THE 



Februaky, 1859. 

 ETWEEN theory and practice there ought to be 



V no antagonism at all, spite of the adage that 



" theory is one thing and practice another." A 

 theory is not the fruit of inventive so much as of 

 an observant mind, and, instead of having its 

 origin in the fancy, it must be a systematized 

 deduction from facts, or it is no theoi'y at all. 

 The confounding of theory and hypothesis, as if they were com- 

 mutable terms, is in most cases the cause of those vague remarks 

 current among gardeners, and -which betray their possession of 

 very dull heads, though they may have nimble and expert hands. In the 

 culture of fruit-trees, theory and practice must go together ; that is to 

 say, the practice must be in accordance with the theory, and the theory 

 must be based on observation and experiment. In pruning a fruit-tree, 

 the thoughtful gardener proceeds according to theory, and, instead of 

 cutting hap-hazard, he considers first what is the habit of the tree as to 

 the production of fruit-buds — do they come on the ripe wood of the last 

 year, as in a grape vine or Morello cherry, or on woody spurs, as on a 

 pear or apple? Determining this point, he uses the knife under the 

 guidance of reason, instead of by rude guess-work, and cuts back very 

 close the young rods of white and red currant-trees, but leaves the same 

 growths nearly their full length on black currants and gooseberries. Just 

 so as to the management of fruit-trees in pots. Build your orchard-house, 

 and buy your potted trees ; and instead of having done all that is neces- 

 saiy to insui-e a succession of fruit-crops, you have but got the raw 

 materials together, and from that moment you must celebrate every day 

 the legitimate union of theory and practice. 



"Wlien Mr. Eivers's admirable work on the " Orchard-house" was first 

 published, it was met with a storm of opposition from all quarters, and 

 the scheme propounded in its pages was denounced as theoretical, and 

 therefore unworthy even a moment's notice by any really practical man. 

 But a few enthusiasts, who were not given to the stupid practice of 

 knocking their heads against the popular fallacy as to theories, ptit into 



VOL. II. NO. II. c 



