192 



JOURNAL OF HOSTICULTUEB AND COTTAGE GAP.DENEE. 



t September 12, 1867. 



south of Paris. As a rule, they are very inferior, and hunger 

 and thirst would be the only terajitera to attack a basket of 

 them to any extent, for a bad Peach is the worst of all fruits. 



The Paris corre.';pondent is unjust to English gardeners 

 when he says that " the Peach [tree] is generally seen, even in 

 first-class gardens in England, stmggling with a few shoots 

 over a nearly bare wall, and the mere ghost of what it ought to 

 be." This, as I well know, is quite contrary to facts, for in 

 our first-class gardens they are as one hundred to ten of the 

 same class in France ; the Peach and Nectarine trees trained to 

 walls are models of beauty, perfect training, and fruitfulness. 

 We must, therefore, conclude that the person in Paris who 

 writes so fluently in the Times, knows but very little either 

 about English gardens, English gardeners, or fruit-tree culture. 

 — Thos. Kivees. 



TRANSPLANTING FRUIT TREES. 



I ACCEPT your invitation in reply to " Beta," and feel pleasure 

 in communicating my observations and experience, such as it is. 



First, with regard to the removal or transplanting of trees 

 and subsequent treatment. On the 29i.h of September, 1865, 

 I jilanted in my garden, at Bath, in a wretched soil, a Washing- 

 ton Plum, Orleans, Morello Cherry, Eibston Pippin, a very 

 young Marie Louise Pear, and an Apricot. The first three bore 

 fruit, of Cherries enough to make a large bottle of " bounce." All 

 but the Pear were large trees. I have no idea of waiting long for 

 fruit from a fruit tree. All these had their full foliage at the 

 time of transplanting (a very essential element of success in 

 my opinion), which I took great pains to preserve as long as I 

 could, being aware of the mutual offices of the different mem- 

 bers of trees generally. These can only be preserved by fre- 

 quent waterings, and must on no account be neglected for a 

 single day, or the terminal leaves will flag. If they stand erect 

 it is a sure sign the tree is making young rootlets — the very 

 life-preserving, fiuit-creating power of the tree. If an ounce 

 of salt be added to every gallon of water so much the better ; 

 the effect is marvellous. 



I removed from Bath to Seend on the 27th of September, 

 1866, bringing all my trees with me. I took them up about 

 the 24th, and they were out of the ground nearly a week, still 

 preserving their foliage, being kept in a damp outhouse, with 

 their roots protected with matting. Everything was in my 

 favour as to weather and ground. 



I planted the aforesaid trees — Orleans and Washington Plum, 

 Morello Cherry, and Apricot in the front of my house, due 

 south. I have had this year a fine crop of Plums. The 

 Washington on this aspect is both beautiful and delicious, and 

 the Orleans cannot be surpassed for beautiful bloom. This 

 tree was much blighted, but I did not allow the aphis or any 

 other insect to have undisputed possession ; I kept a vigilant 

 watch, and saved my crop. I had an excellent crop of Cherries. 

 The Apricot brought only one to perfection. This was partly 

 my own fault ; want of protection, and also on account of its 

 not striking so readily as the Plmn tribe. The Ribston Pippin 

 blossomed well, and would have borne a proportionate crop, but 

 I compas.siouattd all my trees, aud left an excellent prospect 

 for another year. I allowed of none to bear more than half the 

 fruit set, at Cinches apart, and only one Cherry to a blossom-bud. 



On an easterly wall I planted Coe's Golden Drop, an old tree 

 which 1 also brought with me ; this has some fine Plums. The 

 following are the sizes and dimensions of the trees: — Morello 

 Cherry, dwarf — circumference near the ground, .5 inches ; height, 

 C feet ; space covered, 6 feet. Washington Plum, standard — 

 girth, .7 inches ; covers a space of 51 ftet in width ; 10 feet 

 high. {I am confined for room, therefore the boughs are 

 trained as close as possible.) Orleans Plum — girth, 6 inches, 

 standard ; 9 feet 9 inches high ; space covered, -IJ feet. Apricot, 

 dwarf — girth, 4J inches; height, 6A feet; covers a space of 

 7 feet ; a luxuriant and promising tree. Golden Drop — girth, 

 7 inches ; 6 feet high ; but spare foliage, very healthy, and full 

 of blossom-buds. This was what I call a double-rooted tree — 

 that is, after the first roots, I suppose a tap root in forcing its 

 way down in search of better soil, throws out a fresh bunch, 

 eaving an interval of a few inches between the two. I cut off 

 the lower, and jilauted on the stump aud the first roots. 



