86 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ August 1, 1865. 



lionom- of having at least popularised the original idea; a fact 

 which has the real merit of a veritable initiative." Speaking of 

 close pruning, Professor Dnbreuil says — '• I saw in M. Grin's 

 gardens such excellent results from this method, that I hesi- 

 tate not at present to recommend it to the exchision of 

 every other." In Professor Gressent's late work (which has 

 the sanction of the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce), it 

 is stated that M. Cirin, being convinced of the many disad- 

 yantages resulting from the old system of long-pruning, ap- 

 plied himself for a lifetime to work out a newer and more 

 profitable way, and finished by obtaining a complete success. 

 The shoots, he says, being so short the branches may be double 

 in number, and each of the closely-pinched-in shoots bears at 

 least as many Peaches as the coursonm-s de MorAreuil. Pro- 

 fessor Gressent than adds, that the complete success which 

 attended M. Crrin's laljours, cau.sed him much envy and resist- 

 ance in liis native country, but that having, like M. Dubreuil, 

 ■visited Chartres, he was so convinced of the advantages of the 

 new style that he has ever since adopted it. In his work of 

 1863 he describes it, and says that he has followed it on a very 

 large scale, and introduced some important modifications, 

 which, being similar to some tried in my own garden, shall be 

 noticed ])resently. 



M. Grin has laboured under some disadvantage in having 

 his ideas first presented to the world in the works of others. 

 Though fairly enough described, the actual experience gained 

 is not represented, nor his latest ideas, and it is with a certain 

 pleasure that I am able to state, that these lines are the only 

 authorised exposition of the whole system in its latest develop- 

 ment, and that by them alone the originator wishes English 

 gaxdeners to learn it. Having myself followed the system for 

 ten years with some success on the open wall (the first occasion 

 on any scale in which it has been thus tried in this coimtry), 

 and having applied it to the back wall of an orchard-liouse, 

 with diagonal cordons (also a novelty, as described in a former 

 work), a certain experience has been gained not witlioiit value. 



On the practical advantages to be derived from close pruning, 

 M. Grin thus speaks — " Wiutever form may be selected for the 

 trees (his were horizontal cordons with a single central stem, 

 and single diagonal cordons), first establish well your princiiml 

 branches. On these, by close pruning to two leaves, short 

 Spurs are formed which bear fruits of equal size in every part 

 of the tree year after year. It is true that M. Lepere by a iHf- 

 fereut system (long pruning), produces good crops, but nine out 

 of ten fail because they do not possess the constant practice 

 and special science required for such a style of priming. Some 

 eight or ten successive operations are required in long pruning, 

 all requiring an exact appreciation which does not belong to 

 the generality of gardeners. On the other hand, close pruning 

 has the immense advantages of simplicity and economy of time 

 and money. There are no tedious tjiings-in of the summer or 

 winter wood. The main branches are only 10 inches apart 

 (and here let me obsei-ve that 6 inches woiild be better), there- 

 fore, without a given amount of w.aU space we can obtain a 

 double amount of crop. Lastly, Tliere are few or no ampu- 

 tations of important branches, and this alone constitutes an 

 appreciable gain, even to suppress ' gourmands ' (gross shoots 

 of Class 4), or to shorten extensions where needed. Every 

 amputation however well performed causes a perturbation in 

 the economy of the tree. Why not anticipate the causes 

 which necessitate amputations, rather than have the merit of 

 curing them ? Besides this, even clever gardeners cannot 

 always succeed in remedying the evil effects of wounds on the 

 Iflree." 



The above are the chief reasons given by M. Grin for adopt- 

 ing very close pruning or summer-stopping of the shoots. In 

 fact, there seems no reason whatever why a well-furnished 

 main branch shoiUd ever be shortened at all. If the shoots are 

 kept regularly and closely summer-pruned, the prolongations 

 of the branches may, with the exception of equalising them, 

 be left to themselves. How simple would Peach-pruning 

 become muler these new forms ! Plant the tree carefully in a 

 weU-choseu and weU-di-ained spot, allow it to gi'ow, only balanc- 

 ing it, keep the summer wood short, thin out in winter a little ; 

 this, with shelter and destroying insects, &c., is really all. 



We '■'' '1.5 perceive how really simple and easy to perform 

 Pcucli-i.tming is. Good pruning should not differ much in 

 principle whether in the open air or under glass. In either 

 case if we take care of the shoots the branches will t.ake care of 

 themselves. The exigencies of space, of course, require that 

 we should direct the gi'ow*ibs in the most convenient manner ; 

 but a branch 20 feet long in the open air can be made to form 



a compact spiral cordon, occupying little space, roimd three 

 vertical wires, and no style of training is more beautiful or 

 more productive. 



