soil be light
and rich, and the tree inclined to grow vigorously,
making annual shoots of more than one foot in length,
it may be replanted without any fresh compost. Rotten
manure, loam, and sand, equal parts with the addition
of lime, chalk, or gypsum where the soil is known to
be deficient in lime, form also an excellent compost ; in
planting, one wheelbarrowful to a tree will be enough.
In London suburban gardens, for which these trees are
peculiarly adapted, no compost need be given to the
trees in replanting, for the soil is generally rich. Bush
trees offer two very great advantages : they are easily
protected from spring frosts when in blossom by cover-
ing them with tiffany, and they may be planted from
three to five feet apart with great facility, so as to be
eligible for very small gardens.
In large gardens, large bushes may be desirable.
In such cases the leading shoots on each branch may
be pinched, as recommended for pyramids (page 8),
but instead of pinching them to three leaves they may
be suffered to make ten leaves, and then pinch the
PEAR TREES AS BUSHES ON THE QUINCE STOCK 23
terminal bud. The trees will, if treated in this manner,
soon become large, compact, and fruitful.
The following varieties are well adapted for bush
culture, as they are diffuse in their growth and diffi-
cult to form into compact pyramids, although they
may be made into spreading and prolific conical trees.
It ought, however, to be mentioned that sorts, such as
Louise Bonne of Jersey, which form handsome pyramids,
make very pretty compact bushes by cutting out the
central branch to within three feet of the ground, so
that pyramids may be easily formed into bushes. I
may add that these bush trees produce the very finest
fruit, from their being so near the heat and moisture-
giving surface of the earth.
In situations near the sea-coast, exposed to sea
breezes, small fruit gardens may be formed by en-
closing a square piece of ground with a beech hedge
or wooden fence, and planting it with bush trees. A
piece of ground 500 square feet will be large enough
to cultivate 30 trees at 4 feet apart in it, or 25 trees at
5 feet apart. Many a sea-side cottage may thus have
its fruit garden.
LIST OF PEARS ADAPTED FOR BUSH CULTURE
Summer Doyenne . . . July.
Beurre Giffard .... August.
Beacon ..... August.
Clapp's Favourite . . . August.
24
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
Bon Chretien, Williams
' . . September
Summer Beurre d'Aremberg . September
Beurre d'Amanlis
Sept. Oct.
Dr. Hogg .
September.
Madame Treyve .
. September.
Souvenir du Congres .
. Sept. Oct.
Louise Bonne of Jersey
. October.
Fondante d'Automne .
. October.
Fertility
October.
Beurre Hardy
. October.
Gansel's Bergamot
October.
Marie Louise
. Oct. Nov.
Baronne de Mello
November.
Doyenne de Cornice
. Nov. Dec.
Durandeau .
. Nov. Dec.
Beurre Diel
. December.
Beurre d'Anjou .
. December.
Winter Nelis
. December.
Josephine de Malines
January.
Bergamotte d'Esperen
January.
Olivier de Serres .
. February.
Catillac (baking).
—
Uvedale St. Germain (
Daking) . —
Leon le Clerc de Laval (baking)
Pyramid pears may be grown and fruited in defiance
of spring frosts, by subjecting the trees to constant
removal. Under this treatment the roots become very
fibrous and may be annually removed. The trees so
PEAK TEEES AS BUSHES ON THE QUINCE STOCK 25
treated should be lifted in December, and then placed
under a north wall until the end of March ; they may
then be returned to their fruiting places. The period
of blossoming being thus retarded, a crop may be
expected even in very inclement seasons.
26 * THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
PEAR TREES ON THE QUINCE STOCK,
TRAINED AS CORDONS
The French gardeners employ the term ' cordon ' for the
branch of a fruit tree on which the shoots have been
pinched in, so as to form a succession of blossom-buds.
The term as used by them is expressive, and lately an
interesting work has been published by the Rev. T. C.
Brehaut, of Guernsey, on this mode of training, under
the title of ' Cordon Training of Fruit Trees.' There
are various forms of cordon training, but I will begin
with the five-branched vertical cordon commonly called
' upright trained trees.' This method of training
originated here in April 1849, and was brought about
from the necessity of planting a number of new pears
on a boarded fence in a limited space ; the horizontal
method of training was quite inapplicable, and a modi-
fication of this system came to hand, viz., to plant
horizontal espaliers, and to make them perpendicular.
The following figure (fig. 6) is one of my five-branched
vertical cordon pear trees.
The shoots a, a, should be eight inches from the
central shoot, and those marked I>, h, the same distance
PEAK TEEES TKAINED AS COKDONS
27
from those marked a, a. This tree, with five branches,
will thus occupy thirty-two inches — say three feet of
wall room ; a tree with seven branches will require
four feet, but as some space ought to be allowed for
the spurs on the outside branches, say five feet. If
the wall be of a moderate height, eight feet for instance,
Fig. 6 — a five-branched vertical cordon pear tree
a tree with seven branches will produce quite enough
fruit of one sort. This method offers a strong contrast
to espaliers on pear stocks, planted in the usual manner
twenty-four feet apart and trained horizontally ; nearly
five trees for one will give so many additional chances
to the pear cultivator ; the single tree may fail, or its
28 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GARDEN
fruit may become imperfect, owing to an adverse
season ; but out of his five trees he will in every season
stand a good chance of having some good pears. A
few words will suffice for their management : summer
pinching of the lateral shoots to five leaves as recom-
mended for pyramids (p. 5), and root-pruning or
biennial removal — these operations, like Dr. Sangrado's
bleeding and warm water, will do all.
Five- or seven-branched vertical cordon trees, not
only of pears but of cherries on the Mahaleb stock,
of plums, of American apples on the Paradise stock,
and peach and apricot trees, may be planted against
walls in gardens, if of a moderate height, to great
advantage. As so much variety may be had in a small
space, let the reader imagine himself to have a brick
wall with a southern aspect, 20 feet long, and 8 or 10
feet high. According to old practice this would afford
space for one tree ; but with branched vertical cordon
training, I repeat, five trees may be cultivated, and
thus give five chances to one.
If this kind of tree on the quince stock cannot be
procured, those that are trained horizontally, with five
or seven branches, may be planted against the wall
or fence destined for them, and their young shoots be
made to curve gently, until they are perpendicular ;
the young shoots of pear trees are very pliable, and
will easily bend to the required shape. The lower
part of each shoot in such cases must be fastened
to the wall with shreds and nails in the usual way,
PEAE TEEES TEAINED AS COEDONS 29
and the remaining part trained into an upright posi-
tion. If they are more than two feet, each of these
shoots must then be shortened to this length. These
shortened branches will, in May, each put forth two or
three shoots. As soon as they have made eight or ten
leaves, pinch all but one on each branch to five leaves,
leaving the topmost one to each shoot. You will thus,
if your tree be five-branched, have five young leading
shoots, which should be carefully regulated during
the summer so that no particular shoot should take
precedence. This proportion must be maintained by
occasional pinching or leaf-stripping. Your tree will
soon reach the top of the wall, and every bud in the five
branches will be perfect, either a blossom-bud or one in
embryo. When this happens, commence root-pruning,
unless the trees have ceased to grow vigorously and are
bearing well — if so, leave their roots untouched. The
directions for root-pruning are given in treating of pyra-
midal trees (p. 14) ; these may be followed exactly, and,
if so, the trees will be kept in a stationary bearing state.
It must be recollected that the spurs on ' the branches
will often put forth shoots even while bearing fruit ;
these must be left unpruned until the autumn. In treat-
ing of the cultivation of the foregoing, I assume that
trained trees of from three to four years are planted :
the training and preparation of young trees would be
tedious and time-consuming.
If larger trees are wished for, in order to give more
fruit of each sort, trees with nine upright branches may
30
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
be planted seven feet apart, or trees with eleven upright
branches, nine feet apart. Trees, however, can seldom
be purchased with shoots so numerous ; young trees
must therefore be planted, and cut back annually for two
Fig. 7
or three years, till the proper number of perpendicular
shoots are supplied. It may happen that trained trees
with five or seven branches cannot be procured, perhaps
trees with only three shoots, two horizontal and one
leading shoot ; in such cases they must be cut back,
PEAK TREES TRAINED AS CORDONS 31
leaving five buds to each shoot, and the young shoots
in June trained as required.
Pyramidal trees cut flat on the side to be placed
next the wall, and planted against walls or fences, will
give almost a certain crop. Their shoots must be
pinched, and trained so as to form a handsome semi-
pyramidal tree, which when it has reached the top of
the wall must be subjected to biennial root-pruning ;
but this will only be necessary if the tree is too vigo-
rous, so as to keep it in a stationary fruitful state.
On the preceding page I give a figure (fig. 7) of a
young pyramid planted against a south-east fence.
It will, I trust, be seen how economical of space
are these methods of training pears to walls ; and
nothing in fruit culture is more interesting than a
wall of upright five-branched cordons or of pyramids
full of fruit. Let us only consider that a wall 100 feet
long will accommodate five trees on the pear stock,
trained in the usual horizontal mode ; the same wall
will give ' ample room and verge enough ' to twenty-five
trees on the quince stock, trained perpendicularly ; if
their young shoots (all but the leaders) are pinched
in June, no root-pruning will be needed. They are
also invaluable for planting against walls between old
trees, where there are bare spaces, for they soon fill up
such vacancies, and bear abundance of fine fruit. A
selection of varieties for wall trees will not here be out
of place : —
32
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
UPRIGHT TRAINED TREES ON QUINCE STOCK
Madame Treyve
Souvenir du Congres
Brown Beurre
Van Mons (Leon le
Clerc)
Glou Morceau
Emile d'Heyst
For East and South-east Walls
Beurre Bachelier
Passe Colmar
Magnate
Josephine de Malines
Monarch (Knight's)
Marie Benoist
Bergamotte d'Esperen
For West and North-ivest Walls
Bon Chretien, Williams'
Jargonelle
Clapp's Favourite
Beurre d'Amanlis
Conseiller de la Cour
Delices d'Hardenpont
Marie Louise d'Uccle
Beurre d'Aremberg
Easter Beurre
Passe Crassanne
Beurre Diel
Princess
For South and South-west Walls
Beurre Superfin
Louise Bonne of Jersey
Gansel's Bergamot '
Marie Louise
Beurre Bosc
Van Mons (Leon le
Clerc)
Fondante d'Automne
Glou Morceau
Duchesse d'Ansrouleme
1 It is not generally known that this fine variety, proverbially a
shy bearer, becomes, when double-grafted on the quince stock, one
of the most abundant bearers.
PEAR TREES TRAINED AS CORDONS 33
Durondeau
Doyenne du Cornice
Beurre d'Anjou
Beurre Ranee
Olivier de Serres
Bergamotte d'Bsperen
Easter Beurre
The above varieties grafted on pear stocks are
equally adapted for their several aspects. In shallow,
gravelly, or chalky soils, pears on pear stocks are to be
preferred for walls.
It is almost useless to plant dessert pears against
north or north-east walls, as the fruit, unless in very
warm seasons, is generally deficient in flavour. The
only varieties that offer the least chance of success — and
that only in a warm climate with a dry soil — are Marie
Louise, Jargonelle, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Beurre
Superfin. It is far better to plant against such aspects
baking or stewing pears, such as Catillac, Bellissime
d'Hiver, and Leon le Clerc de Laval : the Vicar of
Winkfield is also a good north- wall pear — it bears well
and stews well. In the north the finer sorts of pears
must be cultivated on south walls.
It may seem theoretical to recommend pears on the
quince stock for pyramidal trees in the north of
England and in cold soils and situations, but my ex-
perience in some very cold and clayey soils in this
neighbourhood enables me to feel sanguine as to the
result, for I have observed that in some of the pear
gardens of France many sorts are often too ripe.
Now this is just the tendency we require. In our
3-i THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
cold and moist climate most certainly pears will not get
too ripe, more especially in the north of England and
Scotland. Some years since I received a letter from a
correspondent living in a hilly part of Derbyshire, from
which I give an extract : — ' I have tried Beurre Diel,
Beurre de Capiaumont, Marie Louise, and Williams'
Bon Chretien, on pear stocks, all of which bear well as
standards, but their fruit does not come to perfection,
always remaining quite hard till it decays at the core.
I have placed the fruit in a hot-house, but have never
succeeded in ripening it. Williams' Bon Chretien we
can only use for stewing.' This seems to show that
cold, hilly situations are not favourable to the cultiva-
tion of pears as standards. I have recommended some
pears on quince stocks, and have heard of a favourable
result.
35
CORDON PEARS ON TRELLISES UNDER
GLASS
This system of pear-growing, which, I believe, will be
the system of the future, from the extreme simplicity
and economy with which it can be constructed and
^ / WM/w/my''//-'///,
Fig. 8
adapted to all positions, was introduced some years
since by Mr. Bellenden Ker for the purpose of growing
Fig. 9
peaches and nectarines on a trellis protected by
movable glass lights.
Although the trellis does not give sufficient heat
D 2
36 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
and protection for the cultivation of peaches, it is ad-
mirably adapted for pears, apples, and plums. Fig. 8
is a section of the trellis, and fig. 9 is a front view of
a pear tree trained to it in the upright method. The
fruit grown on these trellises is remarkably fine, rival-
ling the best specimens of wall pears, owing to the
trellis being near enough to the ground for the fruit
to reap the benefit of the radiation of heat from the
earth.
The lights should remain over the trees until the
beginning of July, and then be removed, suffering the
fruit to ripen fully exposed to the sun and air. It
seems that the glass over the fruit in its young state
serves to develop its growth in a remarkable manner,
for rarely is a spot seen on pears grown on these .
trellises ; they have a clear, beautiful appearance, much
like those grown in the warmer parts of France. I
ought to add that in cool climates, such as the north
of England and Scotland, the lights may be suffered to
remain over the trees till the beginning or middle of
August. This will hasten the ripening of the fruit,
but it should be exposed to the air in early autumn for
some weeks before it is gathered, unless the climate be
particularly cold and stormy, or it may suffer in flavour.
Pears ripened under glass are apt to suffer in this re-
spect. I have, however, quite recently received the
following communication from a clever fruit-cultivator
living in Ireland : — ' Let no one persuade you that
pears grown in a well ventilated orchard-house are not
CORDON PEARS ON TRELLISES UNDER GLASS 37
equal to those outside ; I can give strong evidence to
the contrary. In my house there was a small Louise
Bonne on the quince stock, in an 11-inch pot; it bore
twenty-three splendid pears, as far superior to the same
fruit grown in the open air as it was possible to be.
They were not, I admit, high-coloured, but they at-
tained a richness and flavour that I thought Louise
Bonne did not possess.'
The pear trellis, of which the section and front view
(figs. 8 and 9) will give a correct idea, is of the most
simple description. A row of larch or oak posts must
be driven into the ground six feet apart, and another row
in front ; on these should be nailed plates, three inches
by two, and then bars, three inches by one, placed
flatwise from front plates to back three feet apart ;
across these common tiling laths should be nailed six
inches asunder. This will form the trellis as seen in
fig. 9. The supports for the lights are formed in the
same manner by a row of posts at the back and the
same for the front, on which are nailed plates of the
same dimensions as those for the trellis ; a crosspiece
should be nailed to front and back plates at each end,
to keep the supports for the lights from giving way.
The structure with the lights, when resting on the
back and front plates, has exactly the appearance of a
large garden frame without back, front, or ends.
Under the lights the trellis is formed with a sharp
slope upwards to the back : for unless the front of the
trellis is within six inches of the ground it will be
38 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
difficult to bend the trees to the required position. By
this simple contrivance, pears, and even peaches and
nectarines in warm gardens, may be grown in any
corner of the garden, with a south or south-western
exposure — for it is scarcely necessary to add that the
lights should slope to the south or south-west, so as to
have all the sun heat possible.
The most eligible dimensions for a trellis I find from
experience to be as follows : —
Glass Lights
Eight feet long, three feet wide.
Height from ground at back, three feet six inches.
Height from ground at front, one foot six inches.
Trellis
Height from ground at back, two feet six inches.
Height from ground at foot, six inches.
Distance from glass lights, one foot.
The front border should be raised to a level with the
front of trellis ; this will leave twelve inches between
the front ends of the lights and the surface of the front
border, which will be quite enough for ventilation.
Indeed, the draught in windy weather is inclined to be
too sharp ; I find, therefore, furze or other evergreen
branches, placed along the front between the glass and
the border, and a mat nailed at the back, excellent
checks to excessive ventilation in cold, frosty weather.
They may remain there till the beginning or end of
CORDON PEAKS ON TKELLISES UNDER GLASS 39
June, the latter if the weather be cold and stormy. The
lights are fastened to the plate, back and front, by a
hook and eye ; they are thus easily removed to prune
the trees and gather the fruit.
In the Appendix is given a diagram of a trellis re-
cently made. Workers in iron, if applied to, would no
doubt design a light iron trellis, which would probably
have a more elegant look than the plan detailed here.
HORIZONTAL CORDON PEAR TREES ON
DWARF WALLS
These four-inch walls should have a nine-inch founda-
tion of four courses of brickwork in the ground, and
should be carried up to four feet above the surface (it
is scarcely safe to build them of great height), with
nine-inch piers fifteen feet apart. The coping for them
is made of boiling coal tar mixed with lime and sand
to the consistence of mortar, which is placed on the top
of the wail thus ^^ so as to carry off the water. This
is a most cheap and efficacious covering — it can scarcely
be called a coping, as it does not project over the edge
of the wall. A coping of Portland cement is even better,
as it holds the wall together.
The very best lime should be used. I have found
the grey Dorking lime excellent, but any kind of lime
made from limestone will answer well : that made from
40
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
chalk in this country is not strong enough. Their cost,
as I learn from my bricklayer, is about six shillings
a yard in length ; thus a wall of the above height,
twenty yards long, should cost £§} In places where
bricks are cheap they may be built for less ; if they are
dear and at a distance, their carriage will add to the
expense. My walls are six feet apart, and stand end-
wise, north-east and south-west ; so that one side of
each wall has a south-east aspect, the other a north-
west ; on the former may be grown the late-keeping
pears, on the latter the earlier sorts that ripen from
October till the end of November. We thus have one
excellent aspect, the south-east ; and one tolerably good,
the north-west ; so that no wall space is lost.
The pear trees for these dwarf walls should be
grafted on quince stocks trained horizontally, pruned by
summer pinching as directed for five-branched vertical
1 This estimate was made some years since ; the price of labour
has increased since it was given.
HOEIZONTAL COEDONS ON DWARF WALLS 41
cordons (p. 27). They may be planted five feet apart
at first, and when their branches meet they should be
interlaced, as in fig. 10, and if necessary — i.e. if the
shoots be long enough — they may be trained over the
stems, so that the wall is completely furnished with
bearing branches. At the end of five or six years
every alternate tree may be removed, leaving the per-
manent trees ten feet apart. I advise planting thus
thickly because I know from experience that the
temporary trees will fill the walls, will bear a good
quantity of fruit, and look more satisfactory than if
they are planted thinly. When removed they may be
planted out for espaliers, or fresh walls built for them.
If, owing to the soil being rich, the trees are in-
clined to grow vigorously and not bear, they should be
lifted biennially, or root-pruned ; but pears on quince
stocks will be sure to bear abundantly.
The dwarf walls, when covered with well-trained
trees, have a neat and charming effect, and the trees
may be easily protected by sticking branches of ever-
greens in the ground and letting them rest against the
wall, or by cheap glass lights, in lieu of shutters,
placed against the walls, and suffered to remain so as
to cover the trees till the fruit is fully formed, or till
the first week in June, when all fear of damage from
frost is over.
Where two or more walls are built, or a square
piece of ground devoted to them, a cross wall or walls
should be built at the north-east end, to prevent the
42 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
sharp current of wind from the north-east, which would
blow up the intervals between the walls with great
violence. It is surprising what a quantity of fruit may-
be grown on a small space of ground with the aid of
these walls. Peaches, nectarines, and apricots may be
grown on the south-east aspect, but the trees must be
kept in check by biennial removal. They seem to me
more particularly suited to suburban, or what are
commonly called cockney, gardens. How pleasant to
be able to have a brick wall twenty yards long for £6,
or ten yards long for £3 ; and how delightful to be able
to grow one's own ' wall-fruit ' ! On a wall ten yards
long, five peach and nectarine trees may be trained, and
many dozens of fruit produced annually. These dwarf
walls for the cultivation of peaches, nectarines, and
apricots must, however, differ from those for pear trees,
and be built so as to give a south or south-west aspect
for the front, a north or north-east for the back. The
latter may be planted with Morello cherries. To carry
out the cultivation of the above-meutioned trees on
dwarf walls, it is absolutely necessary to take them up
biennially in November and replant them in the same
place.1 They will not require any compost to their
roots, for peach, nectarine, and apricot trees are gene-
rally by far too vigorous in their growth. In some of
the London suburban gardens the soil is so rich that
1 It is a prudent practice, in all cases of biennial removal, to
remove half the number of trees in alternate years, for in dry
seasons those recently removed may be too much checked in their
growth to bear a crop of fruit the first season after removal.
HOEIZONTAL COEDONS ON DWARF WALLS 43
annual removal, particularly with apricots, may be found
to be quite necessary. In country gardens, where the
soil is poor, a dressing of manure on the surface over
the roots two inches deep will be of service.
A matter of great consequence in peach-tree culture
on walls is to keep the surface of the soil solid ; if,
therefore, the trees grow too vigorously, so as to require
removal, say in October, the soil, after the tree is planted,
should, after becoming dry, be rammed with a wooden
rammer, so as to be as solid as a common garden path.
In spring this hard surface should be covered with a
slight coat of thoroughly decayed manure, which will
be all the culture required.
ESPALIER PEARS ON QUINCE STOCKS
Pears on the quince may be cultivated as horizontal
espaliers or cordons by the sides of walks, or trained to
lofty walls with much advantage, as less space is required.
Horizontal espaliers or wall trees on the pear stock,
trained to walls of the usual height, i.e. from ten to
twelve feet, require to be planted twenty feet apart,
while those on the quince may be planted only ten feet
apart; this, in a small garden, will allow of much
greater variety of sorts to supply the table at different
seasons. With these the same high culture, if perfec-
tion be wished for, must be followed : the trees carefully
44 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
planted, so that the junction of the graft with the stock
is even with the surface of the mould formed as directed
for pyramids. The pruning of wall pear trees has always
been a subject of controversy with gardeners, as they
are inclined to grow too vigorously. If it be thought
desirable to have trees of large growth, so as to cover a
high wall, and yet be highly fertile, it is much better to
root-prune than to prune the branches. With such
trees it need not be done so severely ; biennial root-
pruning will be quite sufficient, commencing at eighteen
inches from the wall after the tree has had two seasons'
growth, cutting off the ends of all the roots at that dis-
tance from the wall, and increasing it by sis inches at
eveiy biennial pruning, till a distance of six feet from
the wall is reached. When this is the case the roots
must be confined to the border of that width by digging
a trench biennially, and cutting off all the ends of the
roots at that distance from the wall.
I may, perhaps, make this more plain by saying that
a tree planted in November 1890 should have its roots
shortened eighteen inches in November 1892, to twenty-
four inches in 1894, to thirty inches in 1896, to three
feet in 1897, and so on, leaving sis inches biennially
till, say, a distance of six feet from the wall is reached in
1899. This border, six feet wide, will then be full of
fibrous roots.1 It should never be dug or cropped, but
1 If the wall to which the trees are trained be twelve feet and
upwards in height, the border should be eight, and even ten, feet in
width. Wide and shallow fruit-tree borders are much to be pre-
ferred to those that are deep and narrow.
ESPALIER PEARS ON QUINCE STOCKS 45
annually have a surface-dressing of manure about two
inches in thickness ; and, as I have before said, have a
trench dug biennially eighteen inches deep, six feet from
the wall, and the end of every protruding root cut off.
If this method be followed, and summer terminal
pinching of the leading branches be practised, the
pruning will be simplified. The first shoots in June
should be stopped as soon as seven leaves are produced,
and the remainder of the pruning left until October,
with the exception of occasionally removing shoots which
are too crowded. The branches of the horizontal-trained
trees will then form cordons issuing from one main stem ;
and this form of training, with all due deference to our
Gallic neighbours, has been practised here for many
years, although we did not give it a popular name.
In forming borders for wall pear trees on quince
stocks, biennially root-pruned, the soil should be well
stirred with the fork to a depth of eighteen inches, and
if it be poor, a good dressing of rotten manure or leaf
mould should be mixed with it. Lime rubbish or gyp-
sum is a necessary compost. Pears on quince stocks are
much better adapted for this mode of culture than those
on pear stocks. If the latter be planted, the border, six
feet wide, should have a thick layer of concrete at bottom,
to prevent the roots striking downwards ; or it would be
good practice to place, eighteen inches deep under each
tree, a flat piece of stone three feet in diameter ; this
would force the roots to take a horizontal direction, and
facilitate the operation of root-pruning.
46 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
For fine specimens of wall pear trees grafted on the
quince, I may refer to those on the west wall of the
Koyal Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick.
These are now more that forty years old, and are pictures
of health and fertility, thus at once settling the question
respecting the early decay of pear trees grafted on the
quince ; for it has been often, very often, urged as an
objection to the use of the quince stock, that pears
grafted on it are, although prolific, but very short-lived.
I have seen trees in France more than fifty years old,
and those above referred to may be adduced to confute
this error.
47
PEAR TREES TRAINED AS SINGLE
VERTICAL CORDONS
This is, perhaps, the most simple of all methods for
economising space, and is in reality a very primitive
form. Plant either one- or two-year-old trees, three
feet apart, in quincunx or rows. If the trees are weak,
and cannot make an upright growth without assistance,
fasten them to a stake. Prune, when planted, about
three or four buds from the top, and leave them for the
first year without further pruning until October, when
the summer shoots of the trees must be pruned to the
lowest wood bud nearest the stem ; the pruning is then
complete for the first year. The second year the trees
will produce lateral shoots from all parts of the main
stem. In June, pinch the terminal bud of all these
shoots when they have arrived at six to seven leaves,
and prune no more until the end of September, when
the leaf begins to fall.
