iSyi.] CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 279 



hung ia the centre of the tree so soon as the pollen appears ready for fertilisation. 

 As the female flowers are mostly produced vipon the points of the branches, it is 

 a good plan to take a bunch of male flowers and draw them gently over the sur- 

 face of the bush any time when the pollen is in a dry condition. 



So far as we are aware, there is no disease which attacks the Filbert to any great 

 extent in this country, and the only insect enemy known to do the crop injury is 

 the Balaninus nucum, which pierces a hole through the shell of the Nut while yet 

 in a young state, and deposits an egg into each cavity made. Here is hatched a 

 maggot, which, as soon as it springs into active life, devours the kernel of the 

 Nut. After the Nut is finished it eats its way out and buries itself in the ground, 

 where it remains all winter, changing in spring to a chrysalis, from which at 

 length is produced the perfect weevil. The best method of destroying these pests 

 is by shaking the trees about the end of August, when those Nuts which have 

 been attacked will be easily recognised by the hole in their shells, and which 

 must at once be taken up and burned, so as to destroy the enemy. 



Spanish or Sweet Chestnut. — This variety of Nut is not grown very extensively 

 in Britain for its fruiting qualities. It is, however, pretty generally grown as an 

 ornamental tree. It is very pretty and very graceful, especially when in flower 

 in spring, but does not form either so handsome or so picturesque a tree as the 

 common Horse-Chestnut. The propagation of the Spanish Chestnut ie generally 

 accomplished by sowing seeds, and by grafting or budding, where it is wanted to 

 perpetuate any given variety. "Where seed is sown, the best time to do so is in 

 October or November, sowing in drills 3 or 4 inches deep, 2 feet apart, and 6 

 inches seed from seed. At the end of the first year the young trees will be fit to 

 transplant into nursery-lines 3 feet apart, and 2 feet plant from plant, where they 

 may be nursed for a year or two, after which they may be planted into their per- 

 manent places, either in the field, the forest, or the outr^kirts of the garden. If 

 trees are wanted for their fruit, it is best to have them either grafted or budded, 

 the former being perhaps the best method to adopt. If the scions are taken from 

 old fruit-bearing trees, and grafted in any of the ordinary methods upon a seedling 

 of two or three years old, the probability is that the young tree will produce 

 flowers the succeeding year. If the seedling has been well attended to, having 

 its tap-root cut back when it was transplanted, and if afterwards the tree be regu- 

 larly attended to by having a biennial root-pruning, there will be little danger in 

 having a regular flowering-plant every year after grafting. 



The soil which best suits the Chestnut is a light yet moderately rich sandy loam, 

 with a thoroughly dry subsoil, A wSt soil, however, is more injurious to its well- 

 being than any particular soil. For while it will live and look well in almost 

 any soil which is dry, it will only linger out an ignoble existence if placed in a 

 wet and cold position. As has already been hinted, there is no position in the 

 garden suited for its cultivation, on account of the size to which it attains. It is 

 therefore better suited for planting about the garden boundary or on the open 

 pleasure-ground, where it proves an interesting object of admiration. The prun- 

 ing of the Chestnut has perhaps received less attention than any other of our hardy 

 fruits, yet we are inclined to think with Mr M'Intosh, that if it is to be grown 

 for its fruit, it must at least receive as much attention as any other of our hardy 

 fruits— "root-pruning, combined with grafting and budding, would have the effect 

 of bringing them into a much earlier habit of fruit-bearing, and limit their size to 

 that of an ordinary Apple-tree." The fruit is not fit for use until it has fallen from 

 the tree of its own accord, when it may be separated from the husk and laid away 

 in a cool dry fruit-room until required for use. James M 'Millan. 



{To he continued.) 

 X 



