THE FLORAL WOELD AXD GARDEN GUIDE. 211 



ttough then they may be loaded Avith blossoms and pictures of delusive 

 promise. Every season this is the case ; trees that appear fit to carry 

 heavy crops, and that actually begin to do so, cast them off in the process 

 of stoning, and the hopes of the gardener are cast away with them. In 

 too many cases the wood of potted trees is not half ripened at the close of 

 the season, and this is another of the matters that demand attention in 

 preparing for the winter. The reason why this happens, is because as 

 long as the trees have green leaves on them, they have their regular sup- 

 plies of water. ]^ow, from the moment you have read this, withhold 

 water from 5'our potted trees altogether ; never mind if their roots go dry 

 as dust ; never mind if they actually droop for want of it ; but they will 

 not do that now that their growth is completed. If you know them to 

 be well ripened, the wood a nice clear brown colour, the buds not started 

 but plump and hard, and the leaves touched with a proper autumn tinge, 

 you have little more to do but to prepare to repot such as require it, and 

 to give them all a surface dressing. Eut wherever there is the least doubt 

 about the hardness of the wood and buds, dessicate and roast them. There 

 is some warmth in the rays of the sun yet, and under south walls and 

 wooden fences, the trees will harden off their wood rapidly, if water is 

 wholly withheld. But rain may come — if with muggy weather, here and 

 there a new shoot may start, such things often happen, they indicate a 

 restlessness in the constitution of trees ; a disinclination to go to rest peace- 

 ably, which is all against them for the next season. In such cases, lay 

 them down, or lay them down if the weather be ever so favourable, on a 

 dry gravel path, on a floor of tiles or bricks, or on the front stage of a green- 

 house, the windows of which can be left open night and day. The sun- 

 shine and fresh air are the best agencies for the final elaboration of the sap ; 

 but where the circumstances are peculiar, to dry them off imder glass is far 

 preferable to making any risk out of doors of their future well-being, 



Somethiag may be done, where needful, to promote the ripening of 

 trees in the open ground, especially if they are of manageable sizes. 

 Bearing standard trees invariably behave properly in this respect, if the 

 season will allow them ; they are used to it; but bushes, pyramids, and dwarf 

 espaliers will sometimes go on growing in spite of wind and tide. We 

 have just operated on some bush plums which have thrown out huge 

 shoots since August, and the object was not so much to ripen those shoots 

 — which can be cut away hereafter — but to put the trees to rest ; for it is 

 impossible they should do their duty next year, if they will not rest at the 

 close of this. "Who is fit for a day's work, after a night of activity in the 

 open air and on foot ? It is much the same with trees, and indeed plants 

 of all kinds ; if they do not rest in the season of rest, they cannot work 

 when the time for work returns. Our process of soothing the refractory 

 plum-trees to sleep, was by giving them a slight heave on one side with a 

 four-tined fork. They will not resist such a narcotic as that ; it will cer- 

 tainly act as an effectual sedative. But there must be no tearing or 

 chopping at the roots. Open a hole on one side, to get good leverao-e, 

 then get the fork well under them, and heave the ball over slightly, iu 

 the same way as if the tree was to be lifted. In a week thereafter, they 

 will begin to shake off their leaves, and every glimpse of sunshine will 

 aid in completing the hardening process proper to the season. As inqui- 

 ries have come lately about the efficiency of Musgrave's slow combustion 

 stove, we may as well add here, that we intend to go on with it in the 