For small gardens, where the cultivator wishes for
a large collection of pears in a small place, this — which
is, in fact, the cordon system applied to single-stemmed
trees — is much to be recommended.
Fig. 20 is a single cordon apple tree from a speci-
48 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
men growing here (single cordon pear trees require the
same culture), and will, perhaps, give the reader a
correct idea of the adaptability of these compact trees
for small gardens ; they may be planted two feet apart.
DIAGONAL SINGLE CORDONS
The diagonal single cordon is the most simple of all
the methods supported by various writers on training.
It consists merely of planting a dwarf tree with one
shoot about 18 to 20 inches apart at an angle of 45°
(fig. 11). The first year after planting, the side shoots
should be pinched in June to five leaves, and pruned
again in October to three buds from the base. This
pruning includes the second growth from the first
pruning. If the tree, as it often does, produces bloom
spurs, do not prune them, as the tree will not be
injured by precocity in fruiting. The third and fourth
years will require the same treatment — that is, pinch in
June and then refrain from any other pruning until
October ; the trees will look a little ragged and untidy,
but this will be remedied by the late pruning. Diagonal
cordons of pears, plums, cherries, apples, and apricots
may be cultivated with success when trained against
walls with south-west and all other aspects, except
north or north-east.
There is perhaps no wall-fruit tree so likely to be
DIAGONAL SINGLE CORDONS
49
largely benefited by single diagonal training as the
apricot. Every gardener knows the wretched dis-
appointment often felt in summer by large and ap-
parently healthy branches of their apricot trees dying
off suddenly, and leaving them without any remedy —
for the gap made cannot be filled, owing to the rigidity
of the remaining branches. There is, therefore, no
Fig. 11
remedy for this failure of apricot trees when trained'to
walls in the usual manner ; but there is a sure method
of avoiding it — simple enough : it is by planting single
diagonal cordon trees, which may be maiden trees with
a single stem, or trees in a bearing state from the
nursery. In planting, if the tree is slender, it is usual
to keep the stem of the stock as nearly upright as
E
50 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
possible ; but as the graft is often too stiff to bend
readily, the tree may be planted slopingly.
Single diagonal apricot trees require a south or
south-west aspect, and should be planted eighteen to
twenty inches apart, and every shoot pinched in during
the summer, as directed for cordon pear trees (p. 48),
and the same directions as to reducing and thinning
out the fruit spurs in winter are necessary. The
leading shoot need not, as a general rule, be shortened
till it reaches the top of the wall, as the shoot of an
apricot tree is generally so robust and full of buds. A
single diagonal apricot tree, sloped to an angle of 45°
or so, will, when it reaches the top of a wall ten feet
in height, be a cordon fifteen feet in length. A wall
twenty feet long will thus give space enough for ten
or twelve trees, which in the course of two or three
years will bear large quantities of fruit. One most
important advantage, I repeat, is held out by this mode
of culture : no unseemly gaps need be seen, owing to
the death of branches, as in the present mode ; for
whenever a tree dies — a very uncommon event — it may
be at once replaced. The expense of ten trees instead
of one maybe urged by the planter, costing 15s. instead
of 7s. 6d. for one well-trained tree. I have only to
remark that when the system is fully carried out the
demand will be met by a much cheaper supply, and it
must be recollected that it gives a tenfold advantage
over the old method of training.
Above all, it does away with the tiresome annual
DIAGONAL SINGLE CORDONS 51
necessity of ' laying in ' shoots, and pruning and nailing
in winter; if not tied to wires fixed to the wall the
diagonal cordon can be fastened by three or four shreds,
care being taken that the shreds are not lurking-places
for insects.
Peaches and nectarines trained as diagonal cordons
against walls with a south or south-west aspect are
worthy of a trial, but only in the warmer parts of
EngTand.
The system of single diagonal training is so simple
that one feels assured of its being widely spread among
amateur gardeners, who seem likely to lead the sound
gardening taste of England. It must, however, be
recollected that, although such trees trained against a
wire fence are pleasant to look at, they require protection
from spring frost, our great enemy.
The making of these wire fences for diagonal
cordons is very simple. Straining posts of oak, five
inches by two and a half, are placed firmly in the
ground, twenty feet apart ; between these, at six feet
apart, are the perforated, flat, slight iron bars used to
support wire fences : the wire may be stout iron wire
the thickness of whipcord, which should be painted
with coal-tar and lime, or if galvanised no painting
will be required. The lowest wire is eighteen inches
from the surface of the soil, and the other wires are
one foot apart, as high as required ; but six, seven,
or eight feet will be found high enough. Fig. 11 will
give an idea of diagonal cordon training on a wire
E 2
52 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
fence. My trees, planted from fifteen to eighteen
inches apart, are models of beauty, far surpassing
espalier training, and giving more fruit in the same
space. For boundary fences in the kitchen garden I
know of nothing more desirable or more economical
than a diagonal cordon fence covered with trees full of
fruit.
The double trellis is made precisely in the same
manner as the single trellis, but the addition of hori-
zontal iron bars, fastened to the straining posts, one
foot in length, gives the power of placing two rows of
wires instead of one, thus economising space, and by
using the same straining posts the means of gaining
twice the produce is afforded ; the additional expense
being the iron strainers and the wires.
In cultivating pears or any other fruit trees on
trellises, I recommend digging a trench parallel to the
trees, about eighteen inches from the stem, and from
one foot to eighteen inches in depth. This should be
filled with rotten manure and loam, and should be
used as a permanent root border, an alternate parallel
trench being dug to supply the fresh and to receive the
used-up soil. It will, I think, be understood that this
system will provide fresh food for the roots of the trees,
and will also form a modified system of root-pruning ;
the roots will be found to grow luxuriantly and will not
travel far. The soil taken from the trellis trench will
serve again in alternate years, as it will have had a
fallow, and if the surface is dressed with manure and
PEAE-TEEE HEDGE 53
lime, it will be in all respects equal to virgin soil.
Care must be taken to make the trellis trench firm and
solid, as the roots of trees dislike a loose soil.
I may here suggest that prisoners could make pro-
tecting mats for fruit trees at a cheap rate. These may
be light, strong, and durable. The material of which
they are made will be thick enough to prevent damage
from the severe frosts in April and May, months when
the blossoms or the young fruit suffer most.
PEAR-TREE HEDGE
A FEW years since, when visiting a friend at Fontenay-
aux-Roses, near Paris, I was much struck with a hedge
formed of pear-trees on the quince stock. He smiled
when he told me his method of cultivation and pruning,
the latter being simply clipping his hedge in July with
the garden shears,1 and thinning out the spurs in
winter when they become crowded. When my friend
paid me a visit, I inquired, with some interest, about his
pear-tree hedge. He assured me that it was perfectly
healthy, and generally gave him large crops of fruit.
The sorts proper to form a hedge are Louise Bonne of
Jersey, Beurre d'Amanlis, Beurre Hardy, Conseiller de
la Cour, Beurre d'Aremberg, Beurre Superfin, and
1 An English cultivator would employ pruning scissors to
shorten the shoots, and thus make his hedge look as if cared for.
54 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GAKDEN
Doyenne du Cornice. These are all free growers on the
quince stock, and if planted in a favourable soil and
climate would soon form a fruitful hedge. They should
be planted about thirty inches apart, and in masses,
i.e. planting, say, ten of each sort together. A hedge
may be formed, varying more in its aspect by planting
one or two trees of each sort in succession — this is a
mere matter of taste. A pear-tree hedge when in full
bloom has a very agreeable look, and when full of fruit
is very profitable.
PYRAMIDS ON THE PEAR STOCK
There are some dry, warm, shallow soils, more parti-
cularly those resting on chalk or gravel, which are un-
favourable to the pear on the quince stock ; it is difficult
to make them flourish unless great care is taken in
mulching the surface, and giving them abundance of
water and liquid manure in summer. In such soils
pyramids on the pear stock may be cultivated with but
little trouble.
To those who wish to train them as they should
grow, one-year-old grafted plants may be selected,
which may be managed as directed for young pyramids
on the quince stock. If trees of mature growth are
planted, they will require the treatment recommended
for pyramids on the quince stock, but as they are more
vigorous in growth excessive summer pinching must be
PYEAMIDS ON THE PEAK STOCK 55
avoided. The strong laterals should have the terminal
bud nipped in June and the rest of the pruning com-
pleted in September. There is no occasion, however,
to make a mound up to the junction of the graft with
the stock, as the pear does not really emit roots. Annual
root-pruning is almost indispensable to pyramids on
pear stocks in small gardens, and it will much facili-
tate this operation if each tree be planted on a small
mound ; the roots are then so easily brought to the
surface. This annual operation, which should be done
in November, may be dispensed with in soils not rich,
if the trees be lifted biennially in that month and re-
planted, merely pruning off the ends of any long roots.
Annual surface manuring, as recommended for pyramids
on the quince, is also necessary, if the trees be root-
pruned or biennially removed.
Trees of the usual size and quality may be planted,
and suffered to remain two years undisturbed, unless
the soil be rich and they make vigorous shoots (say
eighteen inches in length) the first season after plant-
ing, in which case operations may then commence the
first season. Thus, supposing a tree to be planted in
November or December, it may remain untouched
two years from that period ; and then as early in
autumn as possible a circumferential trench, twelve
inches deep, should be dug, and every root cut with
the knife and brought near to the surface, and the
spade introduced under the trees so as to completely
intercept every perpendicular root.
56 THE MINIATURE FKUIT GARDEN
The treddle spade used in this part of Hertford-
shire is a very eligible instrument for this purpose, as
the edge is steeled and very sharp. The following
year, the third from planting, a trench may be again
opened at fifteen inches from the stem, so as not to
injure the fibrous roots of the preceding summer's
growth, and the knife and spade again used to cut all
the spreading and perpendicular roots that are getting
out of bounds. The fourth year the same operation
may be repeated at eighteen inches from the stem ;
and in all subsequent root-pruning this distance from
the stem must be kept. This will leave enough un-
disturbed earth round each tree to sustain as much
fruit as ought to grow, for the object is to obtain a
small prolific tree.
I find that in the course of years a perfect mass of
fibrous roots is formed, which only requires the annual
or biennial operation (the former if the tree be very
vigorous) of a trench being dug, and the ball of earth
heaved down to ascertain whether any large feeders
are making their escape from it, and to cut them off.
But it must be borne in mind that this soil will in a
few years be exhausted ; to remedy which a shallow
trench should be made round the tree about eighteen
inches from the stem : this should be filled in with a
dressing of night soil and burnt earth in December or
January. This manure is raw and powerful and very
unsavoury, but it will not come into contact with any
active roots until it has lost its pungency. Other liquid
PYRAMIDS ON THE PEAR STOCK 57
manures are equally useful, but the above is easily
obtained and applied. I must firmly impress upon
the reader the strong necessity of applying lime or
chalk to soils deficient in this deposit ; I believe that
many so-called exhausted borders require only the
addition of lime in some form or other to renovate
decaying trees.
Gas lime after an exposure to the air, superphos-
phate, gypsum, lime rubbish, or chalk will all be found
to act beneficially.
There is no absolute necessity for liquid manuring
in the winter, as common dung may be laid round each
tree in autumn, and suffered to be washed in by the
rains in winter and drawn in by the worms. The
great end to attain seems (to use an agricultural phrase)
to be able to ' feed at home ' ; that is, to give the mass
of spongioles enough nutriment in a small space. A
tree will then make shoots from eight to ten inches
Jong in one season (for such ought to be the maxi-
mum of growth), and at the same time be able to
produce abundance of blossom-buds and fruit. On
trees of many varieties the former will be in too
great abundance ; removing a portion in early spring,
cutting them out with a sharp knife so as to leave
each fruit-spur about three inches apart, is excellent
culture.
I have not yet mentioned the possibility of root-
pruning fruit trees of twenty or thirty years' growth
with advantage. Irregular amputation of the roots
58 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
of too vigorous fruit trees is, I am aware, an old
practice ; but the regular and annual or biennial
pruning of them, so as to keep a tree full of youth and
vigour in a stationary and prolific state, has not, that I
am aware of, been recommended by any known author,
although it may have been practised. In urging its
applicability to trees of twenty or thirty years' growth,
I must recommend caution : the circular trench should
not be nearer the stem of a standard tree than three
feet, or, if it be a wall tree, four feet, and only two-
thirds of the roots should be pruned the first season,
leaving one-third to support the tree, so that it cannot
be blown on one side by the wind, and these of course
must be left where they will best give this support.
The following season half the remaining roots may be
cut, or, if the tree be inclined to vigour, all of them ;
but if it gives symptoms of being checked too much,
they may, on the contrary, remain undisturbed for one,
or even two seasons. If, as is often the case in pear,
trees, the roots are nearly all perpendicular, the tree
must be supported with stakes for one or two years
after complete root-pruning.
The following extract from a letter received from the
late C. Koach Smith, Esq., the archaeologist, is interest-
ing, as showing the prompt effects of root-pruning of
trees : — ' I have only been a horticulturist for three
years ; I took to two very beautiful old pear trees,
which must have cost no end of nailing, cuttiug, and
staking. On inquiry, I found that one (a Summer
EOOT-PEUNING OF FRUIT TEEES 59
Bon Chretien) had never produced more than one pea/r
annually ; the other upon a north wall had never given
a single pear. I could get no aid from anyone what to
do with those trees, and no book then accessible helped
me. I reflected on the natural habit of the pear tree,
and coming to the conclusion that the cause of barren-
ness was exuberance of roots, I resolved to cut them.
Before the leaves had fallen, a friend sent me " The
Eetired Gardener," an old book translated from the
French. In it I found an account of some experiments
made in England which fortified me in the resolution
I had taken. The first year the Summer Bon Chretien 1
produced nine fruit. I pruned the roots more closely,
and this year (1859), in spite of the ungenial spring, I
saved fifty-nine pears. The other tree yielded thirty-
six, but of so vile a quality that I have re-grafted the
tree. A large plum treated in the same way produced
the season after being root-pruned 2,000 fruit.'
It will not, perhaps, be out of place here to
enumerate a few of the advantages of systematic root-
pruning and removing or lifting of pear, apple, and
plum trees, and of growing them as pyramidal trees
and bushes.
Firstly. Their eligibility for small gardens, even
the smallest.
Secondly. The facility of thinning the blossom-
buds, and in some varieties, such as Gansel's Bergamot
1 This is one of our oldest varieties, and remarkable for being a
very shy bearer.
60 THE MINIATURE FKUIT GAEDEN
and other shy-bearing sorts, of setting the blossoms and
of thinning and gathering the fruit.
Thirdly. Their making the gardener independent of
the natural soil of his garden, as a few barrowfuls of rich
mould with annual manure on the surface will support
a tree for many, very many years, thus placing bad
soils nearly on a level with those the most favourable.
Fourthly. The capability of removing trees of fifteen
or twenty years' growth with as much facility as fur-
niture. To tenants this will indeed be a boon, for
perhaps one of the greatest annoyances a tenant is
subject to is that of being obliged to leave behind him
trees that he has nurtured with the utmost care.
Probably in judicious root-pruning and annual
manuring on the surface, so as to keep our fruit trees
full of short, well-ripened, fruitful shoots, we are all
inexperienced.
Root-pruning was practised with success in a garden
near where for some years a healthy peach tree was
never seen, as the subsoil is a cold white clay, full of
chalk stones. This change was brought about by
biennially pruning the roots of the trees early in
autumn, as soon as the fruit was gathered ; in some
cases lifting the trees and supplying their roots with
a dressing of leaf-mould, sand, and rotten manure, equal
parts. Powdered charcoal, or the ashes of burnt turf
and rotten manure, also make an excellent root-dressing
for cold heavy soils ; but if the soil be dry and poor,
and unfavourable to the peach and nectarine, loam and
ROOT-PRUNING- OF FRUIT TREES 61
rotten manure is the best dressing for the roots, and
also for the surface.
PLANTING AND AFTER MANAGEMENT
Pyramidal pear trees of from three to five years old
on the quince stock, root-pruned, and full of blossom -
buds, may be purchased. Trees of this description
should, if possible, be planted before Christmas ; but if
the soil be very tenacious, the holes may be opened in
the autumn, and the trees planted in February; the
soil will be mellowed and benefited by the frosts of
winter.1
Pear trees grafted on the quince stock offer a
curious anomaly ; for if they are removed quite late
in spring — say towards the end of March, when their
blossom-buds are just on the point of bursting — they
will bear a fine, and often an abundant, crop of fruit.
This is sometimes owing to the blossoms being retarded,
and thus escaping the spring frosts ; but it has so often
occurred here when no frosts have visited us that I
1 The roots of pear trees on the quince stock, and, indeed, of all
root-pruned trees, are very fibrous. In planting, it is good practice
to give each tree two shovelfuls of fine earth or mould rather dry —
to place it on the roots and shake the tree, so that the mould is
mixed with the mass of fibrous roots. Before the soil is all filled in,
three or four gallons of water should be poured in, so as to wash the
earth into every crevice. The roots should not be crammed into a
small hole. A tree with its roots eighteen inches in diameter will
require a hole 2^ feet in diameter, and so on in proportion.
62 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
notice it — in fact, no trees bear late removal so well as
pears on quince stocks.
In planting pear trees on the quince stock, it is quite
necessary that the stock should be covered up to its
junction with the graft. This joining of the graft to
the stock is generally very evident, even to the most
ignorant in gardening matters ; it usually assumes the
form as given in fig. 12, a.
Fig. 12.— a, Junction of the graft with the stock, b, the point
up to which the stock should be covered.
If the soil be not excessively wet, the tree may be
placed in a hole, say three feet in diameter and eighteen
inches deep, in the usual way, so that the upper roots are
slightly above the level of the surface, as the tree will
always settle down two or three inches the first season
after planting. Some light compost should be filled in,
and the tree well shaken, so that it is thoroughly mingled
with its roots. The compost must then be trodden
down ; and so far the planting is finished. The earth
should then be placed round the stem, and formed into
a mound, which should cover the stock up to, but not
above, the junction of the graft with the stock, in order
PLANTING AND AFTEK MANAGEMENT 63
to encourage it to emit roots into the surface soil, and to
keep it (the stock) from becoming hard and ' bark-bound.'
As the mounds will subside by the heavy rains of
winter, presuming that the trees have been planted in
autumn, fresh compost of the same nature must be
added in spring, and every succeeding autumn. A
quarter of a peck of soot, strewed on the surface in a
circle three feet in diameter round each tree in March,
is an excellent stimulant. The great object in the
culture of the pear on the quince stock is to encourage
the growth of its very fibrous roots at the surface, so
that they may feel the full influence of the sun and air.
The slight mounds recommended may be made orna-
mental, if required, by placing pieces of rock or flint
on them, which will also prevent the birds scratching
at them for worms ; but the stones selected must not be
very large and heavy — they should be about the size
and weight of a brick. In light friable soils, the mounds
may be from three to four inches above the surface of
the surrounding soil ; in heavy retentive wet soils, from
sis to eight inches will not be found too high.
In soils of a light dry nature the pear on the quince
requires careful culture ; the surface round the tree
should be covered during June, July, and August with
short litter,1 or manure, and in dry weather give the
1 A clerical amateur has informed me that this mulching or
placing half -rotten manure one or two inches deep on the surface in
a circle from two to three feet in diameter and one and a half
inches deep, according to the size of the tree, will prevent pears
cracking.
64 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
trees a drenching once a week with guano water (about
one pound to ten gallons) and equal parts of soot, which
must be well stirred before it is used. Each tree should
have ten gallons poured gradually into the soil ; by this
method the finest fruit may be produced ; and as it is
very probable that ere many years elapse exhibitions of
pears will become very popular, this will be the mode to
procure fine specimens to show for prizes. I must also
here repeat that lime rubbish or chalk should be applied
to soils deficient in calcareous deposit ; I think that all
fruit trees would be benefited by a biennial dressing of
superphospate. Gas lime after an exposure of a month
or two may be advantageously mixed with the surface-
dressing of manure. Gypsum dissolved in water is a
very efficient fertiliser.
Our oldest gardening authors have said that ' pears
engrafted on the quince stocks give their fairest fruit ' ;
and they are correct. It has been asserted that the
fruit is liable to be gritty and deficient in flavour. I
can only say that from my trees growing on a cold
clayey soil, I have tasted fruit of Marie Louise, Louis
Bonne of Jersey, and others, all that could, be wished
for in size and flavour.
In the course of my experience, and since the above
recommendation to plant on mounds was written, I have
found it good practice in very dry soils to plant pear
trees on the quince stock with the junction of the graft
just level with the surface, so as not to require mounds
round their stems. The first season they should have
PLANTING AND AFTER MANAGEMENT
65
some manure on the surface, laid in a circle round the
stem ; and the second year a shallow basin, two feet in
diameter and four inches deep, should be dug round the
stem, and filled with some manure about half-rotten.
FlG. 13. — Bush pear tree in the garden of J. Meadows, Esq.,
Wexford. Photographed September 13, 1872. This tree,
worked on the quince stock, is now 22 years old, 5 feet
high, 3 feet through the centre, and 100 inches in circum-
ference It bears abundantly every year, and, a few days
after this photograph was taken, 189 handsome pears
were gathered from it.
This basin thus filled will keep moist even in the most
dry and hot weather, and will become full of fibrous
roots. This is also an excellent method of renovating
pear trees that have exhausted themselves by bearing
F
66 THE MINIATURE FKUIT GARDEN
too abundantly or that appear unhealthy by their leaves
turning yellow. In such cases, when the trees are of
advanced growth, a basin of the same depth, but three
or more feet in diameter, should be formed and filled
with manure ; in all cases for this purpose this should
be but slightly decomposed.
GATHERING THE FRUIT
The fruit of pears, more particularly those on quince
stocks, should not be suffered to ripen on the tree,
the summer and autumn varieties should be gathered
before they are quite ripe, and left to ripen in the fruit
room.1 The late pears should be gathered before the
leaves take their autumnal tints ; if suffered to remain
too long on the trees they frequently never ripen,
but continue hard till they rot. In most seasons,
from the beginning to the end of October is a good
time, but much depends on soil and climate. The
following passage from that very excellent work,
Downing's ' Fruit Trees of America,' is appropriate to
this subject : —
' The pear is a peculiar fruit in one respect, which
should always be kept in mind, viz., that most varieties
are much finer in flavour if incited from the tree, and
1 Pears that ripen in September and October should not be
gathered all at one time, but at intervals of a week or so, making,
say, three gatherings ; their season is thus much prolonged.
GATHERING THE FEUIT 67
ripened in the house, than if allowed to become fully
matured on the tree. There are a few exceptions to
this rule, but they are very few. And, on the other
hand, we know a great many varieties, which are only
second or third-rate when ripened on the tree, but possess
the highest and richest flavour if gathered at the proper
time, and allowed to mature in the house. This proper
season is easily known, first by the ripening of a few
full-grown, but worm-eaten specimens, which fall soonest
from the tree ; and, secondly, by the change of colour,
and the readiness of the stalk to part from the branch
on gently raising the fruit. The fruit should then be
gathered, or so much of the crop as appears sufficiently
matured, and spread out on shelves in the fruit room,
or upon the floor of the garret. Here it will gradually
assume its full colour and become deliciously melting
and luscious. Many sorts which if suffered to ripen in
the sun or open air are rather dry, when ripened within
doors are most abundantly melting and juicy. They
will also last for a considerably longer period, if ripened
in this way, maturing gradually as wanted for use, and
being thus beyond the risk of loss or injury by violent
storms or high winds.
' Winter dessert pears should be allowed to hang on
the tree as long as possible, till the nights become frosty.1
They should then be wrapped separately in paper,
1 I feel compelled to differ from Mr. D. in this respect, for in
the autumn of 1855, I suffered many pears to hang on the trees till
the end of October, and they never ripened. I believe the first week
in October to be the best period to gather winter pears in.
f 2
68 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
packed in kegs, barrels, or small boxes, and placed in a
cool dry room, free from frost. Some varieties, as the
Beurre d'Aremberg, will ripen finely with no other care
than placing them in barrels in the cellar, like apples.
But most kinds of the finer winter dessert pears should
be brought into a warm apartment for a couple of weeks
before their usual season of maturity. They should be
kept covered, to prevent shrivelling. Many sorts that
are comparatively tough if ripened in a cold apartment,
become very melting, buttery, and juicy, when allowed
to mature in a room kept at a temperature of 60 or 70
deg.'
The following is from Mr. Glass's ' Gardening Book,'
as given in the ' Gardener's Chronicle ' : —
HOW TO STORE WINTER PEARS EST SMALL QUANTITIES
'Get some unglazecl jars — garden pots will do; make
them perfectly clean, if they have ever been used. The
best way is to half burn or bake them over again.
1 Gather your pears very carefully, so as not to rub
off the bloom or break the stalk. On no account knock
them about so as to bruise them. Put them on a dry
sweet shelf, to sweat. When this sweating is over, rub
them dry with a soft cloth, as tenderly as if you were
dry-rubbing a baby.
' As soon as they are quite dry, put them, one over
the other, into the jars or garden pots, without any sort
of packing ; close up the mouth of the jar loosely, or of
the garden-pot, by whelming the pan or placing a piece
KEEPING PEAES IN A GKEENHOUSE 69
of slate over it, and stow them away in a darkish closet
where they cannot get the frost.
' Open the jars now and then, to see how they are
getting on.
{ Do not put more than one sort in the same jar if
you can help it. Mind — the warmer they are kept, the
faster they will ripen.'
KEEPING PEARS IN A GREENHOUSE
Pears may be kept in a greenhouse, in great perfection,
all the autumn.
The greenhouse in which this experiment was tried
is a lean-to house with a south-west aspect, twelve feet
wide, with a path in the centre, a bench in front of
common slates laid on wooden bars. The pears were
laid on the front bench, the glass over them shaded till
the end of November, and the house ventilated; in
severe frosts the temperature was kept just above
freezing. The autumn and early winter pears under
this treatment ripened slowly, and were of excellent
flavour.
