576 



FOREIGN NOTICES. 



Duke of Richmond's; a place that has disap- 

 pointed me. The park is immensely large, but 

 iiat, and though admirably planted and wooded, 

 yet it is terribly poached, and the woods are 

 weedy and out of order. Immediately adjoining 

 the house is a sort of hay-scale, and some of the 

 plantations and offices are protected from cattle 

 by the most seedy, post-and-single rail fence. 

 The house is an immense pile of building, 378 ft. 

 front; and the whole place, though the family 

 were at home, indicated a carelessness which, in 

 a place of its magnificence, and considering the 

 wealth of the Duke, is unpardonable. From the 

 bouse there were no views, except of extensive 

 plains through large groups of oaks and beeches, 

 and some fine Cedars of Lebanon. In the most 

 distant parts of the park there are some fine 

 views; but these parts are as wild as an Ameri- 

 can forest. The house is built of flint stones, 

 about the size of your hand, and, at a little dis- 

 tance, the walls look as if built of oyster shells. 

 Yours sincerely, H. W. S. 



Culture of Dwarf Cherries. — The follow- 

 ing notice of the culture of the cherry, as dwarf 

 bushes on the Mahaleb, (Cerasus Mahaleb,) is 

 from Rivers' Miniature Fruit Garden : 



This stock has been long known in our shrub- 

 beries as the " Perfumed Cherry;" its wood, when 

 burned, emits a most agreeable perfume. In 

 France it is called " Bois de St. Lucie," and has 

 been there used for dwarf cherries for very many 

 years; why it has not been employed by English 

 nurserymen I cannot tell. My attention was called 

 to it in France, some ten or twelve years ago, 

 since which I have used it extensively, annually 

 increasing my culture. Its great recommendation 

 is, that cherries, grafted on it, will flourisli in soils 

 unfavorable to them on the common cherry stock, 

 such as strong white clay, or soils with a chalky 

 subsoil. Although the trees grow most vigor- 

 ously the first two or three seasons, yet after that 

 period, and especially if root-pruned, they form 

 dwarf, prolific bushes, so as easily to be covered 

 with a net, or what is better, muslin, or bunting, 

 which protects the fruit more effectually from 

 birds and wasps, thus giving us, what is certainly 

 most rare, cherries fully ripe, and prolonging 

 their season till the end of September. The trees 

 may also be protected from spring frosts by the 

 same covering, or by woollen netting, which is 

 preferable, as it admits air to them while in blos- 

 som. These dwarf bushes may be planted from 

 five to six feet apart, and their branches pruned 

 so that seven, or nine, or more, come out from 

 the centre of the plant, like a well managed goose- 

 berry bush. These branches will, in May or June, 

 put forth, as in the horizontal shoots of pyramidal 

 pears, several shoots at their extremities, all of 

 which must be pinched off", to within three buds of 

 their base, leaving the leading shoots untouched 

 till the middle or end of August, when they must 

 be shortened to eight, or ten buds. 



The Heart Cherries, and Bigarreaus, which ar» 

 more vigorous, may be left a trifle longer than the 

 Morello, or Duke Cherries, say twelve buds for 

 the former, and eight for the latter: if, however, 

 the space is confined in which they are planted, 

 this length may be reduced ; for, by root-pruning, 

 the trees may be kept exceedingly dwarf. The 

 end is to form the tree into a round bush, not too 

 much crowded with shoots. Towards the end of 

 September,* or, in fact, as soon as the antumnal 

 rains have sufficiently penetrated the soil, a trench 

 may be dug round the trees, exactly the same as 

 recommended for root-pruning of pears, the spade 

 introduced under the tree to cut all perpendicular 

 roots, and all the spreading roots shortened with 

 the knife, and brought to the surface, previously 

 filling in the trench with some light friable soil 

 for them to rest on, and spreading them regularly 

 round the tree, as near to the surface as possible; 

 then covering them with the soil (if not too tena- 

 cious,) that was taken out of the trench: no dung, 

 or manure of any kind is required, as this stock 

 seems to flourish in the poorest soils. Some short 

 litter, or half decayed leaves, will however be of 

 much benefit, placed on the surface round the 

 stem . 



I have thus far given their culture for small 

 gardens ; but those who have more space may dis- 

 pense with root-pruning, and allow their cherry 

 trees to make large bushes, which may be planted 

 eight feet apart, and pinched regularly in the 

 summer, and managed as directed for root-pruned 

 trees. 



I have a plant of the late Duke Cherry, now 

 ten years old ; it has never been root-pruned, and 

 yet is a small prolific tree, five feet in height, and 

 its branches the same in diameter. It will much 

 facilitate the operation on their roots if the trees 

 are placed on small mounds. 



In forming plantations of dwarf cherries on the 

 Mahaleb stock, it is necessary to arrange them 

 with a little care. The three groups, those of 

 the habit of the Morello tribe, the Bigarreau 

 family, including the Heart Cherries, and tiiose of 

 the compact habit of the May Duke, should be 

 planted in separate rows. 



The following arrangement will assist the 

 planter: 



SECTION I.— The May Duke Tribe. 



Arch duke X 

 May Duke X 

 Royal Duke X 

 Jeffrey's Duke X 



Belle de Choisy 



Cerise Iiidulle, or Early May 



Donna Maria 



SECTION II.— The Morello Tribe. 



Carnation 



Carnation, Coe's Late X 



Kentish 



Late Duke X 



Griotte de Chaux 



Morello X 

 Heine Hortense X 

 Louis Philippe X 

 Belle de Sceairs 

 Noir de prusse 



* This early autunmal root-pruning: will he found very 

 advantageous. The flow of sap is checked, so that the 

 shoots are well ripened and the pruned roots soon emit freall 

 fibres to feed the tree the foUowtug' season. 



