September 10, 1874. ] 



JOUBNAL OP HOETICULTDEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



235 



gathered in a green state, anil either boiled and eaten as a 

 vegetable, pickled in vinegar like capers, or used for thickening 

 soups on account of the mucilage they contain — a common 

 property of the Malvaoea;. In India tho seeds are sometimes 

 boiled for making a mucilaginous drink. But wo now learn 

 that a tine oil has recently been discovered in them ot a 

 (juality equal to olive oil, and that it is intended to introduce 

 this oil to commerce. Supposing the oil to be all that is said 

 about it, the (juestion arises as to the supply of seeds. Though 

 the plant is easily cultivated, can it compete with other 

 oleaginous plants? 



NOTES ON LIFTING AND EOOT-PKUNING 

 FRUIT TREES.— No. 3. 



All the stocks employed for dwarfing are ot the free-rooting 

 character, and all succeed in catering well for the head. I can- 

 not say that all kinds upon these dwarfing stocks are alike 

 improved in bearing, and at an early age comparatively with 

 those on the free stock. Some varieties of both Apples and 

 Tears are not more productive at an early age than they are 

 on the free stock, exception being made of periodical lifting, 

 which I shall consider presently. 



I shall conclude that the dissimilarity in tho influence of the 

 dwarf stock, causing some kinds to be productive at an early 

 age, whilst early bearing in others is not promoted, appears to 

 rest solely on the harmony between the growth of the stock 

 and scion being incomplete or the reverse. Tho dwarf stock 

 with the majority of kinds of Pear, Apple, and Cherry, also 

 the Apricot, Peach, and Nectarine, acta upon them much in 

 the same manner as ringing, but to a less marked extent, 

 and in a more natural way. The roots are plentifully pro- 

 duced, very active during growth ; and in tho resting period 

 during mild weather more or less fresh ones are originated. 

 Sap is sent up freely to the head ; it is patent tho descending 

 current is arrested at the junction of the stock and scion, the 

 scion not growing in equal proportion to the stock, for the 

 stem of the latter is considerably less, often not more than half 

 the thickness of that of the scion immediately above the point 

 of nniou. In no instance have I noticed the stem of the Pear 

 and Apple on the free stock greater in thickness than the stem 

 of the stock ; but on the contrary, I have observed the stock 

 stems considerably larger than the scion stems. I have noted 

 the stems of some Cherries to be more swollen than those of the 

 free Cherry stock. Cases of the stock outgrowing the scion are 

 much more general upon the free stock than those of the 

 scion outgrowing the stock. The greater growth of the scion 

 where the trees are on the dwarf stock acts, I think, as before 

 stated, in the same beneficial way on the quantity, size, and 

 quality of the fruit as ringing does ; the head receives and ap- 

 propriates sap to sustain the fruit and foliage, and form the 

 means of production in future years, the stock being deprived 

 of tho benefit, if any, and there is some, of the descending 

 current. 



I shall not call in question the great benefit to the head arising 

 from the descending sap or currentbeing arrested ; but I may say 

 that it is this descending current which gives life to the parts it 

 traverses, and it is not warrantable to suppose that the stem of 

 the stock will be weakened by its obstruction, and ultimately fall 

 into premature decay. I am not able to advance a great deal 

 in proof of this occurring. I know it has been asserted that 

 Pears on the Quince are not noted for longevity, but I have not 

 observed anything more than a few solitary instances, which 

 were certainly oases of the death of the stock from lack of the 

 descending current, the scion taking and appropriating all in 

 foliage and fruit. That the Quince stock is productive of 

 disease, and shortens the age of the subjects upon it, might by 

 a few solitary cases appear established ; but then we can find 

 as many showing that the dwarf stock induces health and life, 

 notably in the Kibston Pippin Apple. Rarely on the free stock 

 is the fruit otherwise than large, or the tree free from canker, 

 whilst on the dwarf stock it has not the tendency to canker, 

 the tree having a remarkably healthy appearance, and pro- 

 ducing fine well-coloured fruit. 



