278 THE GARDENER. [June 



they should be ready for their permanent position. When the seedling comes tip 

 it ought to be trained as straight as possible till it arrives at the desired height 

 at which the head is to be formed. Some grow dwarf-stemmed bushes, others tall- 

 stemmed, but 3 feet we would consider a very good height at which to form the 

 head of the tree. Should the seedling make a good growth of 4 or 5 feet, then at 

 the transplanting time let it be cut back to the height indicated, and let all buds 

 be removed except four or five at the top. These buds will in all probability 

 all start into growth the following spring. From these, then, the head may be 

 formed much in the way we have already recommended for the Apple and Pear. 

 It is very seldom, however, that the Filbert is propagated in any other way than 

 by layers. The late Professor Lindley considered the propagation of Filberts by 

 layers not only to be the easiest of accomplishment, but also to be the best and 

 most rapid means of obtaining established young trees. Regarding this matter 

 he observes : " If the laying them down has been properly performed, the layers 

 will be well rooted by the end of the year, when they should be taken up and 

 planted into nursery-rows 3 feet apart, and 1 foot from each other in the rows. 

 Previous to their being planted they should be pruned, leaving only one, and that 

 the best shoot, shortening it to 1 foot or 18 inches, according to its strength. 

 As the plants grow up they should be trained with single stems of 18 inches to 2 

 feet high, which will allow room to clear away any suckers the plants may after- 

 wards produce." Suckers do not answer nearly so w^ell as layers, because we find 

 layers produce better stems than suckers, and they are not nearly so apt to pro- 

 duce suckers again. It is by layers that nurserymen genei-ally produce their 

 young stock of trees where they have respect to the quality of their stock, but 

 where quantity is more an object than quality the general practice is by suckers. 

 The soil best suited for the growth of the Filbert is a good medium yellow loam, 

 more inclined to be light than heavy, and if containing a large amount of veget- 

 able matter, so much the better. If there be a deficiency of this in the loam, it 

 may be added in the shape of leaf-mould, or suchlike. While the Filbert likes a 

 soil rather moist than otherwise, it must at the same time have good drainage. If 

 it lacks good drainage, then let the cultivator at once have it attended to. The best 

 position for the cultivation of the Filbert is in the orchard, where it may be 

 planted in any position well exposed to the sun, and yet where it may be sheltered 

 to some extent from the withering blasts of winter, and especially early spring. 

 "The boundary of an orchard," says Mr M'Intosh, is a very proper place for a 

 plantation of Filberts, and if well managed will give an abundant and useful re- 

 turn. Much, however, depends on a proper selection of sorts and on a judicious 

 mode of cultivation — two matters very seldom thought of. The best time for 

 planting the Filbert is in autumn, any time from the beginning of September. 

 October is perhaps about the best month of the whole year for performing this 

 operation, although it may be done at any time the whole season till the middle of 

 March. If the tree seems over-luxuriant, let it be root-pruned and managed in 

 every respect as has been already recommended for the Apple and Pear. As the 

 Filbert is not a large-growing tree, from 10 to 12 feet will be found quite sufl&cient 

 distances at which they may be planted apart. The Filbert is seldom in a fruitful 

 condition until it has reached the age of eight or ten years. The Filbert being 

 moncecmis, it is generally found that young and vigorous trees produce a prepon- 

 derance of male flowers, while old trees are very apt to be the reverse. The 

 female flower is very small, and of a bright pinkish colour, while the male flowers 

 are easily recognised by their pendent catkins, from 2 to 4 inches long. Where 

 these catkins are awanting on the trees let an examination be made, and if there 

 are plenty of female flowers thereon let a branch with male flowers be cut and 



