Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 618

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

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Appendix A.

MANAGEMENT OF DWARF TREES.

Extract from directions circulated by the Yokohama Nursery Company.

Pruning. To maintain dwarfness in the trees, pinch back the young growth, this we usually do from April to middle of June and always with the finger and thumb, a practice followed by the late Mr. THOMAS RIVERS of Sawbridgeworth, England, when preparing his dwarfed fruit trees for fruiting in pots. In Thuju obtusa we pinch out the points of the young growth all over the plant to maintain the form, this practice we also apply to Crypto- meria and all other Conifers except Pinus. In Pinus we pinch out the points of the irregular growth simply to maintain the shape of the plant. Pomegranate, Lagerstrænłu, indica, Flowering Peach, Flowering Cherry, etc. we pinch back the non-flouncering shoots either before or after blooming: Wistaria in July and August we pinch back all the young growth leaving only 4 or 5 leaves on each shoot. Maple and other deciduous trees are pinched back at same time as Thuja obtusa leaving 2 to 4 leaves as may be necessary to maintain the desired shape of the plants. Should a second growth be made the same rule is followed of pinching out the points.

Manuring.---When the trees commence growing in spring we give manure twice a month say March, April, May and June, again September and October, in the hot days of July and August, we give no manure and the same in winter and early spring, the plant then being at rest, the best manure is finely powdered oil cake or bone meal, to a jardinier 1 foot in diameter we give 3 or 4 large teaspoonfuls not heaped of this dry manure spread evenly round the edge of the jardinier, a larger or sinaller jardinier will require more or less, a small jardinier say 3 inches by 6 inches, half a teaspoonful will be ample each time.

Repotting. This is done by us once in 2 or 3 years as follows:-lift the plant out of the jardinier and with a sharp pointed stick remove about of the old soil around the edges and bottom, cutting away a portion of the old fine roots but none of the strong roots, then replace the plant in the same jardinier first looking to the drainage, for a small shallow jardinier we use a flat piece of tile or a flat crock over each hole, over this spread some rich fresh soil, neatly balance the plant and fill up with the same rich fresh soil to within an inch of the rims, this holds the water and prevents the manure being washed over the sides of the jardinier to prevent the escape of water, it being of the first importance that the entire ball of soil around the plant be moistened at each watering; should the watering of the plant at any time be neglected and the soil become quite dry put the jardinier in a tub of water for 10 or 15 minutes, not longer, and if the injury is not too serious the plant will re- cover. In the case of large plants we use hollow crocks for drainage, the same as those used by growers of specimen plants. After several repottings, the plant having increased in size, shift into a larger pot, but as dwarfness is the thing aimed at the smaller the shift the better. Repotting should be done in February or March, just before spring growth commences.

In the case of very

We advise when it is possible to get the above work done by a good gardener who has been accustomed to the handling of Heaths, New Holland plants, etc. shallow jardiniers we find it desirable annually to replace a portion of the old soil to main- tain a healthy growth.

Appendix B.

ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA OF HONGKONG AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

Clematis crassifolia, Benth.-Found by Fleet-Surgeon C. G. MATTHEW, R.N., on Tai Mo Shan. Only previously collected in Hongkong.

Kadsura roxburghiana, Arn.—Found in the Happy Valley woods. A native of the sub-tropical forests of Sikkim, Assam Silhet, but not previously recorded from China.

Stauntonia obovata, Hemsl.-A new species which has been confused with Stauntonia chinensis, DC. Common in the island but not known out of it.

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