After all, I think there is no better material for
preserving pears plump and sound than dry burnt
earth ; this never turns musty, never ferments, but
seems to remain under all circumstances perfectly inno-
cuous.
70 THE MINIATUEE FEUIT GAEDEN
My own fruit room, in which the fruit keeps very
successfully, is a span roof thatched building with a
walk down the centre and benches on either side ;
the fruit is placed on bars of wood about one inch apart.
Pears and apples keep well until their extreme limit of
ripening.
Winter and very late pears will ripen well when
taken from the fruit room and placed in a warmer
temperature.
If the fruit is exposed to the sun under glass when
gathered it will keep better than if stored immediately
after picking. The exposure to the sun completes the
process of ripening, and the late pears are much im-
proved in flavour by this treatment.
71
PYRAMIDAL APPLE TREES ON THE
PARADISE APPLE STOCK
Apples as pyramids on the Paradise stock are objects
of great beauty and utility. This stock, like the quince,
is remarkable for its tendency to emit numerous fibrous
roots near the surface, and for contracting the growth
of the graft, causing it to become fruitful at a very
early stage. On the Continent there are two varieties
of the apple under this denomination, viz., the Doucin,
and the Pomme de Paradis ; these are called Paradise
stocks in England, but on the Continent the first and
last are used for distinct purposes — the first for
pyramids, the latter for dwarf bushes.
The Doucin stock is probably the same as that
called ' Dutch Creeper,' or ' Dutch Paradise,' by Miller,
in his Dictionary, folio edition of 1759. It puts forth
abundance of fibrous roots near the surface of the soil,
and is not inclined to root deeply into it like the crab.
Apples grafted on this stock are more vigorous than
when grafted on the French Paradise stock, and less so
than those on the crab ; it is, therefore, well adapted for
garden trees, for they are easily lifted, their roots thus
72 THE MINIATUBE FRUIT GAEDEN
kept to the surface, and the tree consequently kept free
from canker. There is another surface-rooting apple
also well adapted for stocks, the Burr Knot. This, like
the Doucin, will strike root, if stout cuttings, two or
three years old, are planted two-thirds of their length
in a moist soil ; it is a large, handsome, and very
good culinary apple. At Ware Park in Hertfordshire,
this is called Byde's Walking-stick Apple, owing to
Mr. Byde, the former proprietor of the place, often
planting branches with his own hand, which soon
formed nice bearing trees.
Among apples raised from seed, some will occasion-
ally be found with this surface-rooting nature ; and
this is, I suspect, the reason why the Doucin stock,
under the name of the Paradise, in the English
nurseries, differs from the stock used as Doucins in
France ; there are also several varieties cultivated there,
some of which are unfitted for our climate.
There are three varieties of the French Paradise,
all making very dwarf trees; then come three Dutch
Paradise, all much alike, but slightly more vigorous
than the French sorts ; next to them are two English
Paradise, both of them from old English nurseries —
they have much resemblance to the French Doucin
stock, but are better, swelling with the graft. The
Creeping Paradise is probably that mentioned by
Miller, in the last century, since it is very remarkable
for putting forth suckers from the roots, objectionable,
but not common with the apple tribe. The Nonesuch
PYEAMIDAL APPLE TEEES ON THE PAKADISE STOCK 73
Paradise stock, raised here from that very old apple the
Nonesuch of Queen Bess's time, is quite sui generis,
for it has downy leaves and a knotted stem, but is
wonderfully fertile. The Broad-leaved Paradise, also
raised from seed here, is the best variety of the Doucin
stock. The Miniature and Pigmy Paradise, both raised
from seed here, have the dwarf habit of the French
Paradise.
The Pommier de Paradis, or the French Paradise,
seems identical with the ' dwarf apple of Armenia,'
referred to in the ' Journal of the Horticultural Society,'
part ii. vol. iii. p. 115. It is exceedingly dwarf in its
habit, and too tender for this climate, unless in very
warm and rich soils. Out of 2,000 imported in 1845,
more than half died the first season, and two-thirds of
the remainder the following. They were planted in
fine fertile loam, favourable to the growth of apples, and
on which the Doucin, planted the same season, grew
with the greatest vigour. The same result attended an
importation in 1866. I have potted some plants, and
owing, as I suppose, to the roots being warmed through
the pots by exposure to the sun, they make very nice
little fruitful bushes — in fact, real miniature apple trees,
bearing fruit when only nine inches in height ; to have
healthy fertile trees, I should recommend them to be
gradually shifted into fifteen-inch pots. The citizen
may thus have his apple orchard on the leads of his
house.
The Nonesuch and Broad-leaved Paradise stocks,
74 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
before mentioned as my seedlings, are most deserving
of our attention as stocks for forming fruitful healthy
pyramids and bushes, the culture of which is very
simple. Grafted trees of one, two, or three years'
growth, with straight leading stems, well furnished
with buds and branches to the junction with the stock,
should be planted. No manure should be placed to
their roots, but some light friable mould should be
shaken into them, the earth filled in, trodden down, and
two or three shovelfuls of half-rotten manure laid on the
surface round each tree. This surface-dressing may be
given with advantage every succeeding autumn. If the
soil be very wet and retentive, it will be better to plant
the trees in small mounds ; and if symptoms of canker
make their appearance, their roots should be examined
annually in the autumn, as recommended in root-prun-
ing of pears on the quince stock, introducing the spade
directly under the roots, so as to prevent any entering
deeply into the soil, and bringing all as nearly to the
surface as possible, filling in the trench with light friable
compost ; or the tree may be lifted and replanted, which
will be found more efficient.
If the soil be unfavourable, and apt to induce a
too vigorous growth in apple trees, followed by canker,
the roots should be annually root-pruned, or the trees
lifted — i.e. taken up and replanted. If, however,
the trees make shoots of only moderate vigour, and are
healthy and fruitful, their roots may remain undis-
turbed ; pinching their shoots in summer, as directed
PYEAMLDAL APPLE TKEES ON THE PARADISE STOCK 75
for pyramidal pears, p. 10, and training them in a
proper direction, is all that they will want. Pyramids
on the Paradise stock may be planted six feet apart in
confined gardens ; six feet will give them abundance
of room ; but if, owing to the soil being of an extra
fertility, they are found to require more, the trees, if
they have been root-pruned, may be removed, almost
without receiving a check, even if they are twenty years
old. This is a great comfort to the amateur gardener
who amuses himself with improving his garden ; for
how often does a favourite fruit tree, which cannot be
removed, prevent some projected improvement !
Apples differ greatly in their habits of growth ;
some are inclined to grow close and compact, like a
cypress — these are the proper sorts for pyramids ;
others, horizontally and crooked — these should be
grown as bushes; others again are slender and thin
in their growth, so that, to form a good pyramid of
these slender-growing varieties, it is necessary to begin
the first year with a young tree, and to pinch the
leader as soon as it is six inches long. If by any
neglect the lower part of the pyramid be not furnished
with shoots, but have dormant buds, or buds with only
two or three leaves attached, a notch must be cut,
about half an inch in width, just above the bud from
which a shoot is required. The notch must be cut
through the outer and inner bark, and alburnum, or
first layer of wood ; and if the shoot or stem be young
— say from two to four inches in girth — it may be cut
76 THE MINIATUEE FEUIT GAEDEN
round half its circumference. If this be done in spring
or summer, the following season a shoot will generally
make its appearance ; sometimes even the first season,
if the stem or branch be notched early in spring. This
method of producing shoots from dormant buds may
be applied with advantage to all kinds of fruit trees,
except the peach and nectarine, which are not often
inclined to break from a dormant bud.
Varieties of apples, inclined to be compact and close
in their growth, form very handsome pyramids ; but
they are apt to be unfruitful, as air enough is not ad-
mitted to the interior of the tree. This may be easily
amended by bringing the lateral shoots down to a hori-
zontal position for a year or two, and fastening the end of
each shoot to a st ake ; an open pyramidal shape will thus
be attained, which the tree will keep. Other varieties
put forth their laterals horizontally, and some are even
pendulous. The leading perpendicular shoot of varieties
of this description should be supported by a stake, till
the tree is of mature age. Iron rods, about the size of
small curtain-rods, are the most eligible ; these, if
painted with coal-tar and lime, sifted and mixed with
it to the consistence of very thick paint, put on boiling
hot, are permanent.
Apple trees in confined gardens near large towns
are often infested with 'American blight,' aphis lani-
gera ; this makes its appearance on the trees generally
towards the middle of summer, like patches of cotton-
wool. There are many remedies given for this pest ;
PYKAMIDAL APPLE TKEES ON THE PARADISE STOCK 77
the most efficacious I have yet found is soft soap dis-
solved in soft water, two pounds to the gallon, or the
Gishurst compound, sold by Price's Candle Company,
one pound to the gallon, and applied with an old
painter's brush. Where this pest shows itself, the
branches should be painted in the autumn, after the
fall of the leaf, with paraffin, care being taken to rub
this well into the angles of the branches.
Here let me impress upon the lover of his garden,
living anywhere within the reach of smoke, the neces-
sity of using the syringe ; its efficacy is not half appre-
ciated by garden amateurs. As soon as the leaves of
his fruit trees are fully expanded, every morning and
every evening, in dry weather, should the attentive
gardener dash on the water with an unsparing hand —
not with a plaything, but with the perforated common
syringe, such as a practical gardener would use, capable
of pouring a sharp stream on the plant, and of dis-
lodging all the dust or soot that may have accumulated
in twelve hours. For apple and pear trees in pots, or
in small city gardens, this syringing is absolutely
necessary.
Pinching the shoots of pyramidal apple trees, and,
indeed, exactly the same method of managing the trees
as given for pyramidal pears on the quince stock, may
be followed with a certainty of success ; and the pro-
prietor of a very small garden may thus raise apple
trees which will be sure to give him much gratification.
To have fine fruit the clusters should be thinned in
78
THE 3JINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
June ; and small trees should not be overburdened, for
they are often inclined, like young pear trees on the
quince stock, to bear too many fruit when in a very
young state : the constitution of the tree then receives
a shock which it will take two or three seasons to
recover. For varieties with large fruit, one on each
fruit-bearing spur will be enough ; if a small sort, from
two to three will be sufficient.
There are so many really good apples that it is
difficult to make a selection ; the following sorts will
not disappoint the planter ; but fifty varieties in addi-
tion, quite equal in quality, could be selected.
Dessert apples, placed in the order of their
ripening
Mr. Gladstone
Red Joannetting or
Margaret
Devonshire Quarrenden
Kerry Pippin
Benoni
Summer Golden Pippin
Williams's Favourite
Pine Golden Pippin
Warwickshire Pippin
Ribston Pippin
Cox's Orange Pippin
Mother
Nonpareil
Braddick's Nonpareil
Duke of Devonshire
Mannington's Pearmain
Scarlet Golden Pippin
Russet Syke House
Lord Burghley
Allen's Everlasting
Melon
APPLES AS BUSHES ON THE PARADISE STOCK 79
Kitchen apples
Lord Grosvenor
Keswick Codlin
Duchess of Oldenburg
Golden Spire
Warner's King
Stirling Castle
Cox's Pomona
Echlinville Pippin
Bismark
Blenheim Orange
Small's Admirable
Peasgood's Nonesuch
Bramley's Seedling
Prince Albert
Tower of Glamis
Betty Geeson
Mere de Menage
Duinmelow's Seedling
Northern Greening
Rymer
Striped Beefing
Gooseberry
APPLES AS BUSHES ON THE PARADISE
STOCK
There are some varieties of apples that do not form,
even with care, well-shaped pyramids ; such sorts may
be qualified as bushes when grafted on the Paradise
stock, and are then excellently well adapted for small
gardens. I have, indeed, reason to think that a great
change may be brought about in suburban fruit culture
by these bush trees. I have shown, in pages 20 to 25,
how bush pears on quince stocks may be cultivated.
Pears are, however, a luxury ; apples and plums are
necessaries for the families of countless thousands
80
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
living near London. Apple bushes, always very pretty
and productive trees, may be planted six feet apart,
row from row, and four feet apart in the rows. If two
or three years old when planted, they will begin to
bear even the first season after planting. They should
be kept from the attacks of the green aphis in summer
Fig. 14
by dressing the young shoots with quassia mixture,
given in a note to page 115, and from the woolly aphis
by Gishurst Compound, fir-tree oil, or paraffin, mentioned
in page 77. The principal feature in this culture is
summer pinching, which must regularly be attended to,
once in June, and once at the end of September ; this is
done by pinching or cutting off the terminal bud of
APPLES AS BUSHES ON THE PARADISE STOCK 81
every shoot as soon as it has made five or six leaves,
leaving from four to five full-sized ones. After September
no more pruning is necessary until the winter. The
final or winter pruning should be done in October at
the close of the growth ; if deferred until November the
wood is liable to injury from frost. Some varieties of
the apple have their leaves very thickly placed on the
shoots ; with them it is better not to count the leaves,
but to leave the shoots from three and a half to four
inches in length. If the soil be rich and the trees in-
clined to grow too vigorously, they may be removed
biennially, as recommended for bush pears, by digging
a circular trench one foot from the stem of the tree, and
then introducing the spade under its roots, heaving it up
so as to detach them all from the soil, and then filling iD
the earth dug from the trench and treading it gently on
to the roots. The following sorts are well adapted for
this bush culture, but the upright varieties recommended
for pyramids form nice compact bushes.1
Dessert
Mr. Gladstone .... July, Aug.
Irish Peach .... August
Kerry Pippin .... Aug. Sept.
Devonshire Quarrenden . . September
1 These dwarf bushes are liable to be gnawed by rabbits and
hares in exposed gardens. The best of all preventives is to paint
them with soot and milk, well mixed, or, still better, make a fence
of galvanised wire netting round the garden in which they are.
planted.
G
82
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
Wyken or Warwickshire Pippin Sept. Oct.
King of the Pippins . . . Oct. Nov.
Blenheim Orange . . . Nov. Dec.
Ribston Pippin .... Nov. Dec. Jan.
Cox's Orange .... Nov. Dec. Jan.
Braddick's Nonpareil . . Dec. Jan.
Mannington's Pearmain . . Jan. Feb. Mar.
Kitchen
Lord Grosvenor
Keswick Codlin
Golden Spire
Duchess of Oldenburg
Ecklinville Seedling .
Warner's King.
Stirling Castle .
Northern Greening .
Tower of Glarumis .
Dumrnelow's Seedling
August.
Aug. Sept.
Aug. Sept.
Aug. Sept.
Aug. Sept.
Sept. Oct.
Sept. Oct. Nov.
Dec. Jan. Feb.
Jan. Feb.
Feb. Mar. Apr.
There is no mode of apple culture more interesting
than bush culture. On page 84 I annex a sketch of a
plantation of Cox's Orange [Pippin (fig. 15), of one
hundred trees ; they were planted in the spring of 1862.
They bore a fine crop in 1863 of most beautiful fruit,
and in 1864 gave a crop almost too abundant. I have
been obliged to move this small orchard.
83
APPLES AS BUSHES FOR MARKET
GARDENS
In a well-ordered fruit garden every kind of fruit
should have its department, every kind should have its
allotment — apples on the Paradise stock, ditto on the
crab stock, pears on the quince stock, the same on
the pear stock. Morello cherries as pyramids on the
Mahaleb stock — the best of all methods for their culture
— and the various kinds of the Duke cherries on the
same kind of stock. Heart and Bigarreau cherries on
the common cherry stock, plums as bushes, pyramids,
or half standards, should all be separated.
I have been led into these remarks on market garden
fruit-tree culture by my own experience, and especially
into a consideration of the great improvement that may
be made in the culture of apples on the English Paradise
stock. On referring to page 82, the reader will find
that I allude to my plantation of Cox's Orange Pippin
apple trees on the Paradise stock (see fig. 15) ; these
trees in the season of 1864 — the third of their growth,
and the fourth of their age — gave an average of a quarter
of a peck from each tree. Some of the kinds likely to
sell best in the markets, and which are most productive,
are the following : — Lady Sudeley, Cox's Orange Pippin,
King of the Pippins, Ribstone Pippin, Worcester Pear-
main, Sturmer Pippin, Scarlet Nonpareil, Blenheim
Orange, Yellow Ingestrie, and Dutch Mignonne ; these
G 2
84
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
are dessert apples. The following are valuable kitchen
apples, and abundant bearers : — Lord Grosvenor, New
/'\
Hawthornden, Stirling Castle, Cox's Pomona, Keswick
Codlin, Dunimelow's Seedling, Golden Spire, Norfolk
Bearer, and Duchess of Oldenburg. Such large
APPLES AS BUSHES FOR MARKET GARDENS 85
varieties as Bedfordshire Foundling, Blenheim Orange,
and Warner's King should have more space, be planted
twelve feet apart, and a row of black currants or goose-
berries planted between the rows, as some years will
elapse before the apple trees take entire possession of
the ground. One sort of apple, the Manx Codlin, grows
so slowly and produces so abundantly that the plan-
tation need not be more than six feet in the rows, and
may be planted four feet plant from plant ; with annual
manuring large quantities may be obtained ; the variety
is very handsome and marketable, but it has the defect,
in my soil at least, of producing fruit of irregular size.
The proper method of planting and managing these
bush apple trees is exactly that recommended for bush
pear trees on quince stocks.
The land for these orchards should be thoroughly
well cleaned before planting, and if wet and heavy
should be drained. It is not necessary to trench, holes
opened for the trees will answer ; this should be done a
month before planting ; well rotted manure should be
mixed with the soil previous to planting.
It will be seen that what I propose is in reality a
Nursery Orchard, which may be made to furnish fruit
and trees for a considerable number of years. To fully
comprehend this we must suppose a rood of ground
planted as I have described. In the course of eight
or ten years half of these may be removed to a fresh
plantation, in which they may be planted six feet
apart. With proper summer pruning they will last for
86 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
many years. The great advantages reaped by the
planter is the constant productiveness of his trees ; from
the second year after planting they will be always ' pay-
ing their way.'
The unprejudiced fruit cultivator will quickly find
out the great advantage of this mode of apple and pear
cultivation, and those who wish to cultivate apples and
pears for market purposes may, with a sound prospect of
success, if the soil and climate are favourable, plant
apples on the English Paradise stock, and pears on the
quince stock, either as pyramids or bushes, four and sis
feet apart, row from row, the former distance for dwarf
prolific sorts, the latter for robust growers. This dis-
tance will admit of crops of black or red currants and
gooseberries in the centre between each row for several
years, until the orchard trees — which must be under
summer pruning — cover the ground.
In the usual old-fashioned mode, Standard apple
trees are planted in orchards at 20 feet apart, or 108
trees to the acre ; if the soil be good and the trees
properly planted, and the planter a healthy middle-aged
man, he may hope, at the end of his threescore and ten,
to see his trees commence to bear, and may die with the
reflection that he has left a valuable orchard as a legacy
to his children, but has not had much enjoyment of it
during his life.
Plantations made at four feet apart may in the course
of a few years be brought to a permanent distance for
pyramidal trees, that of twelve feet apart; the tries
APPLES AND PEARS AS LATERAL CORDONS 87
originally planted being removed to another plantation.
They may be safely moved at two or even three years
after planting, the removal being performed as early in
October as practicable.
APPLES AND PEAES AS SINGLE AND
DOUBLE LATERAL CORDONS
A tree grafted on the Paradise or Doucin stock, with a
single shoot, is planted in a sloping position, and the
shoot trained along a wire, about ten or twelve inches
from the surface. (Fig 16.)
To carry out this method of training, oak posts,
about three inches in diameter and two feet in length,
Fig. 16
should be sharpened at one end and driven into the
ground, so that they stand one foot above the surface ;
they may be from thirty to forty yards distant from each
other.
From these a piece of galvanised or common iron
wire — if the latter, it should be painted — about the
thickness of whipcord, should be strained and sup-
88 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
ported nine inches from the ground, at intervals of six
feet, by iron pins eighteen inches long, the size of a
small curtain rod, or smaller, flattened at top, and
pierced with a hole to allow the wire to pass through ;
these should be stuck into the ground, so as to stand on
a level with the straining posts. The trees should be
planted six feet apart, and when the top of one tree
reaches to another the young shoot may be grafted on
to the base of the next, so as to form a continuous
cordon. This is best done by merely taking off a slip
of bark, two inches long, from the under part of the
young shoot, and a corresponding piece of bark from
the upper part of the stem of the tree to which it is to
be united, so that they fit tolerably well. They should
then be firmly bound with bast, and a bunch of moss
— a handful — as firmly bound over the union ; the
binding as well as the moss may remain on till the
autumn. The trees do not grow so rapidly as common
grafts, so that the ligatures will not cut into the bark.
The terminals of every side shoot of these cordons
should be pinched when five leaves have been made. It
will of course occur to the reader that the spurs would
soon make the tree a thick and clumsy cordon ; to pre-
vent this, every shoot should be reduced in winter
to three eyes. The fruit, from being near the earth,
and thus profiting largely by radiation, will be very
fine.
As these low cordons are very apt to be injured in
winter by severe frost, if snow is suffered to lie under
APPLES AND PEARS AS LATEEAL CORDONS 89
them, which by resisting radiation gives great intensity
to frost just above its surface, it is necessary either to
carefully remove the snow, to bank it up so as to
4t
completely cover the cordons, or to thatch them with a
covering of evergreen branches, such as furze, or of firs ;
fern would also be a safe protection — better than all are
wooden ridges made of f -inch boards, so as to cover two
92 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
or three rows of trees. For pear trees there should be
boards on one side and glass on the other ; they would
then do to protect the blossom in spring, and bring on
the fruit if placed on bricks as directed for ground
vineries.
The double or two-branched lateral cordon (see
fig. 17), which is a great improvement on the French
single cordon, requires the same train-
ing, pinching-in, and management. This
improved lateral cordon does not require
a wire to support its branches ; a kind of
hook, something after a shepherd's crook,
may be used with advantage, thus : — the
branch is introduced at a and is supported by the crook ;
the point in the ground must be barbed.
The quadruple lateral cordon is a tree well adapted
for the edging of the borders of the kitchen garden ;
it is merely the double cordon repeated, and we must
suppose the two branches of the double cordon to be
trained nine inches from the surface of the ground, and
above them, at about nine inches distance, two other
branches in the same direction ; this will give the quad-
ruple cordon (fig. 18), or low espalier edging trees,
occupying no more space than the single cordon, and
giving double its produce. The stem of the short crook
for single or double cordons should be 20 inches long ;
that of the longer one, for quadruple cordons, should be
28 inches long.
The great change in fruit culture that may be
APPLES AND PEARS AS LATERAL CORDONS 93
brought about by training these double lateral cordons
under glass ridges is obvious enough. The figure (19)
will give some faint idea of the advantages of this new
system of culture — they are endless ; for not only can
peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, apples, and pears be
rescued from spring frosts, but their fruit be ripened in
great perfection. There is no doubt but that in some of
our cold and cloudy places in the north of England and
Scotland, where even the Eibston Pippin will not
ripen, it may be brought to perfection under the glass
fruit ridge.
The figure (19) gives but one tree trained to one
wire ; two rows of wire may, however, be trained under
one glass ridge, which should be three feet six inches
wide at base, and the wires ten inches asunder. It is
quite possible that this method of training to galvanised
wires may, in some situations, be better adapted to vine
culture than allowing the vines to rest on slates or
tiles.
I now, by permission, copy the description of my
new glass fruit ridge from my article in the ' Gardener's
Chronicle' for April 8, 1865, from which I have also
derived the plate kindly lent to me : —
1 There are no cross bars, but merely a frame three
feet wide at the base. On the top bar a is a groove
half an inch deep ; in the bottom bar b is a groove
a quarter of an inch deep ; ! in the bars c and d are
1 An improvement on this is to have a rebate at bottom instead
of a groove ; the glass is more easily fitted in.
94 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
grooves half an inch deep. The pieces of glass, which
should be cut so as to fit, are pushed into the upper
groove, and let fall into the lower one ; when all are
fitted in, the two end pieces are pushed inwards, so as
to drive all of them into close contact. A little putty-
is required at the bottom to prevent water lodging, and
some at each end to keep the pieces from moving
laterally, e, e, are the straining posts of oak, four
inches square ; /, the upright pieces of wire stuck in the
ground, flattened and perforated at top to pass the wire
through and support it ; </, the wire.'
Such, then, is the description of the barless glass
fruit ridge, which I think calculated to have a greater
effect on domestic gardening, and contribute more to
the refinement and comfort of a very large class of
people than all the crystal palaces ever invented.
For ventilation and other particulars I refer my
readers to the description of the ground vinery, p. 151 ;
and for the method of placing the wires, to p. 93.
I must caution those who wish to grow fruit under
glass fruit ridges, in small confined gardens, to be
careful as to ventilation. A single row of bricks, with
apertures of four inches, will not be enough; there
should be two rows of bricks, one over the other, and
consequently two rows of apertures. Peach, nectarine,
and apricot trees should be planted twenty-one feet
apart; but they grow rapidly, and would probably
require occasional removing.
It will thus be seen that to commence glass fruit
APPLES AND PEAKS AS LATERAL CORDONS 95
ridge culture, three seven-foot lengths should be pre-
pared, and in the centre of the twenty-one feet occupied
by the ridge, two peach or nectarine trees may be
planted. They will soon form lateral cordons of great
fertility, will require pinching in June and little atten-
tion afterwards. I must not omit to state the great
advantage this mode of fruit culture gives as to protec-
tion from spring frosts when the trees are in bloom, or
when the fruit is young. Espaliers, pyramids, and wall
trees are difficult to protect, but mats two or three thick
can be piled on the ridge with great facility, and loose
straw or hay, the best protectors possible from frost,
can be strewed over them thickly.
I have had the pleasure of seeing all my anticipa-
tions fully realised ; the cordon pear-trees have produced
fruit, large, and with the fine clear rinds we see on
those grown in the warm parts of France — perfectly
beautiful and of fine flavour. The cordon peach-trees
have produced fruit, large, and of the finest flavour.
