52 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [MAECH, 



going varieties, being even more moderate in growth than the well-known single 

 Tom Thumb. These two are very similar in appearance, both as to foliage and 

 flowers, but the latter is rather more double than the former ; the colour is a 

 dark crimson, the flowers coming in small trusses, freely produced. Could 

 the blooms of Capitaine l'Hermite be put on either of these, it would make a 

 grand addition to this class. 



Several new doubles, both English and Foreign, are announced for the present 

 year, and they are said to supersede all existing varieties. 



Woolwich. H. Cannell. 



EFFECTS OF HEAT AND DEOUGHT ON FRUIT TREES. 



HE great heat and drought of the past season were very trying for gardeners, 

 and perhaps the oldest never experienced such a deficiency of common 

 vegetables. Still, in these parts most kinds of fruit were abundant, and 

 generally of good quality, though they ripened prematurely. Peaches 

 were all gone before the usual time of ripening, and also apricots ; these latter 

 were not only plentiful, but of excellent quality, and the trees remained healthy 

 during the severe drought. The same was the case with apples, pears, and 

 plums, but not with cherries, especially on southern aspects, perhaps owing to 

 the time of ripening being more early. These remarks accord with Mr. Cox's 

 observations (1868, p. 233). 



My chief object is to notice that except thinning out the superfluous young 

 wood or shoots, the trees were neither pruned nor nailed in close to the walls, 

 until the fruit ripened. Thus they had the benefit of light dews during the 

 night, and the fruit had more shade from hot sunshine ; and though the roots 

 lacked moisture, yet, as I have said, the trees were healthy. But I observed that 

 the reverse was the case with some peach trees, which were trimmed and kept 

 close to the wall in the usual way. Though they were well watered during the 

 drought, their leaves were injured by the " red spider," and soon fell off, from 

 which the fruit was deprived of nourishment, and, in fact, became scarred and 

 worthless. Such treatment, however, would have been right in a cooler season. 

 This shows that in summer pruning one should be guided in some measure by 

 the state of the atmosphere. These remarks are also applicable to Espalier trees. 

 I never had such abundance of excellent pears, and yet the trees were not pruned 

 until they were gathered. 



This is accounted for by the reasons named above, and also by the encourage- 

 ment afforded to the roots by the greater quantity of shoots and leaves. Being 

 embedded in dry dust, the roots required all the nourishment they could obtain, 

 through the influence of the tops. This important matter is often overlooked, 

 especially by beginners in gardening ; but it is true, and deserving of attention. 

 It reminds me of a conversation which I once had with a great Horticulturist on 

 the summer pruning of fruit trees. He pleasantly observed that young gardeners 



