536 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



bitions, giving their salient and interesting points, will be furnished, 

 and other matters coming under the same category ; and under the 

 head of "Notes of the Month " will be given such miscellaneous intel- 

 ligence, likely to be interesting to amateur and professional horticul- 

 turists, as may not conveniently come in under other headings. 



Under the head of " Garden Requisites " will be duly chronicled all 

 inventions and improvements of real importance to the horticulturist ; 

 while " Garden Economics," under which will be included Bee-keeping, 

 Wine manufacture, Preserves, &c., will have due prominence. No 

 exertion will be spared to render the 'Gardener' a complete monthly 

 manual for all classes interested in the subjects to which its columns 

 are devoted ; and the Publishers confidently anticipate that, under the 

 able superintendence of Messrs Thomson and Dean, it will hold its place 

 among the leading horticultural organs of the day. 



Edinburgh, Decemler 1869. 



THE CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 



THE PLUM. 



[Continued fro7n page 500.) 



At the end of the first season's growth — no matter whether the tree 

 has been grafted or budded — the cultivator must determine what 

 mode of training he intends to adopt. The fan is by far the best 

 method, although the horizontal may, for variety's sake, be introduced 

 occasionally. The principal objection to horizontal training being 

 adopted for the Plum is, that the very best managed and the most 

 healthy trees will at times lose a branch or two. Sometimes they 

 wither and die without any apparent cause, and at other times gum 

 or canker will be the destroying enemy. It will thus be evident that 

 when a branch gives way through any of the above causes, the 

 vacancy cannot be so readily made up, and, as a natural consequence, 

 the tree becomes unsightly and irregular in its outlines and general 

 appearance. Further, if the horizontal method be adopted, the tree 

 is not nearly so easily managed, nor yet is the general effect ever so good. 

 It is a well-known fact to all gardeners, that to obtain a good and well- 

 balanced Plum-tree by any mode of training is a difficult task, as it is 

 very apt to produce large strong branches on the one side, and short 

 weak ones on the other. It is therefore much easier to work against 

 these inconsistencies where the fan system is adopted, as means can be 

 used to greater advantage to obviate this than when horizontally 



