Jannary 24, 1867. } 



JOUENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



71 



Bnfficient vigour ; therefore, towards the autumn of their pro- 

 duction, they may be trained horizontally. 



The above is undoubtedly the simplest mode of forming 

 horizontal trees for walls or espaliers, as once the horizontals 

 are started there can be no doubt in training tbem. The growth 

 is easily under command, the sap equally distributed, the 

 branches equally exposed to light, and though the distance of 



1 foot between the horizontals may seem great at first, it is not 

 more than is necessary for the full development of the leaves 

 and spurs, their due exposure to light and air, and the proper 

 maturation of the fruit. At 9 inches apart the side branches 

 or horizontals more thickly cover the wall or espalier, but at 

 that distance the wall is so completely covered with foliage 

 that the sun's rays never reach it, consequently no heat isjia- 



Fig. 6, 



diated to the benefit of the tree in cold seasons ; and in the 

 case of espaliers the side branches at 9 inches apart so over- 

 crowd and shade each other, as to prevent the proper develop- 

 ment of foliage and perfection of fruit-spurs. 12 inches is the 

 distance to be recommended between the horizontals, both for 

 walls and espaliers. 



The height to be recommended for espaliers is 6 feet, the first 

 pair of horizontals being 1 foot from the ground. The rails 



should be of wire, and the upright and straining posts should i durable for ironwork, 



(To be continued.) 



be of iron in preference to wood, onlaccount of durability. The 

 uprights or supports may be let into stones about 2 inches, and 

 run in with lead. They should be midway between each pair of 

 trees, as the branches are more rigid near the stem, and have its 

 support, besides which they seldom bear so large a quantity of 

 fruit as nearer their extremities. No. 8 wire is the most sub- 

 stantial, though No. 12 will do. Both supports and straining 

 posts should have four coats of oil paint ; red lead is the most 

 G. Abbey. 



NOTES AND GLE.ININGS. 



A KUMOUK having been in circulation that Mr. William Bull 

 had become the possessor of Mr. Standish's new Hermaphro- 

 dite Aucuba, we are requested to state that there is no founda- 

 tion at all for the statement, that the Aucuba is in the sole 

 possession of Mr. Standish, and that he does not contemplate, 

 nor ever has contemplated, disposing of it, until he does so to 

 the public generally in the ordinary course of trade. 



— — At a meeting of the Quekett Microscopical Society 

 Dr. Tilbury Fox, one of the Vice-Presidents, read a paper on 

 " Human Vegetable Parasites." The author's chief aim was 

 to elicit from the members information in regard to the part 

 played by Fungi in the production of diseased conditions 

 of plants, men, and insects, and he confined his remarks to 

 the following points : First, the probability of the frequent 

 existence of the germs of fungi in the textures of healthy living 

 beings, and in situations to which the external air has no 

 access ; the modes by which fungi effected an entrance to those 

 spots ; the fact that parasitic germs enter the systems of plants 

 and animals at a much earlier date than is generally believed, 

 through the soft textures of the young tissues ; that fungi lie 

 dormant a long time in the system, until favourable conditions 

 occur to promote their growth ; that fungi only become sources 

 or inducers of disease when they develope to an undue amount ; 

 that fungi will not flourish on a healthy surface ; the distinc- 

 tive features of vegetable and animal structures, especially 

 artificial germination ; and the effects, chemical and other, 

 produced by the growth of fungi. Dr. Fox illustrated all these 

 different conditions by a reference to the phenomena of " ring- 

 worm " and allied diseases. Mr. M. C. Cooke gave a number 



of very interesting facts in reference to the parasitism of plants, 

 entirely confirmatory of Dr. Fox's observations ; detailing cases 

 in which the germs of mUdew and rust must have entered 

 very early indeed into plants, and even been contained in the 

 seed, developing as the plant grew up ; also where the elements 

 of rust entered through the first pair of young (cotyledonous) 

 leaves. He also stated that he never looked for parasitic fungi 

 on those plants that appeared vigorous and healthy, but was 

 sure to find them on those which looked sickly or grew in 

 unhealthy places. 



With very great regret we have to announce the death 



of Mr. B. P. Brent, to whom our readers have been so often 

 indebted for useful information in our pages. Mr. Brent 

 edited for us " The Pigeon Book," and " The Canary and Other 

 Song Birds," the subjects of which he well understood. Mr. 

 Brent died at his residence Parkhurst House, near Uckfield, 

 Sussex, on the 18th instant. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCnivN GARDEN. 



Where the soil abounds in silica, or is what is technically 

 termed too sandy, procure, if possible, a quantity of clay and 

 spread it from 2 to 4 inches deep over the whole surface of 

 the soil, allowing it to he for a time that the air and frost 

 may pulverise it, when it may be dug in, and it will very much 

 improve the ground. The use of sand in the same way where 

 the soil is a heavy clay will likewise be very beneficial. Capsi- 

 cums, seed of the large sort should now be sown in pans or 



