iSyi.] THE PLANTING SEASON. 175 



nearly so liigh in flavour as any of the former-named kinds, but, being a long 

 keeper, is sometimes cultivated on that account. 



The propagation of the Medlar is accomplished by cuttings, by layers, and from 

 seed. Sometimes the Medlar is grafted or budded upon the wild Medlar, the 

 Quince, the Pear, or the White Thorn — the latter stock being considered the 

 best for this purpose, especially where the soil is of a dry nature, whereas the 

 Quince is considered the best in wefc and cold climates. "When the tree is to be 

 propagated from a cutting, nice strong shoots should be selected, having a heel of 

 the former year's wood attached, and may be put in during autumn or early 

 winter, and afterwards treated much in the same way as we have recommended 

 for the Quince. To propagate by layers, any of the methods recommended for 

 the Quince will be found to suit the purpose well enough. To propagate by seed, 

 these should be taken from the fruit as soon as ripe, and sown at once. It will 

 be two years, or I should rather say a year and a half, before the young plants 

 begin to show above the ground, the seed usually taking that period to germinate. 

 As soon as they have attained to the height of 1 foot or thereby, they should be 

 attached to a strong stake to encourage a straight growth for a stem. They may 

 at the end of the first or second year's growth be planted out at distances of 14 

 foot apart or thereby, and all the varieties ought to be trained to a single stem 

 till they attain to the height of at least 4 or 5 feet, for unless this be done the 

 trees will branch and twist about upon the ground like a Warrington Gooseberry, 

 with the single exception of the Nottingham Medlar, which is more erect in habit 

 than the rest. After the stem has been grown to the desii-ed height, the tree 

 may be formed in just the same way as an ordinary standard Apple. Greater 

 care, however, is necessary in the case of the Medlar, so as to counteract as much 

 as possible that crossing of branches which is sure to be the result in such a 

 peculiar-growing tree as the Medlar. 



The Medlar luxuriates best in a moist and rich loamy soil, although it may 

 partially succeed in almost any soil. It does not do well either in a too dry or 

 too moist a soil : the best flavour and the largest fruit invariably are produced 

 upon such soils as we have above recommended. James M'Millan. 



{To be continued.) 



THE PLANTING SEASON. 



Eefore this appears in- print the planting season will not have gone. 

 The planting season is really much longer than is generally accepted, 

 for, with care and judgment, it may be done at any time, except dur- 

 ing frost. The best time, however, for Evergreens is immediately after 

 their growth is made for the season, say, as a rule, after August ; for 

 deciduous plants, just after their foliage has fallen. If planting cannot 

 be done until spring, it is a good plan to have all the plants moved in 

 autumn, and laid into loose earth to wait their time. We had occa- 

 sion to lift many hundreds of all sorts of Evergreens last autumn in 

 order that the ground they occupied might be remodelled ; now, when 

 they are being replanted, they are bristling with young roots ready to 