Strawberries planted between the trees temporarily until
they fully occupy the room under the ridge, have
ripened a fortnight earlier than those in the open air
and have been of excellent quality. I have therefore
no hesitation in recommending this mode of fruit
culture to all amateurs who have gardens without walls
or orchard houses.
96 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
SHELTER TRENCHES
The following is a very simple and inexpensive manner
of providing shelter for the cultivation of cordon trees :
Open a trench as for celery about three feet wide and
two deep ; bank the soil on both sides of the trench ;
after settling the banks will be about one foot high, the
trench with the banks therefore from the base to the
top will be about three feet : in this trench plant the
double horizontal cordons. The parallel banks will form
the support of the protection against spring frosts, con-
sisting either of straw hurdles or stakes laid across and
covered with mats or any material stout enough to resist
frost, as cheap and simple protection is thus provided,
and the shelter of the trench will give a climate in which
fruit may be grown equal to that from walls. Drainage
will be necessary to take off the water after excessive
rain ; but this can never be a serious evil, and if the
trenches can be made on an incline, the water will run
off quickly. If the sides are lined with slates the heat
will be increased, but this extra expense is hardly
necessary, as the heat will be sufficient without. I need
scarcely point out that all sorts of fruit requiring shelter
can be grown in these trenches.
97
VERTICAL CORDON APPLE TREES
In pages 47 and 48 will be found the method of train-
ing vertical cordon pear trees. This may be applied to
apples on the English Paradise stock with great success,
and very charming fruitful trees they make. They
should not be allowed to grow above eight feet in
height, to which they will reach in the course of four or
five years. I annex a figure of one of these trees, three
years old, and full of fruit (fig. 20).
I have, at this period (1885), a plantation of vertical
cordon apple trees which have now been planted several
years ; the trees are six feet apart
row from row, and three feet in
the rows ; when in full fruit they
are very interesting. I do not fol-
low the close summer pinching
recommended by Dubreuil and
others ; in fact, I abstain entirely
from summer pruning, and I be-
lieve with good results, as the fruit
is always large and finely coloured ;
in October every tree is closely
pruned — that is, all the summer -|l_-.v .
shoots are cut back to three eyes, '^^^ji^^y?''7^'/-
On this plot, about sixty square FlG 2o
poles, I have 672 apple trees of
430 sorts planted for specimens. As the apple crop is
98 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
sometimes injured by spring frosts, I have an equal
number of gooseberries trained as pyramids between
every row of apple trees ; these produce large crops of
fruit every year, thus providing for a possible failure of
the apple crop. This plantation thus contains 1,344
trees ; the outlay upon it consists of a shallow digging
in November and 16 tons of manure, with two hoeings
during the summer. For the last four years I have had
continual crops. An amateur will hardly require so large
a plantation, but he may with perfect confidence alter-
nate the apples or pears with gooseberries and currants.
APPLES AS WALL TREES
We have been so accustomed to think of, and treat the
apple tree as hardy, and perfectly adapted to our insular
climate, that the culture of superior varieties as wall
trees has been neglected, except in the extreme north of
our island, where the climate is not very favourable
even to the culture of the Ribston Pippin as an orchard
tree.
The varieties most worthy of cultivation against
walls in England, even in our most favoured counties
with regard to climate, are mostly of American origin,
the continental varieties, with but very few exceptions,
not being remarkable for goodness of quality.
The best methods of cultivation are —
APPLES AS WALL TEEES 99
1. To have the trees trained as espaliers to low
walls as directed for pear trees, the trees to be under
summer pinching as given at p. 8. 2. To plant five-
branched upright cordons in the spaces so often found
between wall trees in old gardens. 3. To plant single
vertical cordons against walls between established wall
trees. Single vertical cordon apple trees, grafted on
the English Paradise stock, and planted against walls
10 or 12 feet high, the trees well managed by sum-
mer and winter pruning, become amazingly prolific,
and bear the finest of fruit. 4. To train at the foot
of a wall the single lateral cordons (fig. 16), or the
double lateral cordons (fig. 17); if the space next the
wall and under the trees be paved with tiles or slates,
the size and quality of the fruit will be improved. I
ought here to mention that double or two-branched
lateral cordon trees are to be preferred ; they may be
grown at the foot of walls, but not more than 9 inches
from them ; the tile-paving is quite necessary, as is also
protection in spring from frosts. This is most effectually
done by lean-to barless lights in place of the glass span
ridge (fig. 19) divided into two; these most convenient
lean-to lights should be 2 feet 4 inches wide, including
the top and bottom bars, and 7 feet long ; two hooks
should be fixed to the top bar, and two eyes in the wall,
so that the lights are made safe from the effects of the
wind. The lower bar should rest on bricks (they should
be two deep), as with ground vineries. These lean-to
lights will be found a most useful invention ; they form
H 2
100 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
so fine a climate against brick walls, that I see no
reason why low 4-inch brick walls should not be built
by market-gardeners, and lean-to lights of increased
size employed for early crops ; the climate they give is
perfect, so efficient is the low admission of cool air in
between the bricks, and the exit of the heated air at
the top between the upper bar and the wall, an interstice
of about two inches.
The vaiieties of apples most worthy of wall culture
are the Newtown Pippin, Cox's Orange, Ribston Pippin,
Washington, Melon, Northern Spy, King of Tompkins
County, and the New Zealand apple, Prince Bismarck.
The French apple, Calville Blanche, is also of high
excellence, cultivated as a wall or orchard-house tree ;
and in cool climates, our fine English apples, the Cox's
Orange and Eibston Pippin, are quite worthy of a
place against a wall with a southern aspect, and espe-
cially Cox's Orange Pippin.
I have transplanted trees of Cox's Orange Pippin
grafted on the Nonesuch Paradise twelve years old
which had never been removed or root-pruned ; these
trees survived the removal and are now again in full
fruit bearing.
PYRAMIDAL APPLES ON THE CRAB
STOCK
In soils light and poor, the apple on the Paradise stock
is, unless carefully manured on the surface, apt to
PYEAMIDAL APPLES ON THE CEAB STOCK 101
become stunted and unhealthy. In such soils, and also
in those of a very tenacious nature, pyramids on the
crab stock may be planted with great advantage. They
are also well adapted for large gardens where large
quantities are required, as the trees may be made to
form handsome pyramids, from twelve to fifteen feet in
height.
Carefully watch the trees, for there is one thing
most essential to their full success as pyramids — they
must either be lifted or taken up biennially early in
November, and replanted in the manner recommended
for bush pear trees, or root-pruned biennially, ope-
rating upon the trees alternately. Or the following
system may be adopted : neither remove nor root-prune
any tree that continues to grow with moderation, does
not canker, and bears well ; but any tree that makes
shoots from eighteen inches to three feet in length,
remove once in two, three, or four years till its vigorous
habit is reduced.
As these crab stock trees grow freely, summer
pinching or shortening the young shoots with a pen-
knife, as recommended in page 81, must be attended to;
and then, in the most unfavourable apple-tree soils,
healthy and most prolific pyramids may be formed.
Any of the varieties recommended in pages 81 and 82
will succeed well as pyramids on the crab stock.
If managed as I have directed, fine trees may be
formed not only of the robust-growing kinds, but even
of the old Nonpareil, Golden Pippin, Golden Reinette,
102 THE MENIATUEE FEUIT GAEDEN
Hawthornden, Ribston Pippin, and several others, all
more or less inclined to canker. I have a row of Non-
pareils and Ribston Pippins planted in the coldest and
most unfavourable soil I could find ; yet, owing to their
being biennially removed, they are entirely free from
canker.
The vigorous growth of Standard apples, when
planted in orchards in the usual way, is well known,
and also their tendency to canker after a few years ot
luxuriant growth. Pyramids on the crab without occa-
sional removal or root-pruning would, in like manner,
grow most freely ; and, even if subjected to summer
pinching, would soon become a mass of entangled,
barren, cankered shoots.
PYRAMIDAL PLUM TREES
The plum, if planted in a rich garden soil, rapidly
forms a pyramid of large growth — it, in fact, can
scarcely be managed by summer pinching. It becomes
crowded with young shoots and leaves, and the shorten-
ing of its strong horizontal branches at the end of
summer is apt to bring on the gum ; it is a tree, how-
ever, with most manageable roots, for they are always
near the surface. I must, therefore, again recommend
summer pinching at the terminal bud, as directed for
pears, p. 8, annual or biennial root-pruning, and sur-
face dressing, in preference to any other mode of cul-
ture. The root-pruning of the plum is performed as
PYRAMIDAL PLUM TREES 103
follows : — Open a circular trench eighteen inches deep
round the tree, eighteen inches from its stem, and cut
off every root and fibre with a sharp knife. When the
roots are so pruned, introduce a spade under one side of
the tree, and heave it over, so as not to leave a single
tap-root; fill in your mould, give a top dressing of
manure, and it is finished. The diameter of your cir-
cular trench must be slowly increased as years roll on ;
for you must, each year, prune to within one and a half
or two inches of the stumps of the former year. Your
circular mass of fibrous roots will thus slowly increase,
your tree will make short and well-ripened shoots, and
bear abundantly. From very recent experience, I have
found that removing trees annually, if the soil be rich
— biennially, and adding some rich compost, if it be
poor — without root-pruning ^ will keep plum trees in a
healthy and fertile state. For further particulars on
this head, see pages 16 and 56.
Pyramidal plum trees are most beautiful trees both
when in flower and fruit. Their rich purple or golden
crop has an admirable effect on a well-managed pyramid.
No stock has yet been found to cramp the energies of
the plum tree. Experiments on the sloe have been tried
here, and prove that this stock does dwarf the tree to a
certain extent. My tree on the sloe is some years old,
and is dwarf and prolific. The first year after grafting
vigorous growth was made ; but this is a very common
occurrence with stock that ultimately make very prolific
trees ; it is so with the pear on the quince, the apple on
the Paradise, and the cherry on the Mahaleb. The green-
104
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
gage seems to grow more freely on the sloe than any-
other sort. I have a fine vigorous bush, now about fifteen
years old, growing in the white marly clay, with chalk-
stones, peculiar to some part of Essex and Hertford-
shire. The sloe seems to delight in this soil so inimical
to most kinds of fruit trees. My greengage plum is
almost vigorous in its growth ; and what appears strange
is, that the stock seems to keep pace with the graft
— there is scarcely any swelling at the junction. The
root of the tree has not been touched, and it appears to
have gone deeply into the solid white clay. The plum
on the sloe is easily arrested in its growth by root-
pruning. The following sorts are well adapted for
pyramids and walls with west, north-west, or south-east
aspects.
HARDY DESSERT PLUMS ADAPTED FOR PYRAMIDS
In season from July to the end of October. Placed in the
order of their ripening.
Early Favourite
Early Transparent Gage
De Montfort
Oullins' Golden Gage
Denniston's Superb
Greengage
Jefferson
Kirk's
McLaughlin's
Transparent Gage
Purple Gage
Guthrie's Late Green
Bryanstone Gage
Eeine Claude de Bavay
Heine Claude de Comte
Hatthems
Monarch
Late Transparent
Coe's Golden Drop
Grand Duke
PYEAMIDAL PLUM TEEES
105
HARDY KITCHEN PLUMS ADAPTED FOR PYRAMIDS
In season from July to the end of October. Placed in the
order of their ripening
Early Prolific
Curlew
The Czar
Bittern
Early Orleans
Mallard
Sultan
Heron
Prince Engelbert
Victoria
Belle de Louvain
Gisborne's
Diamond
Cox's Emperor
Autumn Compote
Pond's Seedling
Late Black Orleans
Archduke
PLUM TREES AS BUSHES
The roots of no fruit tree are so easily kept within
bounds as the plum. In rich soils they bear annual
removal with but a slight check ; but in most soils
biennial removal will keep them in a perfectly fruitful
state under bush culture. This is absolutely necessary ;
and if the soil be poor, some thoroughly rotted manure
(about half a bushel to each tree) may be mixed with
the soil in replanting. As with pear trees, the best
season for lifting or removing them is the end of October
or beginning of November. Plum bushes have the
advantage of being easily protected by a square of light,
cheap calico, tiffany, or any light material thrown over
106 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
them while in blossom, and a crop of fruit thus insured.
All the varieties recommended for pyramids may be cul-
tivated as bushes, and for suburban gardens they should
be subjected to exactly the same treatment as recom-
mended for apple bushes, page 81.1
PLUM TEEES AS CORDONS
The plum forms a most prolific lateral double cordon
and gives very fine fruit, when pruned and trained after
the fashion of pear trees. Owing, however, to the fruit
often receiving injury from heavy rains, it is almost in-
dispensable to have a space under each tree paved with
tiles, and it is a work of necessity to protect the trees
from spring frosts, for they (the trees) come into blossom
so early, owing to their receiving the reflected heat fi'om
the soil in early spring, that seldom or never does the
young fruit survive the month of April. One of the
best modes of protection is that of the ridges of glass
described on page 93, for if placed on bricks they may
remain over the trees till the commencement of the first
week in June — here a period of rejoicing, for not till
then are we safe from the fruitgrower s scourge — a
severe spring frost. There is a method of cultivating a
1 The plum is apt to produce very strong succulent shoots at
irregular intervals ; this growth should be stopped as soon as per-
ceived by very close pinching.
PLUM TKEES AS CORDONS 107
few kinds of plums as vertical cordons practised here
which is likely to be popular ; it is simply selecting the
proper sorts, and then planting them in ground not too
rich — say a calcareous sandy loam, and then pinching,
in June, all the young shoots, and trusting to this to
retain the growth of the trees, without either root-
pruning or removal.
The varieties adapted to this mode of culture are
as yet but few — viz., The Czar, Oullins' Golden Gage,
Early Prolific, Victoria, Sultan, Cluster Damson, and
Monarch. Of the latter kind upwards of 1,000 trees
are planted here for fruit bearers ; they are now fruitful
and profitable trees. In the course of time there will
doubtless be many kinds of plums adapted to this mode
of culture, for here we have many seedling plums all
raised from choice varieties, and likely to give kinds as
well adapted to our climate as is the Early Rivers or
Early Prolific, the hardiest plum known, but yet only
the first removed by seed from one of the most tender
French varieties, Precoce de Tours plum.
Vertical cordon plums should be planted from four
to five feet apart, row from row, and the same distance
tree from tree; the former distance will allow of 2,700
trees per acre, the latter 1,700, and as far as I can see
many years will elapse before they will require thinning,
and they will bear many bushels of fruit per acre.
108 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
MARKET GARDEN PLUM TREES
Plums, like pears, open up a rich field to tlie amateur
market gardener, for it is found that they are so easily
made into articles of exportation, by jam and bottling,
that the demand is limitless.
The same method of culture as given for pyramidal
pears on the quince stock (p. 10) is at once the most
simple and beneficial.
The trees may be planted six feet apart, row from
row, and six feet apart in the rows ; for a few years the
centre of the spaces between the rows may be cropped
with dwarf bashes of currants and gooseberries. I grow
strawberries, but onion or other light crops of vegetables
may be grown. As soon as the trees have made suffi-
cient growth to shade the ground, which may be in five
or six years, more or less, the ground should have a
dressing of manure, and be left undug ; the hoe only, to
kill the weeds, should be employed. The following kinds
will be found the best for this mode of culture : —
Early Prolific, The Czar, Sultan, Victoria, Monarch,
Pond's Seedling, Cluster Damson, Autumn Compote,
and Grand Duke. The second sort named is so pyra-
midal in its growth that it will last many years without
being crowded.
The Autumn Compote and Victoria, two very hardy
useful plums, may be planted six feet apart as directed,
but their stems will require a stake to each to support
MAEKET GAEDEN ELUM TEEES 109
them for some three or four years, or till they become
stout enough to stand without support.
Damsons are remarkably fertile and do not require
pruning , in fact, the best treatment is to leave them
alone, as a very acute boy denned the proper course of
doing his duty to his neighbour. The best sorts for
planting are the Cluster or Crittenden Damson, the
Prune or Shropshire, and the Common; the white
Damson is a garden tree which makes a delicious
preserve but is not a market sort. The Bullace, re-
quiring the same treatment as the Damson, makes a
very productive pyramid.
CHERRIES AS BUSHES AND PYRAMIDS
ON THE MAHALEB STOCK (CERASUS
MAHALEB)
This stock has long been known in our shrubberies as
the ' perfumed cherry ' ; its wood when burned emits
a most agreeable perfume. In France it is called ' Bois
de Ste. Lucie,' and it has been used there for dwarf
cherries for very many years. My attention was called
to it in France some twenty or more years ago, since
which I have used it extensively, annually increasing
my culture. Its great recommendation is, that cherries
grafted on it will nourish in soils unfavourable to them
on the common cherry stock, such as strong white clay
110 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
or soils with a chalky subsoil. Although the trees grow
most vigorously the first two or three seasons, yet, after
that period, and especially if root-pruned, they form
dwarf prolific bushes, so as easily to be covered with a
net, or, what is better, with muslin or tiffany, which
will protect the blossoms from frost in spring, and the
fruit more effectually from birds and wasps in summer ;
thus giving us what is certainly most rare, cherries
fully ripe, aud prolonging their season till September.
These dwarf bushes may be planted from five to six
feet apart, and their branches pruned so that seven, or
nine, or more, come out from the centre of the plant,
like a well-managed gooseberry bush. These branches
will, in May or June, put forth, as in the horizontal
shoots of pyramidal pear, several shoots at their ex-
tremities, all of which must be pinched off to five leaves,
leaving the leading shoots untouched to the middle or
end of September, when they must be shortened, and
the pruning for the year is finished.
The Morello and Duke cherries — the most eligible
for this bush culture — may have their leading shoots
shortened to eight leaves. If, however, the space be
confined in which they are planted, this length may
be reduced, for by biennial root-pruning, the trees may
be kept exceedingly dwarf. The aim is to form the
tree into a round bush, not too much crowded with
shoots. Towards the end of September,1 or, in fact, as
1 This early autumnal root-pruning- will be found very advan-
tageous, the now of sap is checked, so that the shoots are well
CHEKEIES AS BUSHES AND PYRAMIDS 111
soon as the autumnal rains have sufficiently penetrated
the soil, a trench may be dug round the tree, exactly
the same as recommended for root-pruning of pears, the
spade introduced under the tree to cut all perpendicular
roots, and all the spreading roots shortened with the
knife, and brought near to the surface, previously
filling in the trench with some light friable soil for
them to rest on, and spreading them regularly round
the tree, as near to the surface as possible ; then cover-
ing them with the soil that was taken out of the
trench. No dung or manure of any kind is required,
as this stock seems to flourish in the poorest soils.
Some short litter or half-decayed leaves will, however,
be of much benefit placed on the surface round the
stem.
I have thus far given their culture for small gar-
dens ; but those who have more space may dispense
with the root-pruning, and allow their cherry trees to
make large bushes, which may be planted eight feet
apart and pinched regularly in the summer, and
managed as directed for pear trees (p. 10). The
leading shoot from each branch in such cases must
be left longer, and shortened to twelve or more
buds.
The most charming of all pyramids are the varieties
of the Duke and Morello cherries on the Mahaleb ;
these by summer pinching, as practised for pyramidal
ripened, and the roots soon emit fresh fibres to feed the tree the
following season.
112 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
pears, become in two or three years the most delight-
ful fruit trees ever seen, for in spring they are perfect
nosegays of flowers, and in summer clusters of fruit
— if spared by spring frosts.
The common Morello cherry on the Mahaleb stock,
cultivated as a pyramid, forms one of the most prolific
of trees; but as birds carry off the fruit when only
half ripe, each pyramid should have a net placed over
it, and tied round the stem of the tree at bottom.
Any garden, however small, may grow enough of this
useful sort by planting a few pyramids, lifting and
replanting, or root-pruning them biennially, and pinch-
ing in every shoot to five leaves (as soon as it has
made seven) in June. The Kentish cherry, also a
most useful culinary sort, may be cultivated as a
pyramid with great success. A French variety grown
near Paris in large quantities, and known as the
' Cerise Aigre Hative,' which may be Englished by
calling it the Early Sour Cherry, is a useful kind for
the kitchen. By the side of the ' Rive Droite ' Railway,
between Suresnes and Puteaux, on the left, there are
large plots of dwarf trees, about the size of large goose-
berry bushes, and some very low trees, all covered (as
they appear from the railway carriage) with bright red
flowers. These are cherry bushes — literally masses of
fruit, of the above variety. I find, however, that it is
not equal to the Kentish in flavour or size in England.
I need scarcely add that the culture of all the
Duke tribe of cherries by summer-pruned pyramids,
A PYRAMIDAL MORELLO CHEERY TREE 113
From a photograph, August 1862
Fig. 21
114 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
biennially removed, is most satisfactory ; it is, perhaps,
more easily performed than root-pruning, and the trees
soon form perfect pictures. As far as my experience has
gone, cherries on the Mahaleb are much more fruitful
when ' oft removed ' ; the most eligible mode is to
remove only half the trees in one season, and the re-
mainder the following season. It will much facilitate
the operation on their roots if the trees be planted on
small mounds.
In forming plantations of pyramidal and dwarf
cherries on the Mahaleb stock, it is necessary to
arrange them with a little care. The two groups,
those of the habit of the Morello tribe, and those of the
compact habit of the May Duke, should be planted in
separate rows. Bigarreau and Heart cherries are too
short-lived in many kinds of soil, when grafted on this
stock, and unless double-grafted on the Morello cherry
it is not to be recommended.
The following arrangement will assist the planter : —
Section I. — The May Duke Tribe
Royal Duke
Empress Eugenie
Archduke
May Duke
Section II. — Tlie Morello Tribe
Late Duke Morello
Cherries grafted on the Cerasus Mahaleb are
eminently adapted for espaliers, or for walls, as they
occupy less space and are very fertile. They may
CHERRIES AS BUSHES AND PYRAMIDS 115
be planted twelve feet apart, whereas espaliers on
the cherry stock require to be eighteen or twenty feet
apart. For potting, for forcing, cherries on this
stock are highly eligible, as they grow slowly and
bear abundantly.1
CHERRIES AS SINGLE VERTICAL CORDONS
The varieties best adapted for this very interesting
mode of culture are those of the Duke tribe, such as
the May Duke, Archduke, Empress Eugenie, Royal
Duke, and the Morello. Young pyramidal trees, three
feet apart, should be planted in rows, and their side
shoots pruned into within two inches of their stems.
They require the same summer pinching as that recom-
mended for vertical cordon pears, p. 48, and should not
be allowed to exceed eight or ten feet in height. Nothing
can be more charming than these cordon cherry trees,
with their bright ripe fruit hanging close to the stem,
and shining through the net that protects them from
the birds. The best protection, both from birds and
wasps, is, however, Haythorn's netting, or coarse muslin,
1 Cherry trees are often infested in summer with the black aphis.
The best remedy is a mixture made by boiling four ounces of quassia
chips in a gallon of soft water for ten minutes, and dissolving in it
four ounces of soft soap at the time of application. It should be
stirred, and the trees syringed with it twice or thrice. The day
following they should be syringed with pure water.
i 2
116 THE MINIATUEE FEUIT GAKDEN
formed into a narrow bottomless bag, which should be
let down gently over the tree, so as to leave the leading
shoot out, and tied at the bottom and top ; Duke
cherries may be thus preserved till August. I may
mention here, that with these cherry cordon trees, root-
pruning or removal is seldom required, their vital
force is so reduced by the pruning of the young shoots ;
but if a rich soil gives too much vigour, it may be
practised.
The Bigarreau and Heart, or Guigne cherries, are
too vigorous for this mode of culture when grafted or
budded, as they generally are, on the common cherry
stock. The new mode of culture by double grafting,
i.e. by grafting on Morello cherry trees that have been
previously grafted on the Mahaleb, will make them
most prolific cordons. (See page 133.)
I must add a piece of very necessary advice : all
vertical cordon trees, whether pears, apples, cherries or
plums, should be supported by a slight iron rod, about
the size of a goosequill, which should be painted ; this
should stand six to seven feet above the surface, and be
inserted ten to twelve inches in the ground, and the
tree attached loosely to it by two or three bands of
sheet lead or some soft metal.
117
BIGARREAU AND HEART CHERRIES AS
PYRAMIDS ON THE COMMON CHERRY
STOCK
The Bigarreau and the Heart cherries (or, as the
French call thein, Guignes) do not succeed so well on
the Cerasus Mahaleb as they do on the common cherry ;
they grow most rapidly for two or three years, and then
are apt to become diseased.
The stock raised from the small black and red wild
cherries is the proper one for this race, except they are
double-grafted.
Pyramidal cherry trees may be bought ready-made
or formed by purchasing young trees one year old from
the bud, and training them up in the same way as
directed for pyramidal pears (pages 5 and 6), with this
variation — pears, it is well known, may be grown as
pyramids successfully, with or without root-pruning or
biennial removal ; but cherries on common cherry stocks
will grow so rapidly, in spite of summer pinching, that
biennial removal is a work of necessity. In the course
of a few years, pyramidal cherry trees thus treated
become pictures of beauty. In France they generally
fail, and become full of dead stumps and gum, owing
to their trusting entirely to pruning their trees severely
in summer and winter, without attending to their roots ;
the trees thus being full of vigour make strong shoots,
only to be pinched and cut off. We must ' manage
these things better' in England.
118 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
The mode of operation in removing pyramidal
cherries is the same as that recommended for pears
and apples, &c. It will be found, however, that more
labour is required, for in two years the cherry on the
common stock, like the apple on the crab, makes a
vigorous attempt to lay hold of its parent earth. The
second year the tree may be lifted by digging a trench
round its stem, one foot distant and 16 inches deep.
The fourth year this trench must be 18 inches from the
stem, and 20 inches deep ; the sixth year it should be
two feet from the stem, and two feet deep. This distance
and depth need not be departed from if the trees are
required to be only fair-sized pyramids ; the straggling
roots beyond this circumference should be biennially
pruned off with the knife. The tree managed thus will
soon be in a mature fruitful state, and its roots a mass
of fibres, so that when removed it will, like the rhodo-
dendron, receive only a healthy check.
Pyramidal Bigarreau and Heart cherries, cultivated
after the method above given, may be planted in small
grass orchards, with pyramidal pears on pear stocks,
pyramidal apples on crab stocks, and pyramidal plums.
