54 THE FLORIST. 



feet. I did not recommend the border to be more than half filled with 

 the compost, because the trees can be better planted at this stage, and 

 must, therefore, next consider the kind of Trees most suitable for 

 planting. 



Tlieie have been writers on fruit trees who have recommended to 

 plant maiden trees — i.e., trees one year from the bud or graft — against 

 walls; " For," say they, " the trees will better establish themselves, last 

 longer, and make handsomer trees withal, when planted young and 

 be re the rudiments of training have commenced in the nursery." But 

 the fact is, that to plant walls with maiden trees is not only an un- 

 profitable plan, from the length of time which must elapse before the 

 trees become productive, but such plants grow too strong and luxuriant 

 through the want of the salutary checks which their removal once or 

 twice in the nursery produces, and become quite unmanageable in con- 

 sequence. Trees should therefore be selected from a nursery which are 

 what is called " two years trained," and consequently are three years 

 old from the bud. If they can be procured four or five years old, I 

 should prefer them, provided they had not any strong gross wood, 

 which the usual nursery practice of heading them back every year 

 encourages. Let the age be what it may, mind the head is properly 

 balanced — i. e., with an equal number of slioots on each side, generally 

 three or four, a centre one for furnishing the middle of the tree, and 

 that it has a clean stem of from nine to twelve inches high — if fifteen 

 inches, so much the better ; for dwarf trees are usually budded too 

 close to the ground, and all dwarf trees would both look and train better 

 with a clear stem above the border of twelve or fourteen inches. This 

 would allow the lowermost shoot to be trained at nearly a right angle, 

 and twelve inches above the border. 



(To be continued.) 



NOTES ON A JOURNEY.— No. 11. 

 From Buxted Park, it is about two miles to Maresfield, at which place 

 is the well-known establishment of the Messrs. Wood, famous for Rose 

 growing, the soil being admirably suited for that purpose. Near Mr. 

 Wood's house is a very fine specimen of Cryptomeria japonica, and 

 many other rare specimens of Coniferje. Adjoining the house, ' in a 

 boundary hedge, are many fine standards of the Cratwgus family, 

 always attractive, from their varied habit, interesting flowers, and 

 diverse foliage. 



The Queen of flowers is very largely cultivated here, and pre-eminent 

 among them I noticed the fine Rose " Duchess of Norfolk." Mr. Wood 

 has a number of small, close, cheaply constructed houses and pits, quite 

 in the Rivers' style, in which the grafting of Roses is carried on. 

 Immense quantities of Coniferous plants, in all stages of growth, were 

 here to be seen, and all seemed in the most vigorous health. 



The view of the nursery from Mr. Wood's house is most charmingly 



