188 THE GARDENER. [April 



100 yards. The branches radiate from the main trunk at about a 

 height of 10 ft., and sweep down till they rest on the ground all 

 round, leaving a clear open space underneath of 32 ft. diameter ; cir- 

 cumference of trunk at 3 ft. from the ground is 1 ft. 7 in. ; and the height 

 of the tree is about 42 ft. It is not quite in such vigorous health as 

 it was about twelve years ago. There is a tree of the Eucalyptus 

 viminalis here also, which was about 30 ft. high in 1860, when it was 

 almost killed with severe frost. It was cut over at 9 ft. from the 

 ground, and sprung away again. It is now over 50 ft. high ; main 

 trunk is 8 ft. 6 in. in circumference ; one of the branches is 4 ft. 6 in. ; 

 another 3 ft. ; and a third, 2 ft. 10 in., besides several of lesser dimen- 

 sions. 



There is also a plant of the Garrya elliptica, which measures 21 

 yards in circumference and 10 ft. high. It stands in quite an exposed 

 position, as a specimen on grass, and a very fine symmetrical plant it is. 



John Garrett. 



WlIITTINGHAME. 



THINNING ONIONS UNNECESSARY. 



Some time ago I stated in 'The Gardener' that Mr Pettigrew of 

 Cardiff Castle Gardens never thinned his Onions. On his recom- 

 mendation the Onion crop here, in 1878, was treated in this way, with 

 the most satisfactory results. At the end of the season the crop was 

 a very heavy one for the size of the ground it occupied ; and although 

 many of the bulbs were growing in clusters of fives and sixes, all were 

 of fair and useful size. In fact, many were above the average in this 

 respect, as we were awarded second prize at Cardiff amongst over a 

 score of competitors, and the bulbs were all selected from one un- 

 thinned row. For little labour and a heavy crop this plan may be 

 highly recommended. J. Mum. 



Margam. 



GREENFLY ON THE GOOSEBERRY. 



I venture, through the pages of ' The Gardener,' to ask its numerous 

 readers if any of them have experienced any difficulty in keeping 

 down this pernicious pest 1 For the last few years I have been very 

 much troubled by them attacking the bushes just before the fruit 

 begins to ripen. I may mention that the soil, a gravelly hard 

 pan, has been regularly forked over and manure added ever season. 

 Acting on the idea that the roots might have got away down into the 

 cold bottom, where they were beyond the reach of the ordinary modes 

 of culture, in the autumn of 187G I set to work and had them all 