A charming orchard in miniature may thus be formed.
Cattle and sheep must, of course, be excluded, and a
wire fence, enclosing a space from three to four feet in
diameter, should be round each tree. This space must
be kept free from grass and weeds.
The following varieties form handsome pyramidal
trees, and bear fruit of the finest quality : —
BIGAEEEAU AND HEAET CHEEEIES AS PYEAMIDS 119
Early Eivers
Bigarreau Jaboulay
Bohemian Bigarreau
Large Black Bigarreau
Early Black Bigarreau
Late Purple Guigne
Bigarreau
Early Red Bigarreau
Bigarreau Napoleon
Black Tartarian or Bed-
ford Prolific
Elton
Florence
Governor Wood
At the risk of repetition, and writing from my own
experience, I must say that no gardening operation
can be more agreeable than paying daily attention to
a plantation of pyramids. From the end of May to
the end of July — those beautiful months of our short
summer — there are always shoots to watch, to pinch, to
direct, fruit to thin, and a host of pleasant operations,
so winning to one who loves his garden and every tree
and plant in it.
I may here mention that the small Alberge apricot,
raised from the stone, and producing small high-
flavoured fruit, and also the Breda apricot, make very
beautiful pyramids if lifted or planted biennially. In
the southern counties of England, in a favourable
season, they will ripen their fruit and produce good
crops. The large Portugal quince is also very prolific
as a pyramidal tree. Some trees only two years old
have borne fine fruit here. This is the finest of all the
quinces, and in the south of Eurojae it grows to an
enormous size. The Medlar will also form a handsome
and productive pyramid, and, ' last, but not least ' in
120 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
the estimation of the lover of soft fruits, the currant.
A near neighbour — an ingenious gardener — attaches
much value, and with reason, to his pyramidal currant
trees ; for his table is supplied abundantly with their
fruit till late in autumn. The leading shoots of his
trees are fastened to iron rods ; they form nice pyramids
of about five feet in height; and by the clever con-
trivance of slipping a bag made of tiffany over every
tree as soon as the fruit is ripe, fastening it securely to
the bottom, wasps, and birds, and flies, and all the ills
that beset ripe currants are excluded.
FILBERTS AND NUTS AS STANDARDS
Filberts, as commonly cultivated, except in the Kentish
gardens, form straggling bushes, and are some years
before they commence to bear. To correct this, some
twenty years since I had them grafted by inarching on
stems of the hazel-nut raised from Spanish nuts, as
they were vigorous growers and formed stout stems. I
have found these grafted trees answer admirably, and
come quickly into bearing, forming nice garden trees.
As soon as the nut trees designed for stocks have
made stout stems about four feet high, they should be
grafted by inarching at that height with choice kinds of
nuts, such as the red and white filberts and the Cosford
nut — an excellent nut — and, the best of all, the Lambert
FIGS AS HALF STANDARDS OR BUSHES 121
Filbert or Kentish Cob and its varieties. The purple-
leaved filbert, generally planted as an ornamental shrub,
may also be grafted ; it gives nuts equal to the common
filbert, and forms a nice ornamental standard.
Standard nuts require but little culture ; they soon
form round heads, and bear profusely. Care must be
taken to destroy all suckers from the stem and root.
The only pruning required is, in the winter, to thin
out the crowded shoots, and shorten to half their length
those that are inclined to be vigorous — that is, those
that are more than nine inches in length. The short
spray-like shoots must not be shortened, as they are the
fruit-givers.
Standard nuts planted in rich garden soils soon make
trees too large for small gardens. If, therefore, they are
found to grow too vigorously, they should be lifted and
planted biennially in November.
FIGS AS HALF STANDARDS OR BUSHES
There is, perhaps, no fruit tree that disappoints the
amateur fruit grower so much as the fig. If planted in
the open borders of the garden, it soon grows into an
enormous fruitless bush or tree, and if placed against
a wall, unless a very large space can be given to it, bat
little fruit must be expected.
It may, however, be made eligible for small gardens,
122 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
where the climate is sufficiently warm to ripen its fruit,
such as the gardens near London, and those in the
eastern and southern counties. Fruitfulness and mode-
rate growth are brought on by the following method.
Trees should be procured of the Angelique, Brown
Turkey, White Marseilles, and Early Violet Figs — these
are the only kinds that bear freely, and ripen their fruit
well ; such trees should be low or half standards, or
dwarfs with a clear stem (not bushes branching from the
ground). The former should have a stem three feet
high, and the latter from one foot to eighteen inches ;
in each case the tree should have a nice rounded head.
Trees thus selected should be planted in a sunny
situation, and require only the following simple mode of
treatment. They, we will assume, were planted in
March or April. They will make a tolerably vigorous
growth, and must be pruned by pinching off the top of
every shoot as soon as it has made six leaves, leaving
five. The stem must be kept quite clear from young
shoots. By the autumn nice round-headed trees will be
formed, and about the end of October they should be
taken up (their leaves cut off if they have not fallen) and
placed in a cellar — no matter if dark, but a light dry
cellar would be preferable — some earth should be placed
over their roots, and there they may remain till the
first week in May, when they should be planted out,
and the same routine of culture followed. They will
bear one good crop of fruit in a season and ripen it in
September. This annual removal brings on great stm-
FIGS AS HALF STANDARDS OE BUSHES 123
diness of growth in the tree, and the roots become so
fibrous as to hold a large quantity of earth, which
should not be shaken from them when they go into their
annual winter abode. Fine trees thus treated are
grown in the garden of the Duke of Altenburg, in
Central Germany, their stems as stout as a man's leg,
and their heads full of fruit ; and fig-trees, taken up in
October, and placed in the orchard-house during the
winter — their roots in the soil — will give a crop of very
rich, well-ripened fruit : fresh soil must be given to
lifted trees.
SEEDLING FRUITS
Although raising fruits is, like art, very slow in results,
and the reward precarious, the pleasure of contributing
to the general good is worth waiting for. For many
years I have never ceased to sow seed of fruits of good
quality in the hope of prolonging or advancing the
season of sorts that are recognised by all to be the best
of their class. I cannot say that up to the present my
hopes have been fulfilled, but still there is always a
chance of success.
The Transparent Gage, of whose origin I know
nothing except that it belongs, though widely differing,
to the family of the gages, appears capable of repro-
ducing itself from seed; of this sort I have obtained
the Early Transparent, the Late Transparent, and the
124 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
Golden Transparent, the three seedlings and the original
lasting from August to October ; these are in no wise
inferior in flavour to the prototype, the greengage, and,
indeed, excel it in size and beauty. The Early Prolific,
& seedling from the Precoce de Tours, also exhibits a
tendency to reproduce itself. I have raised many seed-
lings from this variety which differ little from the
parent. The Late Prolific is almost identical, but ripens
three weeks later. The ' Curlew,' raised from the
' Diamond,' is alike in colour and size, but is exceed-
ingly good for the table as well as the kitchen, and
ripens from ten to twelve days earlier. The ' Monarch,'
a seedling from the ' Autumn Compote,' in no way
resembles the parent, being very large, of a deep purple
colour, and round rather than oval. The ' Grand Duke,'
also a seedling from the ' Autumn Compote,' is oval
and very large, deep purple in colour, and ripens from
two to three weeks after the original.
Certain races of pears are inclined to reproduction,
the Louise Beurre of Jersey belonging to this class ;
the seedlings Magnate and Princess both originated
from this variety, of which they continue the special
characteristics — the Magnate ripening in November,
and the Princess in December, both bearing strong
evidence of their origin. The Beurre de Capiaumont
is wildly erratic, the Beurre d'Aremberg is tolerably
persistent, and the Passe Colmar produces seedlings
which hardly vary save in season. There is one im-
portant rule to follow in raising seedlings, and that is to
SEEDLING FRUITS 125
sow seeds only from the finest and best developed
fruits of the highest quality. If certain fruits can be
raised which will ripen consecutively through the season,
the task of making a choice will be much simplified to
the amateur, and the grower will be relieved from a
very troublesome business, i.e. that of knowing what to
grow.
THE BIENNIAL REMOVAL OF FRUIT TREES
WITHOUT ROOT-PRUNING
All trees that are inclined to make very fibrous roots,
such as plums, pears, or quince stocks, and apples on
Paradise stocks, may be lifted — i.e. removed biennially
or occasionally, if their growth is not too vigorous, as
above described — with equal or greater facility than
root-pruning them. The effect is the same; they
make short well- ripened shoots, and bear abundantly.
Apples on Paradise stocks, cultivated as dwarf bushes
or as pyramids, if lifted every year, and a shovelful or
two of compost given to them, form delightful little
trees.1 The most delicate sorts of apples, such as
Golden Pippins and Nonpareils, may thus be cultivated
in the most unfavourable soils ; and Roses, more par-
ticularly Bourbon Roses, on short stems, and Hybrid
Perpetuals, removed annually in the autumn, giving to
1 In moist retentive soils the fruit-spurs of small trees become
covered with moss ; some powerful lime sprinkled over them will
destroy it ; this is best done in foggy weather in winter.
126 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
each tree a shovelful of rich compost, and not pruning
their shoots till April, will bloom delightfully all the
autumn, never dropping their leaves towards the end of
summer, and not becoming, as is too often the case,
blighted and blossomless.
If the soil be very rich, so as to induce the trees
planted in it to make a growth of eighteen inches in
one season, they may be removed annually till this
vigorous growth ceases. If the trees make an annual
growth only of ten to twelve inches, the trees may be
removed biennially or occasionally ; and I may add that
in soils in which trees grow slowly, root-pruning is more
advantageous than removal, as less check is given to
vegetation.
PYRAMID ORCHARDS
A fair return ought to be made from an acre planted
with pyramid trees, but, like everything that is really
worth having, the realisation of profit must necessarily
be slow. Supposing that it is intended to plant an
acre of ground as a pyramidal orchard, I should recom-
mend the planter to mark off a quarter acre, and to
prepare this for the first plantation. If possible,
trench the ground to about twenty-four inches ; if you
can persuade the labourer to do this honestly, so much
the better ; but many workmen will throw the soil loose
and high, giving the digging an appearance of depth,
PYEAMID ORCHARDS 127
which exists more in the workman than in his work,
as the absolute depth measured from the unbroken
surface to the lowest trench may not be really more
than eighteen inches, a great saving in a day's digging !
Good work, from 22 to 24 inches, will probably cost
Is. 4c£. to Is. Qd. per perch ; but much of course depends
on the quality of the soil. If the subsoil is wet and
heavy, draining is essential. Before breaking the
ground, dress with about fifteen tons of good manure.
This work should be done early in September, and the
ground should be ready to plant the second week in
October, so that the plants may bear the advantage of
the warmth in the soil which has been stored up during
the summer. They will commence to root immediately
they are planted, and by the end of March of the
ensuing year — nearly six months — the roots will have
already made a good basis for the summer's growth. I
assume that the remainder of the acre will not be used
for stock, and that the orchard will not require fencing ;
but it will be evident that, if the orchard is fenced, it
will be much cheaper to enclose by a single fence than
as in ordinary orchards. To fence every individual tree
is an expensive and unsatisfactory process, as usually
before the standards have made growth enough to stand
alone, the fencing rots. The next question is the
number of trees to be planted ; I assume that the ulti-
mate distance of each tree will be twelve feet apart. I
should therefore begin by planting two-year-old trees
at four feet apart. After two years' growth a second
128 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
quarter acre should be prepared, and a third of the trees
removed from the first plantation. In three years the
trees ought to have made growth enough to pay for
planting the entire acre. Three years must be the
limit of time allowed for the last transplanting, and it
must be done as early in October as possible, and the
trees should be taken up carefully. Some men in
drawing trees are apt to chop the roots ; this should be
strictly forbidden, and the master will have to look at
the trees before any damage is concealed by the earth.
Every care also must be taken that the trees are solidly
planted, as the wind, after the ground is loosened by
frost, will break the young roots that are made during
the winter. After frost every tree must be firmly set
by a strong and willing labourer.
I have assumed, in the foregoing description of a
condensed orchard, that the trees planted will be either
plums or apples, as these are generally more profitable
than pears or cherries ; but I have found that land may
be economised by planting alternately with plums, a
row of pears on the quince stock, or apples on the
Paradise. The pear and the apple on these stocks do
not grow with the same vigour as the plum. If a
mixed orchard is desired, the rows must be made at
six feet, and the trees planted three feet apart in the
rows, with a view to their future removal ; for an orchard
of pears on the quince, or of apples on the Paradise,
the ultimate distance of six feet will be sufficient for
many yearst and if the trees are found to be close, one
PYRAMID ORCHARDS 129
year's preparation by lifting, preceding the transplanta-
tion, will ensure their safe removal to a new orchard.
A mixed plantation will, I think, be found to answer
very well. As large pears fetch the highest price, they
will be the most profitable to plant, and the plum trees
will shelter the fruit from the effects of the autumnal
winds.
There remains the question of the best method of
cropping the surface of the soil not occupied, and this
I am unable to answer. In the neighbourhood of a
town or of easy carriage, I think strawberries would
pay best. Black and red currants, or gooseberries; bring
the most profit, but with these crops the land must be
highly manured, or the trees will suffer. In the non-
bearing years of the pyramid trees some return of course
ought to be made.
It is evident that great allowance for spring frosts
must be made in planting orchards. Care should be
taken to select a locality not liable to excessive frosts.
The soil must not be heavy or wet, and should be well
drained. Above all, a valley should be avoided, espe-
cially if a river runs through. Frosts are invariably
more severe near the water than on a hill. If a crop
can be reasonably expected five years out of seven, a
fruit orchard of trees six and twelve feet apart will
yield a good return for the outlay. An orchard from
which crops of fruit were taken every year would
probably soon be exhausted, as the trees, unless very
highly farmed, would probably overbear themselves. It
130 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
is, however, a consummation never attained in this
country. In other countries the balance seems to be
kept up, if not by spring frosts, by other destructive
agencies, such as excessive droughts. Some years since,
in travelling in the Touraine during June, I noticed
that the apple trees by the side of the railway for some
twenty miles or more were entirely stripped of their
foliage by caterpillars.
The cost of the preparation of the ground will be
much reduced by opening trenches in the lines in which
the trees are planted ; if these are sis feet apart a great
saving will be made. A trench will probably not cost
more than opening holes for each tree.
The trench should be two feet wide, the first spit
thrown out, and the second spit of soil dug and left in
its place.
The intervening soil can be cultivated with the
plough the first year, but spade husbandry must be
used after the trees have made a fair growth.
DOUBLE GRAFTING OF FRUIT TREES
I have not been able to find this mode of culture
likely to be so beneficial to fruit gardens in England,
alluded to by the many authors of works on fruit trees ;
it may be ' as old as the hills,' and have no claim to
originality, but few so-called new ideas have. I can
DOUBLE GRAFTING- OF FRUIT TREES 131
only therefore state how it originated here some twenty
or twenty-five years since. I am not aware that it has
been practised by the clever fruit-tree cultivators of
France and Belgium ; if so, it has been recently copied
from English practice ; but I never remember having
seen it carried out. It may be described in a very few
words. A double-grafted pear tree is formed by select-
ing a variety that grows very freely when budded or
grafted on the quince, and re-grafting it — i.e. grafting
the graft with a kind that refuses to unite kindly with
the quince stock.
Its history, briefly told, is as follows : — All those
who are skilful cultivators will know that when budding
and grafting pears on the quince stock, some varieties
did not grow freely on that stock, particularly the
Jargonelle, Gansel's Bergamot, and the Autumn Ber-
gamot, the Seckle, the Marie Louise, Knight's Monarch,
and some others. Now, as the second and last-mentioned
are notorious for their shy bearing qualities while the
trees are young, even when root pruned or frequently
removed, I felt anxious to see them flourishing on the
quince stock, which invariably makes pear trees fertile ;
but few grafts of these sorts out of scores would survive
on the quince, and when they did unite they were very
short-lived. This induced me to look narrowly into the
habits of pear trees on the quince stock, and I found
that some sorts form a most perfect union with the
stock, and seemed most enduring. I therefore had some
thrifty trees, two years old from the bud, grafted with
K 2
132 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GARDEN
Gansel's Bergamot ; the grafts flourished, and became
so prolific that when three or four years old, they each
bore from, three to four dozen of fruit — a most unusual
thing with that fine variety. This settled the question
as to the fertility given by double grafting ; which since
this experiment has become here an extensive branch
of culture. The cultivator has something to learn, for
there are many pears of the finest quality, but of a
delicate and infertile habit, that may be much improved
by double grafting.
Our garden culture of cherries is, as yet, rude and
imperfect ; and espaliers of the Bigarreau and Guigne
or Heart tribe are planted and trained along the sides
of the garden walks, giving abundance of shoots and
leaves, but very little fruit (which the birds appro-
priate), and, in the course of time, give out gum — owing
to their having been unmercifully pruned — and die full
of years and barren shoots, having given much trouble
to the gardener. I have pointed out how cherries
may be cultivated in gardens as pyramids, <xc, and
have alluded to fertility in the Bigarreau and Heart
tribe being promoted by double grafting ; this mode of
culture is also interesting as leading to success in soils
that seem unfavourable to cherries under some circum-
stances.
Cherries grafted on the Mahaleb are described in
pp. 109 to 114; they affect calcareous soils, and, as far
as I can learn, do not succeed so well in the sandstone
formations, and where iron abounds in the soil ; in such
DOUBLE GRAFTING OF FRUIT TEEES 133
situations double-grafted trees should be planted,
formed in this way — the common Morello cherry should
be budded on the Mahaleb stock, and after two years it
should be grafted with some kind of Bigarreau, Heart,
or Guigne cherry; it will form a small or moderate-
sized tree, and bear abundantly. In cultivating cherry
trees in soils inimical to their well-doing, abundance of
chalk or lime rubbish should be mixed with the earth
to the depth of two feet.
Double grafting of apples is of very inferior im-
portance as compared with the same operation on pears
or cherries, for our English Paradise stocks give the
most perfect health and fertility in nearly all soils.
Still there may be some peculiar positions where the
soils are very light and poor, in which strong, robust
sorts of the crab stock are required to make healthy
fruitful trees. In such cases it is better to graft such
sorts as the Hawthornden, Manx Codlin, and Small's
Admirable on thrifty crab stocks, and when two years
old re-graft them with choice dessert kinds ; all double
grafting is best done when the first graft is two years
old. It is to be regretted that English cultivators,
more particularly nurserymen, have not turned their
attention to the benefit choice fruit trees derive from
having the proper kind of stock selected for them, or
from being double grafted. Mr. George Lindley, an old
author, seems to have turned his attention to fruit tree
stocks more than any other nurseryman of his day ; still
he knew only those gi-own by the nurserymen of his
184 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
day, a very imperfect list. It is but a few years since
that the common fruit-bearing quince, raised from layers
— a most unfit stock — was sold for stocks for pears, and
Mussell, White Pear Plum, Brompton, Brussels, and
' Commoners ' (i.e. common plum stocks) are still the
plum stocks propagated for sale ; all except the first and
the last are of inferior quality and are surpassed by the
White Magnum Bonum and the Black Damask Plum,
which suit Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, and all kinds
of plums.
There are some free-growing kinds of apricots which,
when budded on the plum, and the young apricot
budded with a peach or nectarine, produce the most
favourable effects on the peach tree, the union being
perfect and the duration of it much lengthened. There
are also one or two kinds of plums which, being budded
on a wild kind of plum, form, when budded with the
peach or nectarine, a most favourable stock, giving
hardiness and fertility to the trees. We are still very
backward in our knowledge of the effects of stocks on
fruits ; the subject requires much time and research,
and no rushing to conclusions like some of our writers,
who write on everything, and nothing well, only be-
cause they have not the necessary patience to master a
few subjects thoroughly.
135
RENOVATING OLD STANDARD PEAR
TREES
Old pear trees which have ceased to bear any but under-
sized fruit are often an eyesore ; still the owner may be
unwilling to resort to the heroic remedy of cutting
them down. My remedy is not so trenchant, and,
instead of destruction, will restore them to health and
vigour; it is simply to head the branches down to
within three or four feet of the main stem. From
these stumps will be at once produced young shoots
in abundance, and in three years they will be thickly
covered with fruit spurs, and the tree will be in
condition to bear fruit from young wood no longer
distorted and small, but fine in size and quality. I
do not speak from theory, but from practice, as I have
operated on trees which I thought hopeless, which have
now robust young heads on old trunks. The old
bearing wood of fruit trees appears to become too con-
stricted and dense to allow the sap to flow freely, hence
the inferiority of the fruit.
The vine, after seven or eight years of spur-pruning,
produces small branches, which gradually lessen ; the
same treatment should be applied by cutting away the
old stem, and rearing a young rod from the base.
Apples and plums do not bear this treatment so
happily as the pear.
136 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
HOW TO PREPARE A PEACH TREE
BORDER IN LIGHT SOILS
In our southern counties, where light sandy soils
abound, the difficulty of making peach and nectarine
trees trained to walls nourish is well known ; in spring
they are liable to the curl and the attacks of aphides,
in summer they are infested with the red spider, so
that the trees are weakened, and rarely give good
fruit; they seem, indeed, to detest light soils. The
following method of preparing borders for them in such
soils may be well known, but I have not seen it de-
scribed by any gardening author. The idea has come
to me from observing peach trees trained to walls
refuse to do well in the light sandy soil forming a part
of my nursery, except near paths, and to grow and do
well for years in the stiff tenacious loam forming
another part. My bearing trees in pots, for which I
use tenacious loam and dung, rammed down with a
wooden pestle, also bear and nourish almost beyond
belief; and so I am induced to recommend that in
light soils the peach tree border should be made as
follows : — To a wall of moderate height, say nine or
ten feet, a border six feet wide, and to a wall twelve
feet high, one eight feet wide should be marked out.
If the soil be poor and exhausted by cropping, or if
it be an old garden, a dressing of rotten dung l and
1 If the border be new or rich with manure, a dressing of the
loam or clay only, four inches in thickness, will be suthcient.
A PEACH TREE BORDER IN LIGHT SOILS 137
tenacious loam, or clay, equal parts, five inches in
tluckness, should be spread over the surface of the
border ; it should then be stirred to two feet in depth,
and the loarn and dung well mixed with the soil. The
trees may be planted during the winter ; and in March,
in dry weather, the border all over its surface should
be thoroughly rammed down with a wooden rammer,
so as to make it like a well-trodden path ; some light,
half-rotten manure, say from one to two inches in
depth, may then be spread over it, and the operation
is complete. This border must never be stirred, except
with the hoe to destroy weeds, and, of course, never
cropped ; every succeeding spring, in dry weather, the
ramming and dressing must be repeated, as the soil
is always much loosened by frost. If this method be
followed, peaches and nectarines may be made to
flourish in our dry southern counties, where they have
hitherto brought nothing but disappointment.
The two grand essentials for peach culture are stiff
loam, or a very firm soil, and a sunny climate.
A CHEAP METHOD OF PROTECTING
WALL TREES
At Twyford Lodge, near East Grinstead, Sussex, the
seat of R. Trotter, Esq., is a wall 75 feet long, covered
with peaches and nectarines, which, for several years,
had given no fruit ; some years ago, the gardener, Mr.
138 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
Murrell, asked my advice about protecting it with
glass ; and acting upon it with his own adaptation, has
succeeded, every season since its erection, in securing
fine crops of fruit of superior flavour. The following
is a description of this simple structure : —
At the top of the wall, which is 12 feet high, is
nailed a plate for the ends of the rafters to rest on ;
4 feet 6 inches from the wall is a row of posts, 6 inches
by 4 (these should be of oak), 6 feet apart, and 3 feet
6 inches in height from the ground ; on these is nailed
a plate to receive the lower ends of the rafters ; the
latter are 8 feet long, 3 inches by 1^, and 20 inches
asunder; and the glass employed is 16-oz. sheet, 20
inches by 12. Every fourth square of glass at the top
next the wall is fixed into a slight frame of wood with
a hinge at the top of each, and made to open all at
once by a line running on a wheel ; the front is of
f -inch deal boards nailed to the posts, one of which, one
foot wide, near the top, is on hinges, forming a drop
shutter the whole length of the front. Now comes
the management by which red spider, the deadly foe
of the peach tree, is discomfited ; and let me quote
Mr. Murrell : —
' All these ventilators, back and front, I leave open
day and night after May, except in very wet and rough
weather. The first season I had the red spider (it was
in the walls), but the fruit was of the highest flavour;
the second season the fruit was very fine, and the
spiders never came, I believe owing entirely to my
A CHEAP METHOD OF PROTECTING WALL TREES 139
syringing the trees twice a day, morning and afternoon,
and leaving all the ventilators open ; besides this the
boards have shrunk, so that there are wide crevices,
and the place is always airy. I thank you for your
hints about giving plenty of air : the trees are admired
by all who see them.'
The roof, it will be seen, is fixed, and the whole
structure a fixture ; the trees can be pruned and nailed
under shelter, and a crop of fruit always ensured. How
superior, then, is this to all the temporary protectors for
walls so often recommended !
STANDARD ORCHARD TREES
Although in this little work I profess to confine myself
to the culture of garden fruit trees, I feel that a few
words as to my method of planting trees in an orchard
under grass may not be out of place, for very frequently
a villa residence may have a piece of pasture land
attached to it favourable to the growth of orchard trees,
and quite necessary as a convenient place for the cow or
the horse or horses. The common practice is to open
large holes in the turf, three feet in diameter and from
two to three feet deep, and in the centre to plant a
tree. In rich deep loamy soils trees often succeed when
planted in this manner, and as often fail, the hole
becoming in wet seasons a pond.
140 THE 3IINIATUEE FRUIT GARDEN
Orchard trees, as a general rule, should be planted
twenty-four feet apart, row from row, and they are for
the most part planted twenty-four feet apart in the rows,
so as to stand that distance apart over the whole orchard.
