June 23, 1870. ] 



JOUBKAL OF HOBTICULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



43T 



and after growing them for some time Bend them out. For 

 some species this mode of propagation is wholly unsuitable, 

 and as instances may be mentioned the whole of the following 

 genera in what I term 



Section I. — Abies, except Albertiana, canadensis, Williamsoni, 

 and a few others ; Araucaria ; Cedrus (there are many grafted 

 plants in commerce that cannot fail to disappoint) ; Crypto- 

 meria (the majority are from cuttings) ; Larix, Pioea, Pinus, 

 and Wellingtonia. All these have the side branches starting at 

 right angles from the stem, or with a slight inclination up- 

 wards, though the branches may afterwards have a pendulous 

 disposition, or the spray may be drooping as in the case of the 

 Larch, yet all have branches proceeding directly from the 

 stem ontwards, and one leader. To prune trees of this section 

 is not difficult. 



The only pruning they require is, in the first place, when two 

 leaders present themselves. Whether they are the result 

 of injury, or naturally produced, the remedy is the same — 

 namely, the removal of one of them. This cannot be done 

 too early after their presence is discovered, taking away that 

 which is the least central, and from its ill-disposition not 

 equal to the other for forming a leader. If there are more 

 than two leaders, then one of them is to be retained, and all 

 the others cut away close to the place whence they proceed. 

 In some instances, as with the Cryptomeria, the side branches 

 near the summit are so disposed that they grow nearly erect 

 with the leader. The side branches of the Scotch Fir and 

 some of the Pinuses also assume a sort of semi-leadership. 

 When this is the case prompt steps must be taken to divert 

 more of the Bap into the leader by removing the side branches 

 which grow most npright, cutting them back to where thero is 

 a fork, or another branch or shoot growing in a direction less 

 calculated to interfere with the leader. In this way, when we 

 want vigour in the leader, the strongest of the moat upright 

 branches are to be cut-in, but in such a manner that no open- 

 ings will be made, or only such as are of a temporary kind. 

 By reducing the Btrong Bide branches we give additional vigour 

 to the leader, and add to the height of the tree, for when the 

 side branches assume a leader-like appearance we may be 

 certain that the sap expended in them will reduce the vigour 

 of the leader ; instead of rising it will scarcely maintain its 

 ground against its rivals. The head, instead of towering, will 

 become broad and spreading, and disproportionate to the lower 

 part, which, from the great demand on the sap by the erect 

 upper branches, becomes annually weaker, and at length dies 

 off. The necessity of one leader, and of throwing as much 

 support into it as pes i.le, will be apparent to all giving the 

 least attention to the subject. Let the needful pruning, how- 

 ever, be done in time, before the side branches grow thick ; 

 then, from their having wider channels, the sap is not readily 

 diverted from them to the leader. 



In the next place the side branches are often irregularly pro- 

 duced, and vary much in vigour and proportions. They are 

 then fitting subjects for pruning and training. Though it may 

 be difficult, and indeed impracticable, to secure by pruning 

 more side branches than the tree puts out naturally, yet by 

 shortening those which monopolise too much of the sap we 

 may encourage the weak, and at the same time cause the one 

 strong branch to become two or more, and with their points 

 directed to where we wish to have branches. In this way, if 

 the branches do not come directly from the stem where we re- 

 quire them, we must, by cutting away the long extremity of 

 the adjoining Bide branch, secure as much of it as we can on 

 that side where there is none. This shortening of the Bide 

 branches must be attended to early, whilst there are ramifica- 

 tions near the stem, and be made by a clean cut where two 

 secondary branches or shoots diverge. If there are plenty of 

 side branches, but irregular in length and strength, then we 

 have not only to reduce the length, but to maintain the outward 

 tendency, for if we cut back when there are plenty of side 

 branches on other parts of the tree, we only cause the second- 

 ary branches on the branch cut back to grow towards the other 

 side branches, and ultimately to cross them — a result always 

 to be avoided. In a case of this sort we must, after shortening 

 the branch, retain one from it at the place where it is cut back, 

 to take the like position to the one removed. Again, we may 

 have side branches very closely set on one part of the tree, and 

 deficient in another ; or they may be strong in one part, and 

 weak in another. The former evil will be met by cutting out 

 any that are not feathery, growing out long and spraylesB, and 

 leaving those whioh are the best clad with foliage ; the other 

 evil may be corrected by cutting dean away, where practic- 



able, the strong side branches; and if that oannot be done 

 without oaubing a deficiency, then the strong branches may 

 be shortened and deprived of some of their ramifications, and 

 by that means the sap will be diverted into the weaker shoots, 

 and they will acquire equal vigour with those on other parts of 

 the tree. Though there always must be different degrees of 

 vigour in the side branches, yet it should not vary to such an 

 extent as to produce an unevenly-balanced specimen. 