To the above cited well-known names, which are now con- 

 nected with the success of close pruning, I may add that of 

 Mr. Elvers. Orchard-houses have, indeed, done much for the 

 Peach. ^ Their uiultipUcation induced corresponding develop- 

 ments in training. The great object was, of course, to econo- 

 mise the valuable space, and to do this close pruning was 

 required ; and, in consequence, we find the principles of close 

 pruning well described in Mr. Eivers's works on the manage- 

 ment of these houses. There need, therefore, be little doubt 

 as to the solidity of the foundation of these truths. As was 

 stated at first, the chief object of these papers was to poioit 

 out the utiUty of a system which should serve, with obvious 

 changes, both for the house and for the open wall, and each 

 succeeding season has proved that this is possible.-— T. BiiiiH.vuT, 

 lUcliinoiul House, Gnermey. 



ONION GRUBS. 



Veey often it is easy to prevent the occurrence of a mischief, 

 whereas to remedy it is very difficult. The Onion grub is a 

 case in point, if the iufonnation just imparted to us be correct. 

 When the grub has begun to eat the bulb, no remedy is avail- 

 able ; the bulb had better be pulled up and burnt, thus immo- 

 lating the marauder. The parent of these grubs begins to 

 deposit her eggs just within the sheath of the young Onion 

 plants early in May. A preventive of this, we are told, is to 

 sprinkle frrsli pine or deal sawdust all over the surface of the 

 Onion-bed, as soon as the Onions are well above the soil. The 

 sawdust need not be put on thicjdy ; but a little fresh might 

 be sprinkled on once a-week until the bulbs are safe. We have 

 faith in this preventive, because the turpentine fumes emitted 

 by the sawdust are obnoxious to all insects, and might keep 

 away the flies. 



BEARDS PATENT METALLIC GLASS HOUSES. 



AVhen I wrote the hurried note at page 34, I had just been 

 visiting the excellent Bury St. Edmunds Horticultm-al Show, 

 held by the land permission of Lady Cullmn in the grounds 

 of Hardwicke House. Without saying anything at present of 

 the fine subjects exhibited, I would merely mention that I was 

 much struck, as already stated, by the rich bright colouring of 

 some Pelargoniums and Petunias, and on inquiry ascertained 

 that they were exhibited by Mr. Beard, a retired tradesman of 

 Bury St. Edmmids, and came from houses of his own design- 

 ing and constructing, for the peculiarities of which he had 

 duly i^rotected himself by several patents. Of the patents and 

 the chief particulars patented, I can do and say nothing. I had 

 previously seen several houses put up without putty, and but 

 little jiainting, but had failed to see any improvement in them, 

 or that they had much except novelty to recommend them. I 

 had heard these houses of Mr. Beard spoken about, as pre- 

 senting a sheet of light to the plants inside ; but I knew that 

 some of oirr modern orchard-houses admitted rather too much 

 light, in connection with the heat [from the sim's rays — at 

 least for the amount of ventilation that could be given. I was 

 also well aware that light was the first essential, provided the 

 ventilation was ample, and that that ventilation did not unduly 

 (h'y up and parch the plants under the glass. I, no doubt, 

 seemed a retrogressionist to some keen go-fonvard gardeners, 

 when I said that fine plants coiUd be grown in lean-to and 

 span-rooted houses, built with large squares in the usual 

 modem manner, and that the want of high colouring and 

 robustness in plants was more owing to crowding and gi'owing 

 under the shade of creepers. Vines, &c., than from any defi- 

 ciency of hght transmitted by the glass. I make these state- 

 ments merely to show that I was not predisposed to approve 

 of these new houses, and now, in reply to a number of in- 

 quiries, I would repeat, after having more time to thiui over 

 the matter, just what was stated at page 34, that ihe matter 

 of first expense got over, there can be no question of the great 

 improvements. 



Through a friend, I was introduced to Mr. Beard, who kiodly 

 showed us his different houses, and introduced me to his rela- 

 tive, Mr. E. J. Sanders, of the Victoria Works, Bm-y St. Ed- 

 munds, who manufactm-es the houses in question, and he took 

 us over the works here. Several houses, lean-to and span-roof, 

 were in the jjrocess of building. 