I now propose that the rows should be twenty-four feet
apart, but the trees twelve feet apart in the rows, so as
to allow of one-third more trees to the acre. Instead
of digging large holes, slips four feet wide, six feet in
length, should be marked out on the turf, so that the
centre of each is twenty-four feet apart ; each slip
should then be trenched, or, as it is often called,
' double-dug,' to a depth of two feet, keeping the turf
at the surface of the trench and leaving the subsoil in
situ. A row of trees should be planted in the centre of
each slip, twelve feet apart, and after the lapse of some
fifteen or twenty years every alternate tree should be
either removed and replanted or grubbed up. As such
large standard trees would require much care in trans-
planting, and even then probably not succeed, the latter
may prove the more economic mode. By thus planting
more trees than required for a permanent orchard, a
great advantage is reaped, for the temporary trees will,
if the land is good, bear a large quantity of fruit, and
amply repay their cost, which is trifling ; for whereas
95 trees are required to plant one acre twenty-four
feet apart, by the above method 142 may be planted.
I have mentioned from fifteen to twenty years as the
probable time when the temporary trees may be re-
moved ; as this depends entirely upon the quality of
STANDARD ORCHARD TREES 141
the soil and the progress they have made, a more cer-
tain rule to lay down is, that as soon as the outside
roots of the trees touch each other the temporary trees
should be removed. I need scarcely write the usual
directions as to the trees being fenced round if horses
and cows are turned into the orchard — that the trees
should have stems at least six feet in height, and the
lower branches should be taken off as soon as they
become depressed enough for cattle to browse on them.
One direction I feel, however, bound to give : a circle
from three to four feet in diameter round each tree
should be kept clear of grass and weeds for at least
five years from the time of planting ; after that period
grass may be allowed to cover all the surface as in old
orchards.
In preparing the slips by trenching, if the subsoil
be poor and stony, it should not be brought to the
surface but be merely turned over with the spade, and
some manure mixed with it, replacing the turf and
keeping the loose mould on the surface. If the soil be
wet, drains four feet deep should be made twenty-four
feet apart, one in the centre of the space between each
row of trees ; they should be made by careful work-
men, and filled in with bushes if drain pipes are not at
hand ; before the drain is closed, it should be left open
for the examination of the master and carefully proved.
The soils best adapted for orchard trees are, first, loams
with a subsoil of lime-stone ; second, loams resting on
a dry stony subsoil; third, loams resting on clay —
142 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
these should be drained. Light sandy loams, with a
subsoil of sand, chalk, and gravel, are not adapted for
standard orchard trees unless the staple of loam is from
two to three feet thick.
INSECTS PECULIAR TO THE PEAR
The young fruits as soon as formed are pierced by a
small weevil (Rhynchites), and an egg deposited which
causes the fruit to swell to a size altogether dispro-
portionate, and after the lapse of a month to fall to the
ground ; there is no remedy for this other than the imr
mediate destruction of the fruit, which can be at once
detected by its abnormal size.
Another pest common to the pear and apple adheres
to the bark of the tree, forming a thick layer ; this is the
pear-tree kermes. As weakly trees only are attacked,
the best remedy is probably to root out the tree to
prevent the extension of the insect ; when noticed, if the
tree is not sacrificed, the bark should be scrubbed with
a hard brush and then washed with soft soap and quassia.
The slugworm — a small, black, shiny caterpillar —
makes its appearance in August, September, and the
early part of October ; the tree should be dusted with
quick-lime as soon as noticed, and the dose repeated
when necessary.
The pear-tree oyster scale, a small insect formed on
INSECTS PECULIAR TO THE PEAR 143
the bark, should be rubbed off by a hard brush with
soap and water and sand.
For the numerous caterpillars and larvae which
attack the pear tree there is one very simple and
practical remedy, viz. the finger and thumb. The
' aphis;' which is a common pest to all fruit trees, must
be very narrowly watched in the spring as soon as the
young leaves are developed, and should be treated with
the following mixture : — Boil four ounces of quassia
chips in a gallon of soft water until the bitter principle
has been extracted, the time required being from
twenty-five to thirty minutes ; in this mixture dissolve
at the time of application four ounces of soft soap to the
gallon, and apply hot if possible (up to 150° will not
hurt the tree) ; but if it is inconvenient to use hot
water, cold will answer the purpose. If trees have been
severely attacked by aphis they should be washed during
the winter with the above mixture.
The American blight (Aphis lanigerct) is peculiar to
the apple, and is destroyed by the above mixture. On
the branches of two years and upwards an application
of petroleum and milk will be useful, but the bark must
be quite sound at the time of application. Vinegar is
very destructive to this insect, probably the more adul-
terated the better ; it is easy to apply and to obtain.
If the aphis descends to the roots, soot should be
applied.
The pear is often attacked by a disease which has
the effect of rendering the bark rough and scaly, pre-
14-1 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
senting almost the appearance of canker ; a slight
examination will, however, determine whether the
disease is deeper than the bark. W ashing the parts
affected with a mixture of soot, lime, and sulphur will
remove the roughness and restore the tree to health ;
if the above materials are mixed with skim milk the
mixture is more enduring ; the disease often shows itself
after severe frost, and probably arises from a rupture of
the cells.
A bright orange spot will often make its appearance
on the leaves. During the summer the leaves thus
affected must be at once removed and burnt ; if left on
the tree the spot will develop in several nipple-like
protuberances, which will burst and scatter spores for
future germination, and the whole tree, bark, and leaves
will be attacked, and ultimately destroyed.
MANURES
In heavy, cold, and wet soils horse manure should
be forked lightly into the ground in the autumn and
spring ; when the soil is light and sandy, cow-dung
should be mixed with it. Kiln dust mixed with night
soil is an excellent surface-dressing, and soot should
be given liberally, particularly where a deficiency of
colouring is observed in the fruit. In all non-calcareous
soils, chalk, lime, gypsum, and phosphate of lime should
be freely used ; the absence of lime in soils is often the
cause of failure ; all plants contain lime, and it must
therefore be supplied when non-existent.
METHODS OF PLANTING SMALL PYEAMID TEEES 145
PLANTING
In most cases it is only necessary to open holes, but
in stiff and cold clay soils the bottom of the hole
opened should be filled in with gravel or brick rubble,
and the tree planted on a mound ; but in ordinary well-
drained soils it is sufficient to open holes for the trees
in accordance with their size ; the bottom of the hole
should be convex, so that the water does not settle in
the middle. The holes should be opened some three
weeks before planting, and the best soil reserved for
the roots; at the time of opening the holes mix the
soil with good rotten dung, and chalk or lime if
necessary. If the weather is very dry at the time of
planting, the trees should be watered during the
operation, but it is very seldom indeed that the weather
during our autumn requires this treatment. The soil
should be lightly and firmly pressed round the roots,
which should be carefully laid out radiating from the
stem, so as to form ultimately a secure support for the
trees, no matter from which quarter the wind blows. If
the trees are slender fasten them to a stout stake, which
they will need until they are firmly established.
Another method of growing small pyramid trees
(that is, from seven to eight feet high) in soils naturally
bad, can be employed with perfectly good results, and
makes the fruit-tree amateur independent of soil. Plant
the trees in large pots, No. 6 or No. 4, which have been
perforated at the sides (this will be done by the potter
L
146 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
if so ordered), and pot the trees with soil prepared for
them. When planted, fill in a space of one foot or
more round the outside of the pot for the roots to feed
on when the soil of the pot is exhausted ; every autumn
clear away this and fill in with fresh soil, increasing
the bulk, at the same time cut off every root close to
the pot that has passed outside ; this is another form of
root-pruning, but it provides an absolute independence
of soil. The trees will not make a strong growth, but
they will be fruitful and will require little or no pruning ;
stout boxes, with holes or chinks for the emission of
roots, will answer, but they are not of course so durable
as the pots.
PROPER DISTANCES FOR PLANTING PYRA-
MIDAL AND OTHER FRUIT TREES
Pyramidal pear trees and bushes on quince stocks to
be cultivated as root-pruned trees for small gardens,
four feet apart.
The same, in larger gardens, not root-pruned, six
feet apart.
Pyramidal pear trees on the pear stock, root-pruned,
six feet apart.
The same, roots not pruned, eight or ten feet— the
latter if the soil be very rich.
Horizontal espalier pear trees on the quince stock,
for rails or walls, ten feet apart.
Upright espaliers on the quince stock, for rails or
walls, four to six feet apart.
DISTANCES FOE PLANTING- PYRAMID FRUIT TREES 147
Horizontal espaliers on the pear stock, for rails or
walls, twenty feet apart.
Pyramidal plum trees, six feet apart.
Espalier plum trees, twenty feet apart.
Pyramidal and bush apple trees on the Paradise stock,
root-pruned, for small gardens, three to four feet apart
The same, roots not pruned, six feet apart.
Espalier apple trees on the Paradise stock, fifteen
feet apart.
The same on the crab stock, twenty feet apart.
Peaches and nectarines, for walls, fifteen to twenty
feet apart.
Apricots for walls, twenty feet apart.
Apricots, plums, cherries, and apples, as single
diagonal cordons, eighteen inches to two feet apart.
Cherries, as bushes and pyramids on the Mahaleb
stock, root-pruned, for small gardens, four feet apart.
The same, roots not pruned, six feet apart.
Pyramidal cherries, on the common cherry stock,
six feet apart.
Espalier cherry trees, for rails or walls, fifteen to
twenty feet apart.
Vertical or diagonal single cordons of apples and
pears, eighteen inches to two feet apart.
Proper distances for trees against dwarf walls, an-
nually or biennially removed (see pp. 39 to 42) are for —
Pears on quince stocks, five feet apart.
Peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums, five feet apart.
Cherries and apples, five feet apart.
148 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
MINIATUEE FRUIT GARDEN CALENDAR
January. — In mild weather, planting, root-pruning,
lifting, and replanting may be carried on. Some soils
encourage the growth of moss on the branches of trees ;
lime may be sprinkled on them, or they may be painted
with lime and soot formed into a thin paint with water.
February. — If the weather be mild, trees may still
be planted without fear ; the truth is, the modern
system of growing fruit trees on dwarfing stocks, and
removing them occasionally, makes them safe to plant
very late or very early.
March. — Towards the middle of the month protect-
ing to retard the blossom-buds is good practice.
Planting of prepared or oft-removed trees may still
be safely practised.
April. — Protecting should still be attended to.
Planting of pears on quince stocks with the buds
on the point of expansion (see p. 61) may be tried as
an experiment ; here they often bear the finest fruit.
June. — Summer pinching must be strictly attended
to; the young fruit in clusters should be thinned,
MINIATUEE FEUIT GAEDEN CALENDAE 149
removing from pears and apples about half their
number.
July. — The very early kind of pears should be
gathered before they are quite ripe.
August. — Early ripening pears — viz., sorts that ripen
in September — may be gathered, unless the season be
late.
September. — Shortening the shoots may be done ;
gathering of early pears before fully ripe to be attended
to. Towards the end gather apples and pears that
ripen before Christmas.
October. — Towards the middle of the month planting
may be commenced ; and if the rain has penetrated
sufficiently, root-pruning may be done ; also lifting and
replanting (see p. 14). About the middle gather late
pears.
November. — Planting, root-pruning, lifting, and re-
planting may still be safely carried on.
December. — All the operations of last month may
still be practised if they have been forgotten or
neglected.
Always bear in mind that a vigorous-growing tree
that does not bear fruit requires being lifted and
replanted — even annually — till it becomes fruitful, and
that a tree that bears well and makes annual shoots
under twelve inches in length, requires neither root-
pruning nor removal, but merely summer pinching of
its shoots to about half their length.
The following extract from a letter is interesting, as
150 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
an indication or the sorts of pears which succeed at
Jedburgh : —
' And now for some account of your pears ; I pro-
cured a maiden plant of Beurre d'Amanlis, which, in
1875, growing in the midst of my seedling fir beds, had
reached the height of eight feet. This bush, seven and
a half feet in diameter, produced 820 pears, which
weighed ten stone seven pounds ; very fine fruit.
' You published some years since a note specifying
the success of Beurre Hardy pear at Kelso ; a year
before the specimens were sent to you, I grafted a plant,
filling a portion of a low wall, only seven feet high by
sixteen feet in length ; in 1875 my grafts of the Beurre
Hardy produced 500 large pears, weighing eight stone.
From Conseiller de la Cour I have had crops of most
delicious fruit. It is really a grand pear.'
Canker. — In a lecture delivered at Birmingham by
Mr. Edmund Tonks, he proposes the following ingre-
dients as an effective application for the cure of this
disease :
lbs.
Superphosphate of lime . . .35
Nitrate of potash . . . .21
Nitrate of soda . . . . .28
Sulphate of lime . . . . .28
in the proportion of a quarter of a pound to the square
yard applied in the autumn and spring. To my know-
ledge this dressing has had an extraordinary effect in
some cases, and has restored diseased trees to good health.
APPENDIX I
THE GROUND VINERY
The ' Curate's Vinery,' described in the tenth edition,
was contrived by Dr. S. Newington, of Ticehurst, and
consisted of a ridge of glass placed over a furrow lined
with slates, so that the bunches of grapes were suspended
in the furrow, and in warm seasons ripened well. One
objection to the furrow was its liability to be filled with
water in wet weather, in low situations and heavy soils.
I therefore sought to remedy this, and one day, about
the end of June, 1860, I found myself looking into my
original ' Curate's Vinery,' and admiring the vines then
in blossom, although those within a few yards of it
growing in the opeu air were scarcely in full leaf. I
pictured to myself the bunches of grapes suspended
from the vines in the warm, moist atmosphere of the
trench lined with slates. My thoughts then reverted to
my boyish, grape-loving days, when in an old vineyard,
planted by my grandfather, I always looked for some
ripe grapes about the end of September ; and I vividly
remembered that I always found the best and ripest
154 THE MINIATURE ERUIT GARDEN
bunches with the largest berries lying on the ground,
and if the season were dry and warm, they were free
from dirt and delicious, and so I gradually travelled in
thought from bunches of grapes lying on the ground to
the same lying on slates.
The idea was new, and I commenced at once to put
it into practice by building a ' Curate's Vinery ' on a
new plan.
I therefore placed two rows of bricks endwise
(leaving four inches between each brick for ventilation)
on a nice level piece of sandy ground, and then paved
between them with large slates (' duchesses ') placed
crosswise. I am, however, inclined to think that tiles
may be preferable to slates ; absorption of heat is
greater and radiation slower. On the bricks I placed
two of the ridges of glass, as given in the foregoing
figure, each seven feet long, and thus formed my
vinery, fourteen feet in length. The vine lies in the
centre of the vinery, and is pegged down through the
spaces between the slates. One vine will in the course
of two years fill a vinery of this length ; but to reap
the fruits of my project quickly, I planted two vines,
one in the centre, the other at the north-east end — for
these structures should stand north-east and south-west.
One of these vines, which had been growing in a pot in
the open air, was just beginning to show its fruit-buds
— it was quite the last of June — its fruit ripened early
in October, and were fully coloured and good in spite
of the cloudy cold autumn. My black Hamburgh
APPENDIX 155
grapes in my ground vineries were fully ripe by the
first week in October. I therefore feel well assured
that grapes lying on a floor of slates such as I have
described will ripen from two to three weeks earlier
than in vineries of this description with a furrow, and
as early as grapes in a common cold vinery. Black
Hamburghs, and other kinds of grapes not requiring
fire heat, may thus be grown in any small garden at a
trifling expense. I am, indeed, disposed to hope that
the Frontignans, and nearly all but the Muscats, may
be ripened by this method, so intense is the heat of the
slated floor on a sunny day in July.
Some persons may think that the heat would be
scorching, and that the leaves and grapes would alike
become frizzled ; but few gardeners know the extreme
heat a bunch of grapes can bear. I remember a lady
friend, who had resided some time at Smyrna, telling
me that one afternoon at the end of the summer, when
the grapes were ripening, she was sitting in her
drawing-room and admiring some large bunches of
grapes hanging on a vine which was growing against a
wall in the full sunshine. Knowing the danger of going
into the open air without a parasol, she rushed out,
cut a bunch of grapes, and returned to her seat in the
shady room. The bunch of grapes was so hot that she
was obliged to shift it from hand to hand. I observed
in the hot weather we had in July, 1859, one or two
branches of Muscat grapes nearly touching the chimney
of a stove in which a fire was kept up every morning,
156 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
gradually turning into raisins. I felt some of them
when the sun was shining on them ; they were not
burning hot, but next to it. I allowed them to dry
into raisins, and very fine they were, but not better
than the finest imported from Spain.
With respect to the superior ripening power of
slates or tiles placed on the surface of the earth, I was
much interested in once hearing a travelled friend say
that when he was at Paros, he observed many vines
trained up the marble rocks peculiar to the island ;
and in all cases the grapes lying on the surface, which
was almost a continuous mass of rock, were ripe, while
those a few feet from it, on the same vine, some of the
branches of which were trained up the wall-like rocks,
were quite green. In telling me this, he said he was
never more impressed with the ripening power of the
earth's surface.
I have, in giving the figure and description of the
ground vinery, adapted for one vine, the width of it
being 2 feet 6 inches only. If this width be increased
to 3 feet 6 inches, two vines can be trained under the
same roof 14 inches apart, and thus at a trifling ad-
ditional cost double produce can be obtained.
Cultivators will think of red spider making his
home in such (for him) a happy, hot place; but he
may be made so uncomfortable by keeping flowers of
sulphur strewed over the slates till near the ripening
season, that no inconvenience need be apprehended.
It will be perceived that the ventilation is all lateral,
APPENDIX 157
and on the same principle as that of my orchard-
houses; nothing can be more perfect. In the figure
it will be seen I have left a small aperture under the
apex of the roof for the escape of rarefied air. In very-
hot weather this may be useful, but in my slate-floored
ground vineries I have not done this, and yet the
ventilation is perfect. I have not yet ascertained in
what manner the heated air escapes. The ventilating
apertures are all on the surface of the soil, and at the
same level ; but I suppose it stoops to get out, having
no other mode of egress.
DIMENSIONS OF GROUND VINERIES
No. 1,/or a single vine in centre
Width at base ..... 30 inches.
Slope of roof . . . . .20 inches.
Depth in centre . . . .16 inches.
No. 2, for two vines 14 inches apart
Width at base ..... 42 inches.
Slope of roof . . . . .28 inches.
Depth in centre . . . .20 inches.
These dimensions need not be arbitrary, for ground
vineries of larger dimensions may be made with every
chance of success, and Hamburgh grapes grown in
Bedfordshire instead of cucumbers ; for no part of
England can be more favourable to grape culture
than the fertile, sandy districts of a portion of that
158 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
county. We have heard of forty acres of cucumbers
being grown for pickling, and one day we may hear
of forty acres of grapes in ground vineries in some
favourable locality. To form a vinery (p. 152, fig. 22),
described above as No. 1, two seven-feet lengths are
required ; these I find from experience are better made
of wood than iron, which is heavy and expensive ; they
are now made three feet wide at base. Their size may
also be increased to 3 feet 6 inches, as described under
No. 2, but they must then be placed on a wall two
bricks in height, leaving apertures, four or five inches
wide and six inches deep, for ventilation ; this increase
of ventilation is absolutely necessary with No. 2. The
glass used should be 21-oz.,as 16-oz. is too slight. As
the vines in ground vineries often put forth their young
shoots early in May, and are apt to be injured by a
severe May frost, it is good practice to keep some refuse
ha}' strewed over the glass when there is any chance
of frost in that month, or to cover the ridges with
mats.
In gardens where these glass ridge roofs are not
wanted for vines, or fruit-tree culture, they will be
found most useful. They may be placed on any warm
border on bricks ; and early peas, French beans, and
many other early vegetables requiring protection from
spring frosts, be grown under them with advantage.
For the cultivation of the early strawberries they are
invaluable, as they not only hasten the ripening period,
but protect the fruit from heavy summer showers, often
APPENDIX 159
so injurious to the crop, and also from birds. Straw-
berry plants, to be cultivated in ground vineries, should
be planted early in autumn in narrow beds of two or
three rows, the plants close together in the rows, so as
to take full advantage of the glass-covered space. The
rows should be 9 inches apart, and the plants in the
row the same distance from each other ; the beds should
be made every season on a fresh piece of rich soil ; and
as much fruit as can possibly be grown in such a limited
space must be the aim of the cultivator. If the ridges
are devoted to strawberries only, much care is required
in their culture, the runners should be carefully removed,
and the glass ridges taken off after the fruit is gathered,
and not replaced till November ; the plants will require
water and surface manure during the summer. In all
cases the ridges should be placed on bricks, with spaces
between them. Ventilation is then secured ; and even
cauliflower plants in winter will do well without the
constant attention to ' giving air,' so necessary in the
old garden frame culture. Lettuces, for early salads,
succeed admirably in these structures ; they should be
planted in October. In gardens that are confined and
very warm, I repeat it may be necessary to have a small
opening left at the top, at a in the figure, just under
the ridge, to let oat the heated air, and two rows of
bricks instead of one ; but my vineries stand in a very
exposed place, and do not require it.
On p. 153 I have given a diagram of a new plan
of ground vineries; it is exceedingly simple; gas-piping
160 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
and a few oak posts support the lights, which are hooked
on, and can be taken off and stored when not required.
The same principle, i.e. the gas-piping and the lights
with hooks, will make a very cheap and efficient glass
coping for walls.
PLANTING AND PRUNING VINES
FROM POTS
The most preferable seasons for planting vines from
pots are in October and November or in March, the
latter to be preferred, and if vines can be placed in a
cold vinery or under a garden frame till their young
shoots are two inches long, they had better be planted
in April, as they seem to start with greater freedom
when their young shoots have commenced to grow. The
mode of planting as practised here is simply to mark
out a piece of ground 3 feet square at the end of
fig. 22, and to dig it 2 feet deep, mixing with the soil,
in digging, a coat of manure from four to five inches
thick, placed on the surface before digging ; the vine
should not be planted under the glass, but outside, at
one end ; it should at once be pegged down with two or
three hooked pegs thrust into the earth through the
interstices between the slates in the centre of the floor.
If vines from the open ground are selected, they should
be planted early in March, and cut down to two eyes ;
if strong vines from pots are planted, they should have
APPENDIX 161
their roots carefully divided and spread out ; to do this
the ball of earth should be squeezed between the hands
so as to loosen it thoroughly, and after planting, water
should be given, the earth filled in, and after about ten
days the soil round the vine should be trodden firmly.
The vine from a pot, if strong and from seven to nine feet
in length, should be shortened down to three feet, or, say,
to eleven or twelve buds, not counting the buds within
nine inches of the ground ; every bud will show a bunch of
fruit ; all but three or four bunches should be removed,
and every side shoot except one should be shortened as
soon as it has made, say, five leaves : the one to be ex-
cepted is the leading shoot, which, if the vine is growing
tolerably well, may be suffered, even the first season, to
grow from four to five feet before it is stopped : this leader
may require being stopped a second time the first season
if it is in a vigorous state. In the autumn (mind this
is the first season) the young leading shoot may be cut
down to about twelve eyes, or within three feet of the
old wood, i.e. the shoot left on the vine when planted ;
the latter will be furnished with spurs, and each of these
must be shortened in the autumn to two eyes ; the time
for pruning is towards the end of October. After the
fruit is gathered, and at this time only, the ridges may
be removed from the vine, and remain off for a fort-
night. The pruning in succeeding years is very simple ;
you have merely to shorten the leader to three or four
feet, or less, and the spurs to two eyes, annually in
October.
M
162 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
During the winter, if the vineries are standing in
an exposed situation, they should be secured from the
wind by driving a few stakes down on each side.
In spring, if the vines put forth their young shoots
in April, they are apt to be killed by a spring frost, as
is too often the case with the vines of France ; this can,
however, be easily averted in ground vineries, either by
keeping constantly a covering of hay or straw on the
glass when the weather is cold, and frost likely, or by
covering the ridges with the small mats which are ao
convenient and so cheap, whenever the thermometer
declines to 40° at 7 p.m.
There are still more ills to guard against in ground
vinery culture, for mice and birds, as rats often do in
common vineries, attempt to have too large a share of
the fruit; they enter by the interstices between the
bricks and devour and spoil many bunches ; thrushes
are particularly vigilant in looking after grapes, and
may be trapped ; but both they and the mice may be
kept out by galvanised iron netting six inches wide,
placed along the whole length of the vineries.
I have but little to add to my description of the
management of ground vineries : their uses are endless,
for not only are the finest of pears grown in them, but
peaches, apricots, plums, and strawberries may be culti-
vated with great success ; and then as winter quarters
for bedding plants they are excellent. For this pur-
pose the bricks should be removed in severe weather,
and the glass ridges thickly covered with straw ; they
APPENDIX 163
are then perfectly frost-proof; in mild weather in
winter the ventilating bricks may be replaced, and the
straw removed till frost again occurs.
With respect to the most preferable dimensions for
these structures — the size No. 1, thirty inches wide at
base, will suffice for one vine in the centre for ten years
or so; but as I perceive my old vines to be a little
straitened for room, I advise a width of three feet
at the base, and No. 2, for two vines or two cordons,
of three feet ten inches, instead of three feet six
inches.
In these more roomy structures the vines may be
trained to stout galvanised iron wires, supported with
iron rods flattened at top and perforated, so that the
wire passes easily through ; these wires should be about
one foot from the surface of the slates, and the suspended
bunches, partially resting on them, will ripen admirably.
I ought to add, that a friend with much gardening
experience finds his strawberries ripen ten days earlier
than those in the open air, and his melons, planted on
new, fresh, fermenting manure, in a trench, are free
from red spider, and produce fine fruit. It is the con-
stant ventilation, night and day, and the heavy dew,
the result of arrested radiation, that seems to baffle this
tiresome plague ; for although my vines are never
watered or syringed, they are always vigorous and free
from red spider. The most eligible varieties of grapes
for ground vineries are, the Black Hamburgh, Buckland
Sweetwater, Royal Muscadine, Early Smyrna Fron-
M 2
164 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
tignan, Trentham Black, Early Saumur Frontignan,
and Esperione.