On the 2nd of November I planted a Nectarine Plum on the 

 same aspect. Girth, 8 inches ; heiKht before boughs, 5 feet ; 

 total height this yenr, 11 feet ; covers a space of 9 feet. Had 

 a splendid bloom. I allowed a dozen and a halt magnificent 

 Plums to ripen. This tree was very indifferently rooted ; but 

 I made the best cf them, shortening the wood roots, and 

 nourishing and cbeiishing the rest. 



My mode of planting is to keep the roots near the surface. 

 Suppose the roots are a foot deep ; I plant them that depth, 

 aud so whatever they may be, the tap roots bting almost visible. 

 Of course the habits of the tree must be studied. Plums are 

 not jiarticular. Apricots are rather early, and must be hu- 

 moured ; if one sort of mould wo'n't do, try another. Cherry 

 rtjoices in shallow planting and old lime pounded. My Bib- 

 ston Pippin (girth, 10 inches ; height, 6.J feet ; width, the same), 

 is a bush tree, growing on a forked stem, aud thriving well. 

 For all sorts of Apples a limestone foundation and intermix- 

 ture is desirable ; when first moved it was as much aa one 

 man could carry. 



Eoot-pruning, so much talked of, requires judgment. It 

 sometimes happens that an espalier Apple does not bear, and 

 the poor roots are condemned, whereas it may be, after all, the 

 fault of the soil and want of carbon. 



Pear trees frequently require root-pruning. Why is this ? 

 They are planted in ungenial soil. The roots go in search of 

 suitable food (for trees seem to be endowed with sense of dis- 

 crimination as to their proper nourishment). When they find 

 what they are in search of they push out a bunch of rootlets. 

 If they are cut short the wood root sends out fibres, which ex- 

 tract the nourishment around the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the tree, which becomes an artistic instead of a natural 

 operation. The large wood roots of a tree, I take it, are only 

 intended, or principally, to keep the tree in the grormd. Eoot- 

 pruning is not the panacea for barrenness. 



All things being equal, I will undertake to move a tree of any 

 size, and will guarantee its bearing — that is, with right time of 

 planting, proper soil, judicious watering, and aspect. Newly- 

 planted trees are better protected through the winter with a 

 top-dressing of stable dung, but should on no account be 

 planted in it. Some people suppose Filbert trees should be 

 left to Nature; but it is a mistake. They require- the same 

 treatment as other fruit-beariug trees, and especially the aid of 

 catkins if they have none of their own. At Cheltenham Pear 

 trees luxuriate in a red soil. The roots require no pruning; 

 but as the trees grow old they acquire a corkscrew finish. How 

 is this ? — ExcELSion, Secnd ]'iUa. 



I AM very much inclined to be of the same opinion in regard 

 to moving trees as your correspondent "Beta;" and my ex- 

 perience teaches, that trees never ought to be moved till part 

 of the foliage has fallen. 



I recollect some ten years ago that I planted about four 

 dozen of dwarf Apples for espaliers about the eud of September, 

 when there was not the slightest appearance of the leaves 

 coming off — in fact, they were quite green ; but to make sure 

 of getting first-class trees, I went to the nursery myself and 

 picked the very best I could fiud. The ground was well pre- 

 pared as far as trenching and everything required to ensure 

 success ; but 1 am sorry to say far otherwise, for there was 

 only oue variety out of the whole collection that made any- 

 thing like satisfactory growth iu the following season ; and 

 though none of them actually died, the greater part of them 

 would have proved quite as satisfactory if they had departed 

 this life, for they never overcame the effects of the removal. 

 It is an old saying, and I think a very true one, that '■ Bought 

 experience is best," and I am sure in my case it has been so ; 

 for although I have lifted some scores of fruit trees and trans- 

 planted them, not only to my own satisfaction, but also to the 

 satisfaction of my employers, I never begin to do so till the 

 greater part of the fuliage has dropped. 



In some seasons I begin earlier and in some later, the falling 

 of the leaves being my guide, and seldom now have I any occa- 

 sion to repent my looking a little to Nature. — James Siewabt, 

 Kuncham Park. 



POOLEYS GROUND TOBACCO AND ITS USES. 



Haviso yesterday, through the kindness of Mr. Eobson, my 

 excellent confrere, had the opportunity of visiting the Hop 

 gardens of Mr. Bannerman, of Hunton, near Maidstone, who 

 farms 330 acres of Hops in that parish, I there learned some- 

 thing about the use of tobacco which may be interesting to 

 those who are doubtful of the success of such wholesale appli- 

 cations of vermin-destroying potions ; but 1 never could see, 

 if we could destroy the aphides, &c., on our Eoses, why in such 

 a valuable commodity as Hops it would not pay to do it. So 

 Mr. Banuerman thought ; aud as nothing could be more un- 

 promising than the Hops were a few weeks ago, he set to work , 



