THE GOOSEBERRY ON THE YELLOW FLOWERING CURRANT. 



65 



ing-in pruning, and before I knew the value 

 of shading the roots.) 



The other row has been grown in the 

 usual way,- — as standards ; that is, the 

 trees have been trimmed nearly as high as 

 one's head, so as to leave the trunk and 

 lower branches fully exposed to the sun 

 for a good part of the day. 



The difference between those two rows 

 of trees is a very remarkable one, even to 

 the general observer. The low headed 

 trees, in the first place, are unusually full of 

 foliage; the leaves themselves are large, 

 and the shoots luxuriant ; and the trees 

 have that dark green look, which is the 

 unmistakable sign of good health. The 

 crop of fruit is healthy, hangs on well, and 

 promises to be large and excellent. 



The high-headed trees, whose trunks 

 are exposed, are some few of them in ex- 

 cellent health ; but none of them compare 

 in richness of foliage with the low-headed 

 ones ; and about two-thirds of them have 

 a stunted and feeble appearance. Two of 

 the peaches, and three of the apricots have 

 died with " gum ;'' and they all show a 

 meagre growth, when contrasted with those 



in the other row. Besides, I find, since the 

 two " spells" of very hot weather that have 

 occurred this summer, these bare stemmed 

 trees are gradually shedding a considerable 

 portion of their fruit. 



To satisfy myself more completely of the 

 positively injurious effect of the sun on the 

 trunks of trees, and on the roots where the 

 soil is not shaded by the spreading branch- 

 es, I covered the ground beneath one of 

 these bare stemmed trees with litter four 

 inches thick, and bound a few handfulls of 

 straw around the trunk, to guard it from 

 the sun. 



I find this tree more healthy than any 

 other in the row, making luxuriant shoots, 

 and holding its fruit well, and not appear- 

 ing in the least affected by our hot or dry 

 midsummer. 



I am, therefore, a warm advocate of the 

 practice of giving all small fruit trees lota 

 heads, so as completely to shade both the 

 trunk and the roots. And I offer you the 

 foregoing facts for the consideration of your 

 readers ; [which we are certain they will 

 profit by. Ed.] Respectfully, 



A Pennsylvania Subscriber. 



THE GOOSEBERRY GRAFTED ON THE YELLOW FLOWERING CURRANT. 



BY S. MILLER, NORTH LEBANON, PA. 



Sir — I noticed an article in the Horticul- 

 turist on this subject, but at the time 

 doubted its utility. What I have seen 

 since, however, satisfies me that the thing 

 will succeed admirably. 



Last autumn I had occasion to get some 

 trees of D. Miller, near CarUsle, Pa., (I 

 believe the discoverer of the value of this 

 particular stock,) and, among other things, 

 a neighbor of mine had from him goose- 

 erry plants on the currant. It seemed to 



me an insignificant matter, and would have 

 escaped my memory, had I not been re- 

 quested by him, a few days ago, to exa- 

 mine it. 



The stock is about five feet high, a 

 straight, clean stem, with about five branch- 

 es, which have grown, some of them, six 

 to ten inches this season; and such goose- 

 berries as it then bore, cast all the result of 

 my cultivation (along with whale oil, soap 

 washing, and sulphur,) far into the shade. 