Any suburban garden ten yards square, if in a sunny
situation, may have one or two of these vineries, and
the owner or occupier may grow his own black Ham-
burgh grapes, known by most of the Londoners as ' hot-
house grapes.' I ought to mention that the improved
ground vinery, with gas-pipe ridge, so that the side
opens and gives access to the interior, is the best of all.
COEDON TRAINING
By T. Francis Rivebs. Extracted, by permission, from the
' Journal of Horticulture,' Nos. 356-57, 1868.
The introduction of the system of training fruit trees,
called by the French cordon training, leads me to sup-
pose that a few outlines of description may not be
unacceptable. This system of training is remarkable
for simplicity, and I propose to give the necessary
directions in as few words as possible.
The preparation of the ground is so well understood
that it is not necessary to say much on this point. To
form the oblique cordon orchard, a trench should be dug,
about two feet wide, the first ^spit of soil being thrown
out as if for a celery trench ; the under spit should then
be broken up and left with the top soil, a good propor-
tion of well decomposed manure must be mixed, and
166 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
the ground is ready for planting. The trench should,
if possible, be made a fortnight before planting, in
order that the soil may be thoroughly pulverised. If
there is any deficiency of lime in the soil, it is as well
to add lime rubbish or chalk. For horizontal double
cordons a trench is not necessary ; holes should be dug
about two feet in diameter, and the soil mixed with
good compost. The double-cordon trees should be from
twelve to fifteen feet apart ; the horizontal single cor-
dons six to eight feet.
Fig. 24 represents a double horizontal cordon. This
may be made by cutting down a dwarf maiden tree to
within four or six buds of the base, the two topmost
buds of which must be selected to form the cordons.
The highest on the stem are the most eligible ; but the
operator can, of course, select the two shoots which are
most convenient for his training wire, and they should
be as nearly as possible opposite. When sufficiently
advanced in growth to be flexible, they should be care-
fully bent down and fastened to short sticks, unless the
training wires are used. As the whole energies of the
tree are directed into these shoots, they will make rapid
growth, and as they advance fresh sticks and fresh
tying will be necessary. As any lateral or upright
shoots are put forth they must be stopped at three or
four leaves from their bases. The first year few of
these will be made, but the tree will most probably, if
there is a favourable growth, be studded with fruit buds.
In November, or, indeed, any month from November to
168 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
March, the tips of the main shoots should be shortened
three or four buds from the ends, and, unless a few-
lateral shoots have been left, which should be removed,
the pruning for the second year will be accomplished.
The second year each cordon or branch will produce
many lateral shoots, and as these are successively pro-
duced they should be pinched. The first pinching must
be done when the shoot has formed five or six leaves,
and, as a general rule, three leaves from the leaflets
should be the stopping point. This primary shoot will
form the bloom buds, and the shoot made from the ter-
minal bud must be stopped in the same manner as
the first. Discontinue pinching after June. By this
time the cordon will be thickly studded with wood and
fruit spurs ; to thin out and regulate these will form a
pleasant winter morning's work ; the final pruning
must therefore be deferred until October or November.
The tree after the second year will assume the
appearance of a cordon — i.e. a thick rope of closely
studded shoots, and the pruning must be left to the
judgment of the operator. Many shoots must be re-
moved ; and as the size and strength of the tree must
regulate the number of fruit-bearing spurs, a sufficient
number of these being left, the operator should prune
all others to wood-buds, in order to produce, year by
year, an alternate succession of fruit-bearing wood.
Fig. 25 is a half-standard double horizontal cordon.
This is very useful for low walls in gardens ; where
the border is occupied by flowers or other plants, the
APPENDIX 169
part of the wall exposed to the sun may thus be used.
A standard cordon with a stem six feet high may also
be used for the top of the wall, the main surface being
occupied by other trees. A cordon fringe, or cornice,
will be found exceedingly ornamental, and may be
carried the entire length of a wall, the standards being
planted at intervals of twenty feet or more.
Many other forms of cordon training will, doubtless,
be discovered as the system becomes better known.
Single horizontal cordons (fig. 26) require the
same pruning as the double, but the dwarf maiden tree
does not absolutely require the cutting-back necessary
for double cordons. The tree may be planted in a
slanting position against the training wire, and the
shoot tied down. The first year after planting, most
of the buds will break and produce shoots ; these must
be treated in the same manner as the double horizontal
cordons. If a single cordon is required for a special
height, the shoot should be shortened to the height
required, and a single horizontal shoot selected to form
the cordon.
Single oblique or diagonal cordons may be planted
to training wires by the sides of walks, or in rows in
the garden devoted to their cultivation. The space
given up to them will yield an ample and quick return
in fruit. They may be planted 1^ ft. apart, and if the
cultivator does not object to wait a year, dwarf maiden
trees are the best to plant, as they may be bought
cheaply. The trees should be planted upright, and the
170
THE MINIATURE FKUIT GAEDEN
shoots, which are generally very flexible, should be bent
to an angle of about 45°. It is not necessary for the
angle to be quite exact, but, as a general rule, this
angle may be adopted. If the shoots are not flexible
enough to bend, plant the tree in a slanting position.
APPENDIX 171
The principle of pruning given for double horizontal
cordons must be followed in the cultivation of single
oblique cordons. They will the first year after planting
be found covered with bloom-spurs. Single oblique
Fig. 27. — A photograph of Doyenne du Cornice.
cordons in rich and fertile soils will probably require
root-pruning as well as spur-pruning, and, if necessary,
this should be done every second year. The tree
should not be taken up, but the spade pushed down at
a sufficient distance from the stem to avoid injury to
172 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
the main roots, and the tree gently heaved. If a tap
root has been made it should be cut. The proper time
to perform this operation is near the end of October
and any time afterwards to the middle or end of
February; but it is better done in October and
November, as many fresh roots will be formed after the
operation, even during what are called the dead months
of the year.
Single oblique cordons may be carried to the height
of ten or twelve feet ; in fact, there is no limit, except
the will of the planter. A fresh string of wire may
be added annually as the cordons increase in length.
They may also be limited to the height of four or five
feet.
Fig. 27 is from a photograph of an upright-trained
tree, with five vertical cordons springing from a common
base. Trees may be purchased already trained in this
form, but the double horizontal cordon may at pleasure
be changed into this form by selecting strong shoots
at regular intervals, fastening them to stout stakes,
and summer pinching them as practised for oblique
cordons.
Fig. 28 is a fan cordon, and the advantage of the
simple method of summer pinching will at once be seen.
Instead of a wall being perforated all over with nails
few only are required to fasten the shoots selected for
cordons. This form may consist of five, seven, or more
cordon branches. The symmetry of the tree should be
the point most strictly attended to, a symmetrical tree
APPENDIX
173
Fxg. 28
174 THE MINIATUKE FKUIT GARDEN
being more pleasing to the eye than one irregularly-
shaped. The same method of pruning is required as
for oblique cordons.
Fan cordons can be managed by an unscientific
gardener, but to produce one well-shaped on the usual
plan requires a skilful and practised hand. It is pos-
sible that in the northern and westerly districts peach
and nectarine trees will produce too many unripened
spurs, but probably by attention and strict thinning
this difficulty will be surmounted. It is not yet suffi-
ciently known that apricot fan-shaped trained trees
may be made, by the most simple management of cordon
training, most prolific and easily managed wall trees.
The method is this : as soon as the tree has formed a
perfect-shaped tree, no more shortening of shoots or
' laying in ' of young should be practised, but every
branch should be made into a cordon by summer pinch-
ing, i.e. nipping off early in June every side shoot to
four or five leaves, leaving the end of the cordon shoot
untouched till, say, February, when, if it be more than
30 inches in length, it may be shortened to 20 or 24
inches. Peaches, nectarines, and all other kinds of
wall fruits may be grown after this cordon system, and
if the walls be not veiy extensive, much room may be
saved by adopting the five-branched upright cordon
(fig. 27, p. 171).
With peaches and nectarines in rich soils it may
be necessaiy to leave one shoot on each branch as an
exhauster — an unpruned shoot — or to lift the tree
APPENDIX 175
once in three or four years. I should add that the
exhauster should be cut down in winter to three or four
buds.
Fig. 29 is a double oblique cordon, formed by
cutting down the dwarf tree to two buds, and proceed-
ing as for oblique cordons.
Fig. 29
Fig. 30 represents a compound horizontal cordon.
This should have a central shoot and branches trained
from it as nearly opposite as possible. This system
has long been used for pears and apples, but not so
generally for stone fruits. It is well adapted for
176
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and plums.
All of these may be trained as compound horizontal
cordons in the colder climate of Yorkshire.
A very skilful cultivator of fruit in Yorkshire has
trained cordon peaches and nectarines with complete
success, and to counteract the tendency of these fruit
trees to produce much unripened wood, when under
APPENDIX . 177
cordon training, he leaves on every horizontal branch
an upright shoot which he calls an exhauster. This
shoot forms an outlet for the superfluous energy of the
Fig. 31
tree ; and the fruit spurs, being deprived of the
superabundance of the vital fluid, do not break into
growth. This theory will be found to be very sound
practice, and should be used wherever there is a ten-
N
178 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
dency on' the [part of the tree to produce many un-
ripened spurs. This mode of training for the pear
and apple is already well known ; and when applied
to peach and nectarine trees, the only deviation from
established practice will be to treat every horizontal
branch as a cordon, and to practise summer pinching
instead of allowing gross upright shoots to be made.
Fig. 31 is a single vertical cordon in a pot ; and if an
orchard house or glass shed is available, these will be
found very useful and interesting trees. Pear, apple,
cherry, and plum trees may be potted into 10- or 12-inch
pots, and moved into a glass shed, or, indeed, any shed
open to the sun, while in bloom, and kept under
cover until all danger from spring frost is past. They
should then be removed to a border prepared for them —
the warmer and more sheltered the better. The pots
must be plunged to within one or two inches of the rim,
stable litter partly decomposed and spread over the pots
and the soil ; as the trees will require watering they
should be placed near water. One-year-old dwarf trees
may be bought at a cheap rate and potted. The fruit
will be produced in the second year after potting. The
soil for the trees should consist of good, strong, cal-
careous loam mixed with a third of its bulk of decom-
posed manure. An old cucumber or melon bed may be
used ; or, if not convenient, stable manure thrown up
and fermented for some time will answer very well.
The soil must in all cases be made very firm and solid
in the pot. The border or bed for their summer
APPENDIX 179
quarters should be six feet wide ; this will take four rows
of trees. This distance is perhaps the most convenient
for pruning and watering, but it may be increased or
diminished at the will of the cultivator.
Under this system trees which appear to be walking-
sticks in the winter will become wonderfully fertile ;
and if protection in spring can be afforded, the crop
is almost certain. As it is possible and probable that
during the summer some of the roots will have passed
through the bottom of the pots into the soil beneath,
it will be necessary, after the fruit is gathered and the
trees are at rest, to detach them from their anchorage
by taking up the pots and cutting off all the roots that
protrude through the drainage hole of the pot. As this
operation will break up the summer quarters of the
trees, there will be no necessity to replace them at the
distance requisite for their summer cultivation. They
may be much more closely packed for their winter
quarters, plunging them as mentioned before, and
during winter covering the pots thickly with straw or
stable litter. In this position they may be left without
any further care or attention until the returning spring
urges them again into fresh activity and fruitfulness.
The Compound Trellis. See diagram, p. 180.
The end posts A A, 3^ by 5 inches of oak, 5 feet
6 inches out of ground, and 3 feet in ground, with blocks
2 feet long, b, and brace C to take the strain, with four
rows of No. 13 galvanised wire strained by Raidisseurs,
the first 14 inches from grouud, and 1 foot apart.
v 2
180
THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
-e-p-
-4/9I--
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Etite-j-c
*
f Ui
F=a
•,-9>-
APPENDIX 181
The top No. 7 strand wire is 4 inches from top, strained
by screw.
At each end post a brace, 3 by 4 inches, is fixed, 5 feet
6 inches up and 5 feet from post, with intermediate stays
of iron, E, T3g- inch by 1 inch ; in these there are six rows
of No. 1 3 wire, 1 foot apart, and strained the same way
as the upright wires.
Middle tier, H, of posts, 7 feet 6 inches out of ground,
and 3 feet in ground with stiff brace, are fixed about 35
feet apart, with five rows of No. 13 wire, first row 1 foot
4 inches from ground, three others 1 foot apart, and one
between them and top strand, which is No. 7, and fixed
4 feet from top of post.
Length 156 feet, width 16 feet.
The plan of the compound trellis will, I hope, be
understood by my readers. The two diagonal trellises
D D and the outer trellises A A should be planted with
upright cordon trees (see fig. 31). The centre trellis H
may be planted with fan-trained trees, either plums or
cherries, or, in favourable climates, with peaches, nec-
tarines, and apricots. Plant fan-trained trees on the
centre trellis, because they may be planted at some
distance apart, 20 feet ; the diagonal and the outer trel-
lises plant with plums, pears on the quince stock, and
apples on the Paradise stock.
The main object of a trellis of this kind is, of course,
to afford protection during the spring, and this, I think,
may be given in various ways. The stout wire on the
top of the posts is intended to support either mats or
182 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GARDEN
canvas ; as the protection is for a time only, mats will
probably be the cheapest. If the protection is intended
to last for some years, painted canvas will answer. As
protectors for the outer rows of trees, I think straw mats,
or hurdles covered with straw, will be the most eco-
nomical.
For market purposes I should recommend planting
Pitmaston Duchess, Doyenne du Cornice, Louise Bonne
of Jersey, Souvenir du Congres, Durondeau, and pos-
sibly other large sorts of pears ; with good cultivation
profitable results may be realised, the first outlay not
being very considerable.
The following is an extract from the Standard : —
1 The paper which Mr. Barsley read last evening at
the meeting of the Society of Arts upon the cultivation
of fruits is worthy of the most serious attention. The
annual value of the fruits imported into this country is
£6,000,000, and of this £2,000,000 is for apples and
other hardy fruits which we could grow with advantage
here. There is no crop more profitable than fruits, and
apple and pear trees, if not planted too closely, admit of
vegetables being grown beneath them, so that their
produce may be regarded as almost pure profit. And
yet only some 40,000 acres of land are used for market
gardens throughout the country. Mr. Barsley pointed
out that the railway embankments of England repre-
sent about 200 square miles, some of which are admir-
ably adapted for fruit culture. Allowing only a third
as suitable, it would yet double the present area of
APPENDIX 183
orchards. The lecturer urged that landowners could do
nothing more profitable than plant fruit trees, for these
Boon begin to pay a fair return upon the outlay, and
continue to increase in value until they attain a maxi-
mum, at which they will remain for many years. Fruit in
summer is at once wholesome and refreshing, and the
promotion of fruit culture would have a value even as
a temperance measure. The large sums paid for hardy
fruits, like those paid for foreign eggs and fowls, which
could be equally well and very profitably grown in this
country, are so much absolutely lost to the country. The
subject is one which we hope to see further ventilated
at agricultural and farmers' meetings, for it is one of
real and national importance.'
SEEDLING PEARS
I HAVE for many years consumed much fruitless time in
the painful and tedious process of watching and waiting
for the fruits of seedling pears, whose fruition will con-
sume a good fifteen years of a man's life, hoping against
hope, as tree after tree was condemned to the axe ; but
that my reward would come in good time I never
doubted, and my perseverance has been rewarded by
the success of the ' Conference ' pear, which I submitted
to the severe and practical criticism of the Committee of
the National Pear Congress of October 1885, the name of
184 THE MINIATUKE FEUIT GAEDEN
1 Conference ' being given by the Committee as a
memento of the meeting, being one of the few seedling
English pears exhibited at this remarkable gathering-
It is singular that it was raised from the baking pear
' Leon le Clerc de Laval,' a few pips of which I planted in
idleness, my condemned seedlings being raised from pears
of the highest excellence. ' Conference ' is large and of
excellent quality, and will always be readily identified
by the peculiar salmon colour of the flesh. I may hope
that for a century to come it will be one of the Standard
English pears.
c Parrot,' another of my seedlings, raised from the
Gansel's late Bergamot, was, in the opinion of the
Committee, destined to become a very popular pear ; the
fruit is bergamot-shaped, of a brilliant colour, of fine
quality, and of excessive fertility ; no other pear of the
same class was to be found among the numerous exhibits.
The Committee of the Pear Congress held at the
Eoyal Horticultural Society's Gardens, Chiswick, during
October 1885, selected the following new pears for
classification and introduction among the sorts already
well known ; all are of the highest quality for excellence
of flavour, size, and hardiness ; they grow equally well on
the pear or quince stock, and are specially adapted for
walls, pyramids, bushes, or cordons : —
Beurre Giffard ..... August
Clapp's Favourite .... August
Summer Beurre d'Aremberg (Rivers) . September
APPENDIX
185
Madame Treyve
Beurre Dumont
Pitmaston Duchess .
President d'Osmanville
Madame Andre Leroy
Conference (Rivers)
Emile d'Heyst .
Beurre d'Anjou
Marie Benoist .
Beurre de Jonghe
Passe Crassanne
Duchesse de Bordeaux
Olivier de Serres
Nouvelle Fulvie
L'Inconnu
September
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
Oct. Nov.
November
Nov. Dec.
January
January
Jan. Feb.
Jan. Feb.
February
February
Feb. March
The following were selected and recommended by
the Committee for the ' Orchard ' or for the ' Market
Garden ' : —
. Aug. Sept.
. Sept. Oct.
Beacon (Rivers)
Fertility (Rivers)
Souvenir du Congres
Marie Louise d'Uccle
Durondeau
Conference (Rivers) .
Sept. Oct.
October.
October.
November
All these are hardy, very fertile, and of good flavour
and brilliant colour ; and grow well either on the pear or
quince stock as standards, pyramids, or bushes.
APPENDIX II
INSECT PESTS
By H. Somees Rivers]
The following insects are the most injurious to fruit
trees, though some parts of the country, particularly
those with a heavy clay soil, seem to be almost wholly
free from their attacks.
I. Coleoptera (Beetles).
The June Bug (Pliyllopertha horticola) occasionally,
when in great abundance, does much damage to the
fruit trees, devouring their blossoms and leaves. The
larva, a fat whitish grub, with the last segment of its
body larger than the rest, lives underground, where it
feeds on the roots of grasses and strawberries. The
perfect insect is about half an inch long, and has
reddish-brown elytra and dark-green head and thorax.
The Green Rose Chafer (Cetonia auratct). The
larva of this species is like the last, only larger, and has
the same food. The pupa is enclosed in a large cocoon,
covered on the outside with pellets of earth. The beetle
is about an inch long, of a beautiful metallic green, with
whitish spots and streaks running across the elytra, and
looking like cracks. It attacks the strawberry blossom,
APPENDIX 187
mating off the anthers, and thus rendering the flowers
abortive. Being a large species, this and the last-named
beetle may be easily seen on the flowers and picked off
by hand ; or they may be caught with a bag net whilst
flying. If the grubs are numerous, the soil should be
turned over and hand-picked. A tame rook or seagull
is the best remedy for those at the roots of the plants.
The weevils of the species Rhynchites, small metallic
blue and copper-coloured beetles, pierce the tops of the
shoots of various fruit trees, and lay their eggs in the
hole, thus stopping the growth of the shoots. R.
cupreus lays its eggs in the young plums, and then
gnaws round the stem, so that the larva feeds in the
blighted fruit.
The family of the Otiorhynchidae contain three ex-
ceedingly destructive insects :
The Black Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) is
four or five lines in length, of a dull black colour.
The Clay-coloured Weevil (0. picipes), rather smaller
than the preceding species, is of a reddish-brown colour,
mottled with ashy scales.
The Red-legged Weevil (0. tenebricosus) is pitchy
black and rather shining, with bright chestnut legs.
None of the species have wings, their wing-cases
being soldered together. Their bodies are egg-shaped
and convex, their beaks short.
The larvas — legless, whitish, hairy maggots — live on
the roots of the food plant of their parents, and are to
be found from about August to the following spring.
188 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
The beetles seem to be almost universal feeders, attacking
vines, apricots, nectarines, peaches, raspberries, straw-
berries, and nuts, also vegetables. They feed on the
shoots, leaves, buds, and bark. The two first-named do
great damage, especially to vines in hot-houses, of which
they eat off the shoots, whilst their larvag attack the
roots. These weevils are night-feeders, hiding away by
day, so that all holes, clods of earth, rubbish, &c, should
be examined carefully ; as they are the same colour as
the soil, they are rather difficult to see. A very good
plan is to provide them with places to hide under, in
the shape of pieces of slate, sacking, wood, &c. When
found they should be killed at once, either by dropping
into boiling water or by the finger and thumb.
Another weevil which does a good deal of harm,
especially in the cider counties, is the Apple-blossom
Weevil (Anthonomus pomorun). The female attacks
the unopened flower-buds of the apple, in which she
makes a hole with her beak and lays a single egg, closing
the opening after the operation. The bud grows, and
the petals are of their normal colour ; but, instead of
opening, as the other blossoms, under the influence of
the spring sun, it remains closed, and after a little time
the petals wither and turn brown, the little, wrinkled,
white maggot having eaten the anthers, pistil, and ovary
of the flower. The larva turns to a rust-coloured pupa
inside the withered bud. The beetle is reddish-brown ;
on the elytra is a V-shaped white mark on a pitchy-
coloured patch. The bark of the infested trees should
APPENDIX 189
be kept clean, and all the useless rough pieces removed.
All rubbish, &c, round them should be cleared away, so
as to give the beetles no hiding places. Shaking the
trees over sheets spread below is a good remedy, as the
beetles fall to theground when frightened. Bandsof cloth,
plastered over with a mixture of tar and cart-grease
and tied round the trunks of the trees in April and May,
will catch the female as she is going up to lay her eggs.
The Nut Weevil (Balaninus nucum) is a very small,
brownish beetle, easily recognised by its long and
slender beak. The female pierces the soft young nut-
shell by means of this beak, and lays an egg in the
hole ; this hatches into a small, fat, white grub with a
much wrinkled skin, which feeds on the kernel. The
nut usually falls to the ground early, and the grub,
when full-fed, gnaws a hole through the shell, buries
itself in the ground, and turns to a whitish-coloured
pupa. Nuts falling before their proper time should be
collected and burnt before the grub has escaped. The
beetle is to be seen about the nut bushes in the beginning
of the summer. The pupa may be killed by stirring
the surface soil under the trees, which exposes some of
them to the weather and buries others too deep for them
to be able to get up to the surface again.
The Shot-borer (Xyleboms dispar) is a small beetle,
one-eighth of an inch long, of a pitchy-brown colour,
with a cylindrical body and a very large thorax, which
has done much injury to fruit trees on the Continent
and in America by boring its tunnels into the stems so
190 THE MINIATUKE FRUIT GARDEN
as to interfere with the passage of the sap, and clear
out some of the central pith. It is rare in this country.
A good preventative to their attacks is said to be soft
soap, reduced to the consistence of thick paint by the
addition of a strong solution of washing soda in water,
and applied to the bark on a warm morning, so as to
allow it to dry well.
II. Hymenoptera (Bees, Ants, Sawflies, &c).
The Gooseberry and Currant Sawfly (Nematus ribesii)
is of a yellow or orange colour, the head and thorax
being marked with black. The four wings are trans-
parent and iridescent, the fore ones measuring about
half an inch across, from tip to tip. The female fly
first appears about April, and lays her eggs along the
midrib and large veins of the gooseberry and currant
leaves. The larva is bluish-green with black dots, the
segment behind the head and the last but one a deep
yellow, the head and last segment black. They may be
seen clasping the edges of the leaves with their forelegs,
while the last half of their bodies is turned up in the
air. They do great damage to the leafage, and often
cause much loss. When full-fed they crawl down the
stems of the bushes and turn to pupa? underground.
There are several broods during the summer, the late
ones remain in the larval state underground in their
cocoons through the winter, and turn to pupas and then
to perfect insects the following spring. The caterpillars
on the bushes should be hand-picked as soon as seen.
The bushes may also be dusted with flowers of sulphur.
APPENDIX 191
soot, &c, while the dew is on the leaves, so that the dust
sticks on well. The ground under the bushes should
be dressed with gas lime before forking it over in the
spring, or the surface soil may be removed in the autumn,
and buried in a hole dug for the purpose. It should
be replaced by the soil from the hole and manure.
The Slugworm is the larva of the Pear Sawfly
(Selandria atrct), also known as Tenthredo cerasi,
Eriocampa limacina. It is a lumpy, blackish grub,
about half an inch long, largest towards the head end,
and covered with a black slime which exudes from its
skin. It devours the upper surface of the leaves of the
pear and cherry, leaving the veins and lower skin, which
causes them to turn brown and fall. They emit a
sickening odour when in large numbers. At their last
moult, they cast their black skin and become buff-
coloured and wrinkled. The larvae turn to pupae in the
autumn, pass the winter underground in that state, and
appear as sawflies about July.
These are stout-bodied, shining, black little flies ;
their front wings, measuring about half an inch from
tip to tip, are membranous, netted, and often stained
with black. The larvae should be dusted with quick-
lime or gas lime, a second application closely following
the first, as they are able to throw off the first by ex-
uding their slime. The trees may also be syringed
with strong soapsuds, tobacco water, &c, and cleansed
with pure water afterwards, or the larvae may be hand-
picked. The ground under the trees may be treated
192 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
for these pupas in the same way as for the gooseberry
sawfly. The sawfly may be caught by shaking the trees
over a sheet.
Wasps (Vespa vulgaris) cause no little damage by
eating the plums, pears, apples, &c. Their nests
should be found, tar poured down the hole, and a spit
of earth put over the mouth, after dark when they
are all at home. The combs should be dug out about a
day or so afterwards and destroyed.
Ants climb up peach and nectarine trees when in
bloom, and eat off the anthers of the flowers. A broad
band of chalk, renewed at intervals, drawn round the
stem of the tree, stops them from getting up, as the
crumbling chalk affords them no foothold.