Thirdly, from the side branohes there arise minor branches 

 from their upper side, that take an upward direction. These 

 are not of unfrequent occurrence on the side branches of the 

 Deodar Cedar, Cedar of Lebanon, Balm of Gilead Fir, and 

 many others of the Fir family. Their tendency being up- 

 ward, the sap is drawn into them more freely than into the 

 horizontal branohes, and they become excessively vigorous, 

 impair the strength of the principal leader, and destroy all the 

 branches on that side of the tree. Whenever a shoot of this 

 description appears, take it off at once close to the branch 

 whence it prooeeds. 



All pruning should, if possible, be done with a knife, or if it 

 be necessary to use a saw (which is to be avoided as much as it 

 can be), the wound ought to be smoothed with a sharp knife. 

 The branches or shoots must in all cases be cut off close to 

 whence they proceed, or to a branch or fork. Conifers should 

 be pruned late in winter, or early in spring before the sap 

 begins to flow, or pruning may be performed at the end of 

 summer, the growth being complete and the wood firm. Any 

 application to the wonnds is useless, for the bark grows more 

 quickly over wood than over any sort of composition. — G. Abbet. 



THE PEACH IN THE CBAVEN DISTRICT OF 

 YORKSHIRE. 



Gargrave, near the oentre of Craven (rook district), is situ- 

 ated about 215 miles N.N.W. of London. The soil, which is 

 rather shallow, abounds in magnesian limestone, and rests on 

 a deep bed of gravel. Beech, Elm, Sycamore, and ABh grow 

 to a great size ; Oak does not suoceed well except in some 

 places where the soil is more tenacious. Fruit trees generally 

 do not Bucceed well, except Apple, Cherry, and Plum trees. 

 Peare can only be grown seoond-rate, " with all appliances and 

 means to boot." Strawberries, however, seem to do pretty 

 well, and some of the hardy sorts come to great perfection. 



In many places in the neighbourhood the Peach seems very 

 diffioult to manage owing to the old system being carried out. 

 I think that if something after the plan I adopt were practised, 

 Peaches might be grown where they are too often a failure. At 

 this place, Gargrave House, the seat of J. Coulthurst, EBq., we 

 have a first-rate biick wall, 60 yards long and 12 feet high, facing 

 nearly due south, and heated the whole length by four fires. 

 When I took the management of tho garden, four years ago, I 

 found the Peach trees had been dreadfully negected ; they had 

 been nailed with list shreds, and never unnailed, had blistered 

 wood through the fires being tao much used in the spring, and 

 were in Buch a state as to render it necessary for some, at 

 least, to be thrown away. In the autumn of 1866 I lifted the 

 trees, took out all the nails, had the wall well pointed, care- 

 fully planted the trees which it seemed possible to restore to 

 health, and filled up the number with fine young trained trees. 

 A standard and then a dwarf were planted alternately. The 

 trees the first year grew very well, but did not bear much fruit ; 

 in the second year, however, they bore for the size of the 

 trees plenty of fruit of good quality. In the autumn of 1868 

 I a;ain planted most of the trees, giving them some new soil, 

 and last year, though scarcely anyone had many Peaches, we 

 had a very full crop. 



In the autumn of 1868 we covered half the wall with a 

 Paxton house to prolong the season of Peaches. I had as 

 good a crop inside as outside. This week (to-day is April 16th), 

 I have pulled off thousands of Peaches in the house, and, oat- 

 side, the trees are in full bloom. I planted nearly all the trees 

 again last autumn, both those inside and outside, and I scarcely 

 touch them with a knife, except in the spring just to shorten 

 a little the long shoots of the young trees. By constantly 

 removing the trees they are matted with fibrous roots, producing 

 short fruitful wood, which, with plenty of summer pinching, 

 gives abundance of spurs that ripen well when long shoots 

 fail to do so. I only allow tbe roots 1 yard of border, which is 

 quite sufficient with constant lifting. 



My mode of training is the fan-»nape, but not on Seymour's 

 system of pruning. Upright training for Peaches is a great 