III. Lepidoptera (Moths).
The Currant Clearwing (Sesia tipuliformis). The
larvae of this moth live inside the shoots of the currant,
feeding on the pith and thus injuring them, and causing
the leaves to die. They are whitish, with a darker
dorsal line, and a pale-brown head. The perfect
insect much resembles a gnat. The span of the wings
is under an inch. Both wings are transparent, and
tinged with yellow towards the margin, which is black;
there is a central orange-black spot on the forewings.
The head is black, the thorax black with a yellow
stripe on each side, and abdomen black with three
yellowish rings. It is to be seen in June. Withered
shoots, noticed on the bushes in the summer, should be
cut off and burnt, if the larva? or their galleries have
APPENDIX 193
been found by the examination of one or two of them.
All the winter prunings should also be burnt.
The Wood Leopard (Zeusera cescidi). The larva of
this and the following moth feed in the trunks of many
trees, including the apple, pear, plum, and walnut,
boring large holes into them, and often killing the
tree. The best method of killing them is to thrust
a strong wire up the hole, and if the end has wet
whitish matter on it when drawn out again, the larva
has been reached. Paraffin oil, tobacco water, &c,
may be injected up the holes with a sharp-nozzled
syringe. The brown pupas found in cocoons, made of
little bits of wood, at the mouths of the holes in May,
June, and July, should be destroyed. The full-grown
larva of the present insect is about an inch and a half
long, yellow, with raised shining black spots. There
is a black horny plate on the segment behind the head,
and a black patch on the anal segment. The moth is
large and sluggish, and may be found on palings and
trunks of trees. Its wings have a span of two to two
and three-quarter inches, and are semi-transparent,
white with numerous blue-black spots, which are less
distinct on the hind wings. The thorax is white,
spotted with black, and the abdomen grey.
The Goat Moth (Cossus lignijoerclci). The remarks
on the damage done by the larva of the last species
apply also to the larva of this. It is about three
inches long when full grown, and is a sort of dirty
yellowish or flesh colour, with a broad dark reddish
o
194 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
stripe along its back. The moth measures between
three and four inches across the fore wings, which are
pale brown mottled with whitish, and marked with
short, irregular, wavy, transverse lines. The hind wings
are of a pale smoky colour, with similar but indistinct
markings. The thorax is grey, marked across with
darker, and the abdomen alternately ringed with brown
and grey. It is found, from June to September, in the
same places as the wood leopard.
The Figure of 8 Moth (Diloba caerulocephala).
The larva of this moth, called the ' Bluehead,' feeds on
the leaves of the plum, apple, &c. It is about two inches
long when full fed, smoky green above, and yellowish-
green below, with a yellow interrupted dorsal stripe,
and a yellow stripe on each side below the spiracles ;
head blue, spotted with black, as are all the segments
of the body. They spin cocoons formed of bits of
bark, &c, in which they turn to reddish-brown pupae,
on the twigs and stems of the trees. The moth comes
out about September. The fore wings measure about
an inch and a quarter across, and are greyish-brown,
with two small white kidney-shaped spots in the
middle of each, resembling the figure 8. The hind
wings are brownish. The caterpillars easily drop off
the trees, so that shaking them over sheets and col-
lecting those that fall] is the best method of destroying
them. They may also be sprayed with Paris green, &c.
The Buff-tip Moth (Pygcera bucephala). The larva
of this species sometimes does serious damage to the
APPENDIX 195
foliage of the nut, feeding also on the lime, elm, &c.
It is about an inch and three-quarters long when full
grown, yellow, with a black head and black lines, com-
posed of short marks, running from head to tail. There
is a transverse orange band on each segment, and there
are scattered silky hairs over the whole larva. The
brown pupa is to be found at the foot of the food tree,
either just below the ground or amongst the fallen
leaves. The fore wings of the moth have a span of over
two inches, and are purplish-grey, with rusty-coloured
and black markings, the tip with a pale ochreous or
buff patch ; the hind wings are yellowish-white. The
best ways of destroying the larva are to shake it down
and hand-pick it.
The Lackey Moth (Gasteropacha neustria). The
brightly-coloured larvas of this species are injurious to
the foliage of the apple and also other fruit trees.
They are about an inch and a half long when full fed,
bluish-grey, with two black eyelike spots on the head,
two black spots with a scarlet space between them on
the next segment, and three scarlet or orange stripes
along each side of the body, the two lowest being
divided by a blue stripe. It is hairy, the hairs being dark
brown above, and golden brown towards the legs. When,
about May, they first come out of the eggs, which are
fixed in bands round the twigs of the food tree, and
pass through the winter, the larvae are small, black,
and hairy, and spin large web nests on the trees, in
which they live together, going out from them to feed.
o 2
196 THE MINIATUEE FEUIT GAKDEN
They disperse before they become full fed, and after-
wards spin a cocoon of moderately firm texture, inter-
mixed with a sulphur-coloured powder. The moth
appears about August. Its fore wings measure about
an inch and a half from tip to tip. The colour varies
from pale ochreous to sandy red. The fore wings have
two transverse brown streaks across the middle, between
which the colouring is sometimes somewhat darker.
The nests should be cut from the trees when the larvas
are in them, on a wet day or early in the morning, and
destroyed immediately.
The Gold-tail Moth (Porthesia auriflua) is a satiny
white moth, with a brownish-black spot on each of the
fore wings, and a yellow tuft of hair at the extremity
of its abdomen. It measures a little over an inch
across the wings. It is found in August. The larva
feeds on the leaves of the apple, &c, and is occasionally
very abundant. It is black with a whitish dorsal
stripe, interrupted by small humps on the fifth, sixth,
and twelfth segments ; the reddish line along each side
of this stripe has a row of white dots along it, and
there is another reddish line above the legs. It occurs
in May and June. It is destroyed by hand-picking
and washes, like the other orchard larvas.
The Magpie or Currant Moth (Abraxas grossu-
lariata). The larva of this moth, called a ' looper,' from
the loop which it makes with its body when walking,
sometimes appears in great numbers on the leaves of
the gooseberry and currant, and nearly strips the
APPENDIX 197
bushes of them. It is cream-coloured, with black spots
all over, and two large black dorsal spots on each
segment ; there is a reddish-orange stripe along each
side over the spiracles ; the whole of the second segment
and the under side of the third and fourth, and of the
four last segments, is also reddish-orange. It is hatched
in August or September, feeds for a little while, and
then passes through the winter, either sheltered under
the leaves on the ground, or spins some leaves together
and hangs in them from the twigs, to which they are
attached by silk threads. It appears again with the
new leaves, and it is then that it does most damage
About June they spin a slight transparent cocoon,
attached to the twigs of the bushes, or to palings, &c,
in which they change to yellow pupge, which afterwards
become shining black with orange-coloured rings. The
moth appears in July and August ; it has a very
sluggish flight, frequently flying by day, and may
be easily captured. The wings measure about two
inches across, and are white with several rows of black
spots. The fore wings have an orange blotch at the
base, and a slender orange band beyond the middle
The head is black, the thorax orange, with a large
black spot in the middle, and the abdomen orange,
with five rows of black spots. The markings are very
variable. The fallen leaves should be removed from be-
low the bushes in the winter, and burnt, a thin film of
the surface soil being also skimmed up with them ; the
bushes should be also examined for those which have
198 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GARDEN
spun the leaves up. The caterpillars may be destroyed
in the spring by hand-picking and dusting the leaves
with quicklime, soot, &c, when the dew is on them, so
as the powder sticks. In the winter, the ground under
the bushes should be dressed with gas lime.
The V Moth (Halia wavarict). The looper cater-
pillar of this moth is pale green with black spots, and
four wavy yellowish-white lines on the back, and a
yellow line over the spiracles. It is found on currant
and gooseberry bushes in May, and not unfrequently
strips these of their leaves. The moth is a little over
an inch across the wings, pale grey with a faint violet
tinge ; the fore wings have a black V-like mark near
the centre. It is found in July. The same remedies
may be employed as for the magpie moth.
The Winter Moth (Gheimatobia brumatcu) is perhaps
the best known and most injurious of our insect pests.
The male moth measures a little over an inch across
the fore wings, which are greyish-brown, with several
indistinct, wavy, darker transverse lines ; the hind
wings are greyish-white. The female is incapable of
flight, having only very short rudimentary wings, which
are dusky-grey, with two transverse lines on the fore,
and one on the hind wings. Her legs are long, and
her abdomen very large, giving her the appearance of a
spider. Her supply of eggs runs up to about 250.
She appears about the end of October, and creeps up
the stems of the trees to lay her eggs on the buds or
twigs, and particularly in the crevices of the bark.
APPENDIX 199
The batches of eggs look rather like patches of greyish
mould. The larvas vary, being sometimes green,
sometimes brown, striped with whitish along the back.
They attack everything : buds, flowers, foliage, and
growing fruit, and, when in great numbers, leave the
tree brown and scorched-looking. They are full fed
about the end of May or beginning of June, and
turn to pupee below the surface of the ground at the
foot of the trees. The fact of the female having such
a lot of eggs shows the great importance of preventing
her from laying them ; this is done by 'sticky-banding'
the trees. A strip of cloth or brown paper is tied
closely round the trunks of the trees, and some sticky
substance smeared on it. Cart-grease mixed with
equal proportions of Stockholm tar is perhaps the best.
The bands must be examined frequently, and the cap-
tured insects removed. They should be renewed when
necessary, and should be begun in good time. The
caterpillars may be syringed with various washes, such
as dilute solutions of soft soap, quassia chips, paraffin,
&c, when they are young and have not protected
themselves by drawing the leaves together. When
they are nearly full fed, they may be shaken down on
to sheets spread below. Gas lime forked a few inches
into the soil between the end of June and October will
destroy the pupee. These remedies also apply to the
Mottled Umber moth, the description of which follows.
The Mottled Umber (Hijbernia defoliaria). The
male of this moth measures about an inch and three-
200 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
quarters across the fore wings, which are pale ochreous
with dark-brown transverse bands; there is a dark
spot in the middle of each wing. The hind wings are
paler, and, like the fore, are sprinkled over with small
dots. The female is entirely apterous, dark brown,
with two dark spots on each segment. They appear
about October. The looper larva is reddish-brown on
the back, bordered by a narrow black stripe on each
side, and bright yellow below. It is very injurious to
the various fruit trees.
The March Moth (Anisopteryx Aescularia) is another
moth with an apterous female, whose larva is injurious
to fruit trees. The female is brown, with an anal tuft
of hair. The male measures an inch and a half across
the wings. These are fuscous, with various darker or
paler transverse bands and lines ; the hind wings are
lighter, with a zigzagged line across them. They
appear in March, and lay their eggs in bands round the
twigs. The larva is green, marbled with darker, a
white line along each side, and a pale spiracular line.
Where practicable, the ends of the twigs should be
examined in March, and the bands of eggs destroyed.
The female may be caught by sticky-banding the trees.
The Codlin Moth (Carpocapsa pomonella). The
larva of this little moth lives in the inside of apples
and pears, chiefly the former, causing them to fall
prematurely, when they are known as ' worm-eaten.'
The moth lays an egg in the eye of the newly-formed
fruit, from which the grub hatches, and eats its way
APPENDIX 201
into the apple. It passes by the core, and makes for
the stem end, where it bores a hole out of which to
throw its excrement ; this done, it turns back again
and gets to the core, where it feeds on the pips, and
thus causes the apple to fall. After this has happened,
the grub leaves the apple and crawls up a neighbouring
tree, where, having found a convenient place in the
rough bark, &c, it spins a cocoon. It is a whitish,
hairy grub, about half an inch long, with a black head,
and eight spots on each segment. It remains in the
larval state for several weeks, and then changes to a
pupa, which passes through the winter. The moth
measures about half an inch across the wings, which
are grey, with numerous darker transverse lines ; at the
bottom corner is a brownish-red spot, with paler mark-
ings on it, and edged with coppery. All the fallen
apples should be collected at once and destroyed. An
artificial resting-place may be made for the grub to
change to a pupa, by tying bands of cloth, paper, &c,
round the tree trunks, undoing and examining them
from time to time.
The Red Plum Grub is the larva of Garpocapsa fune-
brana, an allied species to the last. The grub is pale
red, with a black head ; the second segment is yellowish-
brown. It goes to work in the same way as the last,
causing the plum to drop prematurely. The same
remedies may also be applied to it as to the last. The
moth is smaller than the codlin moth, measuring only
half an inch across the fore wings. These are grey,
202 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
clouded with smoky grey ; at the bottom angle is an
indistinct spot edged with shining pale grey, and with
four black dots in it.
The Small Ermine (Hyponomeida padelhis). The
larva3 of this little moth are exceedingly destructive to
the foliage of various fruit trees. They are about half
an inch long, of a dirty grey colour, changing to dirty
yellow when full grown, with black spots; they live
gregariously, spinning webs, from which they go out to
feed. When full fed they change to pupas inside their
web, spinning a slight cocoon. The moth appears
in July. It measures about three-quarters of an inch,
or under, across the fore wings, which are white tinged
with grey, sometimes quite grey, with three rows of
black dots ; the hind wings are lead colour, with long
fringes. The colours are very variable. The nests
should be cut off when the larvas or pupas are inside,
and destroyed. The trees and nests may also be
syringed with soft soap, mixed as thickly as practicable,
and a little paraffin added.
The Pear-blister Moth (Lyonetia Clerckella). The
larvas of this minute moth attack the leaves of the
pear, sometimes also of the apple and cherry, in the
inside of which they live, making mines, which appear
as long, serpentine, blister-like lines and patches. The
larva is pale green, with a rusty black-coloured head.
There are two broods of them in the year — one from the
end of May till the end of July, and another in Sep-
tember and October. They go down to the ground
APPENDIX 203
when full fed, and turn to pupse under the clods of earth
and amongst the fallen leaves. The perfect insect from
the first brood appears from June to August, and from the
second in November. Some of these last appear to
hybernate and come out again in April. The fore
wings measure only one third of an inch across, and
are whitish, with a longitudinal fuscous blotch beyond
the middle, and a deep black spot on the apex. Some-
times the fore wings are suffused with a bronzy colour,
concealing nearly all the markings. All leaves and
rubbish should be carefully raked up from below the
trees and burnt, in order to destroy the pupa). The
leaves where the mines are observed should be picked
off and destroyed with the grubs in them.
IV. Homoptera (Aphides, Scale Insects, &c).
The different aphides are too variable in colour and
form to describe without entering minutely into the
subject. We have chiefly to deal with the apple (A.
malt), the plum (A. pruni), and the cherry aphis
(A. cerasi), the two first being chiefly greenish and the
last black, and are known as the green fly and the black
fly. They pierce the leaves and shoots of the trees
with their beaks, and do much damage by drawing-off
the sap, whilst they exude a sweet gummy matter,
known as ' Honeydew,' which falls on the other leaves
and makes them dirty and unhealthy. The best way
to deal with them is with washes of soft soap and
quassia, tobacco water, &c. ; the shoots may either be
brushed with a painter's brush dipped in the mixtures
204 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
or else syringed with them. The primings should
always be carefully destroyed.
The American Blight, Woolly Aphis (Schizoneura
lanigera), infests the apple, and may be recognised by
the white cottony or woolly-looking growth on the
insect,, whence one of its names. This aphis is chiefly
to be found in neglected orchards, where it collects in
the cracks in the bark, See, of the trees. The washes of
soap recommended for the other aphides may also be
used successfully for this species.
The Mussel Scale (Myt/tta&pispomorii/nb), so called from
its resemblance to a minute mussel scale, attacks many
different kinds of trees, but particularly the apple. The
scales are not the insects themselves, but a covering by
which the female, a whitish grublike insect, is sheltered,
and under which she lays her eggs and then dies. The
male is a minute two-winged fly. The young ones
which hatch from these eggs are very small, flat, and
whitish. They have eyes, antennae or feelers, a rostra
or beak, and six legs, and run about actively for a short
time before they settle down, fix themselves on to the
bark, and after a time change to pupse. They
damage the young shoots by inserting their rostra
and sucking away the sap, also injuring the cells of the
shoot. The scales should be removed by lathering the
shoots with soft soap and then scraping them with a
blunt knife. It is best done in the spring, as then the
larvae are also killed.
The Oyster Scale (Dia&pis ostreevformis) is another
APPENDIX 205
little brown scale, taking its name from the resemblance
to a miniature oyster shell. It attacks the pear, and
Bhould be destroyed in the same way as the mussel scale.
The Orange-tree Scale (Lecanium hesperidum) should
be treated in the same manner.
The White Woolly Currant Scale (Pulvinaria ribesice)
has only been lately observed in England, though
common on the Continent. The scale itself is dark-
greyish brown. It exudes a white woolly matter, which
forms a nest for its eggs. The larvae are orange-
coloured, and, like those of the other scales, run about on
the plants for a little time hfifr.™ -~ L'1*
Erratum
pours oi legs, two
. — .,ig lorwards and two backwards. Its colour
varies from yellowish white to reddish. It is very
injurious to the leaves of the plum and other fruit trees,
spinning a white and shiny web on the under side, and
making them assume a yellowish, marbled appearance
on the upper surface. Hot dry weather seems to be
most favourable to them ; therefore the trees should be
APPENDIX 205
little brown scale, taking its name from the resemblance
to a miniature oyster shell. It attacks the pear, and
Bhould be destroyed in the same way as the mussel scale.
The Orange-tree Scale (Lecanium hesperiduni) should
be treated in the same manner.
The White Woolly Currant Scale (Pulvinaria ribesice)
has only been lately observed in England, though
common on the Continent. The scale itself is dark-
greyish brown. It exudes a white woolly matter, which
forms a nest for its eggs. The larvse are orange-
coloured, and, like those of the other scales, run about on
the plants for a little time before settling down. They
attack the black, white, and red currants, the injury
arising from the same causes as that done by the other
scale insects. The same remedy may be employed as
for the mussel scale.
Having now come to the end of our list of insects,
mention must be made of two injurious little animals
belonging to the order of the Acarina or Mites, of the
class Arachnida.
The Red Spider (Tetranychus telarius) is an ex-
ceedingly small oval mite, with four pairs of legs, two
pointing forwards and two backwards. Its colour
varies from yellowish white to reddish. It is very
injurious to the leaves of the plum and other fruit trees,
spinning a white and shiny web on the under side, and
making them assume a yellowish, marbled appearance
on the upper surface. Hot dry weather seems to be
most favourable to them ; therefore the trees should be
206 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN
well syringed with water, which operation also renders
them more healthy. The best wash for syringing or
brushing the infested leaves is made by taking four
ounces of sulphuret of lime, and two ounces of soft soap
to a gallon of water ; the first two ingredients must be
well mixed, and then the water gradually added, the
mixture being stirred all the time, when a uniform fluid
is obtained. It should be used warm.
The Currant-gall Mite (Phytoptus ribis). These mi-
croscopic mites lodge in lai'ge numbers in the leaf buds of
the black currant and cause them to swell, giving rise to
an abortive growth of the bud, or sometimes destroying it
altogether. The mite is long and cylindrical in shape,
with the skin transversely wrinkled and with several
large bristles : the four legs are placed under the fore
part of the body. When it has once established itself
it is extremely difficult to eradicate. Attacked shoots
should be cut off and burnt. The bushes should be
pruned closely in the autumn and the prunings burnt.
In very bad cases the bushes should be rooted up and
burnt.
In conclusion I may say that insectivorous birds, such
as the warblers and tits, are of great service in de-
stroying these pests, killing them where we should often
be unable to reach them, and should be encouraged as
much as possible.
Note. — A receipt for a quassia wash will be found
at p. 143.
INDEX
APP
Apple, American blight, cure
for, 76
— as wall trees, 98
— burr knot stock, 72
— bushes on paradise stock, 79
— bushes for a market garden,
83
— dormant beds, to notch, 75
— double lateral cordon, 92
— doucin stock, 71
— in pots, 73
— pommier de paradis, 73
— pyramid, summer pinching
of, 77
— pyramidal, on crab, 100
— quadruple cordon, 92
— root-pruning of, 74
— selection of sorts, 78, 79, 81,
82
— summer pinching of bushes,
77
— single lateral cordons, 87
— to keep hares from, (iwte) 81
— vertical cordon, 97
Apricot, pyramidal, 119
Canker, 150
Cherry, as bushes, 109
— biennial removal of, 117
— cure for aphis, (note) 115
Cherry, double - grafting of,
114
— on the common stock, 116
— on the mahaleb stock, 109
— pruning of, 112
— pyramidal, 113
— selection of sorts, 114, 119
— summer pinching of, 111
— vertical cordons, 115
Cordon training, 164
Currant, pyramidal, 119
Diagonal single cordons, 48
Double grafting of fruit trees,
130
Dwarf walls, proper distance
for trees, 40
Figs, as half-standards and
bushes, 121
Filberts, as standards, 120
Fruit trees, advantages of root
pruning of, 59
— biennial removal of, 125
— distances to plant, 146
Glass fruit ridge, 91
Ground vinery, 151-160
Insect pests, 186
208
INDEX
MAB
Market garden bush apple
trees, 83
Medlar, pyramidal, 119
Moss on trees, to destroy,
(note) 125
Old fruit-trees, root-pruning
of, 57
Peach border, how to prepare,
136
— on dwarf walls, 42
Pear, as a hedge, 53
— as bushes on the quince
stock, 20
— biennial root-pruning on
wall trees, 44
— budding with fruit buds5
(note) 7
— dormant buds, to notch, 7
— double-grafted, (note) 32
— espalier on quince stocks,
43
— for dwarf walls, 40
— gathering the fruit, 66
— keeping fruit in a green-
house, 69
— mature pyramid, 8
— number of fruit on, 2
— ornamental pyramids of,
20
— planting, 61
— proper time to plant, 2
— protecting wall trees, 137
STB
Pear, pruning, 5-13
— pyramid on the pear stock,
54
— root-pruning of, on the pear
stock, 56
— root-pruning on quince, 13
— semi-pyramids for walls, 32
— shortening leading shoots,
8-13
— sorts for bushes, 23
— pyramids, 17
— sorts for upright cordons, 32
— summer pinching, 8
— top-dressing, 56
— to store for winter, 68
— under glass, 35
— upright cordon training, 28
— upright cordons for trellises,
32,33
— upright cordons for walls,
32
— young pyramid, 5
Plum, as bushes, 105
— - as cordons, 106
— on sloe, 103
— pyramidal, 102
— selection of sorts, 104
Pyramidal fruit trees, summer
pinching of, 9-11
— planting, (note) 61
Standard orchard trees, 139
Strawberries in ground vinery,
158
Spollisicoode & Co. Printers, New-street Square, London.
The following Publications, sold also by Messrs. LONG-
MANS & CO., 39 Paternoster Row, can be had per
post from THOMAS RIVERS & SON, Sawbridge-
worth, at the following rates:—
THE
ROSE-AMATEUR'S GUIDE.
Edited and arranged by T. FRANCIS RIVERS.
Containing the History and Culture of Roses, with Descriptions of a
few Select Varieties, Culture of Roses in Pots, &c.
ELEVENTH EDITION.
is.
THE
MINIATURE FRUIT CARDEN
OR,
DWARF FRUIT-TREE CULTURE IN SMALL GARDENS.
Edited and arranged by T. FRANCIS RIVERS.
With Hints for the Cultivation of the Pear grafted on the Quince
Stock ; the Cherry on the Cerasus Mahaleb, or Perfumed Cherry ; and
the Apple on the Paradise Stock.
TWENTIETH EDITION.
is. ; post-free, is. 3d.
THE CONCRESS PAPERS, Is,
THOMAS RIVERS & SON,
THE NURSERIES,
SAWBRIDGEWORTH.
THE DESCRIPTIVE AND ILLUSTRATED
CATALOGUE OF FRUITS.
3d. post-free.
CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE SORTS OF FRUITS
NAMED IN ' THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN.'
THE DESCRIPTIVE
CATALOGUE OF ROSES.
Post-free.
The Nurseries extend over more than 100 acres of
land exclusively devoted to the cultivation of Fruit
Trees and Roses, the soil being eminently adapted for
this purpose. The climate produces a hardy constitution
in all Fruit Trees and Roses, and they will bear removal
to any part of the United Kingdom without injury.
The Nurseries are near the Harlow and Sawb ridge -
worth Stations on the Great Eastern Railway.
The Orchard Houses contain Specimen Trees on Fruit
during the greater part of the Summer.
THOMAS RIVERS & SON,
SAWBRIDGEWORTH, HERTS.
The follouing varieties of Fruits have been raised from
seed by Mr. RIVERS, and can be recommended by him
for cultivation. A full description of each sort is given
in the Catalogue of Fruits by Messrs. RIVERS & SONS,
Sawbridgeworth, which can be had on application, post-
free for 3d.
PEARS.
Beacon.
Summer Beurr^d'Arem
Dr. Hogg.
berg.
Fertility.
St. Swithin's.
Magnate.
Conference,
Princess.
Parrot.
EARLY RIVERS' CHERRY.
NECTARINES.
Advance.
Albert Victor,
Byron.
Chaucer.
Darwin.
Dryden.
Goldoni.
Humboldt.
Improved Downton.
Lord Napier.
Milton.
Newton.
Pine Apple.
Rivers' Orange.
Spenser.
Stan wick Elruge,
Victoria.
White Rivers.
PEACHES.
Albatross.
Alexandra Noblesse.
Condor.
Crimson Galande.
Dagmar.
Dr. Hogg.
Early Alfred.
Early Beatrice.
Early Leopold.
Early Louise.
Early Rivers.
Early Victoria.
Gladstone.
Golden Eagle.
Goshawk.
Lady Palmerston.
Large Early Mignonne.
Magdala.
Osprey.
Princess of Wales.
Rivers' Early York.
Sea Eagle.
The Nectarine Peach.
PLUMS.
Archduke.
Autumn Compote.
Blue Prolific.
Bittern.
Curlew.
Early Transparent Gage.
Red Transparent Gage.
Early Favourite.
Early Rivers.
Grand Duke.
Heron.
Late Transparent Gage
Golden Transparent
Gage.
Late Prolific.
Late Rivers.
Monarch.
Mallard.
Rivers' Early Damson.
Stint.
Sultan.
The Czar.
"Books DATE
DUE
NOV 24 194
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