Mr. Knight, I think, attributed the earlier bearing and extra 

 production of finer fruit by the Pear on the Quince stock to 

 the working on a foreign stock, making no allusion to the 

 arrest of the descending current by the stock, which acts like 

 ringing, only in a less degree. Some kinds of Pear will take 

 well on the Hawthorn, but this does not prove the resulting 

 fruitfulness to be otherwise accounted for except by the 

 stoppage of tho descending sap, for we may operate with a 



scion equal in vigour to the stock with no greater benefit than 

 were it on its own roots. The art of employing the foreign 

 stock, so as to continue the subjects in fruitful vigour and lon- 

 gevity, appears, except in one quarter and by one person, to 

 have received little attention. Mr. Rivers has, it seems to me, 

 alone observed what kinds of Pear do not succeed well on the 

 Quince. Some kinds do not, Mr. Rivers tells us, and after ob- 

 serving the kinds, he first grafts the Quince with a Pear which 

 takes well on it, and then introduces the other variety that 

 does not. As certain Pears do not succeed on the Quince, the 

 union of the growths being so incomplete as to cause early 

 decay, this goes far to show that tho descending sap is very 

 greatly arrested, and life almost as soon stayed as in the pro- 

 cess of ringing. With the facts before us that some kinds of 

 Pears do not succeed on the Quince stock unless it has been 

 previously worked with a Pear that grows freely on it, it be- 

 hoves planters to be on the alert, and have varieties on their 

 proper stocks. I do not forget the fact that few propagate 

 their own fruit trees, mostly purchasing them when two, three, 

 or more years old, or in a bearing state, and from a neighbour- 

 ing nursery : hence tho importance of making sure that the 

 trees are on the proper stock ; if they are not, what are we to 

 look for but unproductiveness — failure ? The proper subjects 

 to select may be known by a perusal of the " Miniature Fruit 

 Garden." But if not troubhng the veteran fruit-grower too 

 much, I should be glad if he would give us a list of a dozen 

 kinds of Apples, the same of Pears, Plums, and Cherries, free 

 bearers, large in their respective kinds, combining bulk with 

 quality, hardy dessert, and culinary kinds, not kinds for the 

 few, but for the million, fruit that will alike fill the eye and 

 satisfy the palate. Fancy kinds we have too many of, and 

 know too much respecting their indifferent bearing, small fruit, 

 and unsuitabihty for many positions in our uncertain climate. 



With trees on dwarf stocks and suitable kinds there is no 

 difficulty in getting them to bear from the time when fruit 

 buds .are first formed if two things are done — they must not 

 be allowed to overbear themselves either by carrying too heavy 

 crops of fruit or of blossom. Allowing a tree to perfect an 

 immense crop weakens it— makes it aged at a rate no other 

 thing does imless it be ringing, which ends in death shortly 

 after the crop is matured. When a tree produces a vast 

 amount of blossom it is ageing too fast, and should have the 

 flowers thinned, or it may, and for years succeeding, leave off 

 bearing, and become as enfeebled as one overladen with fruit. 

 Second, the growths must not be allowed to become free, much 

 less strong. Tho strongest shoots of a bearing tree never 

 should exceed 9 inches in length, and they are sufficiently 

 vigorous if they make from 4 to Ij inches of growth, I mean the 

 young shoots. If the growths do not exceed the latter extent 

 the tree will stand, with a crop of fruit, liberal treatment— 

 namely, frequent top-dressing during the season of rich compost 

 or manure, and free watering in dry weather with water if top- 

 dressed, or with liquid manure if not top-dressed. This feed- 

 ing is very necessary to the trees, and for two reasons: First, 

 it stimulates the roots, causes them to be produced, induces 

 them to come to the surface for the humus of the top-dresE- 

 ing, and keeps them active, and no cheek to the growth of the 

 fruit in a dry period is sustained. Should the shoots annually 

 grow more than 9 inches it is evident the roots are extending 

 too far and deep. They require to be brought nearer the surface, 

 and lifting should be resorted to— in fact, I find that lifting is 

 the only cure for unfruitful trees on the dwarf stock. It does 

 not matter if the trees are 9 feet high, and have not been 

 moved for the last seven years, they will move quite safely ; 

 but in the following year they will bear but little, if any, 

 fruit, yet the growths will bo good— not more than from 3 to 

 inches long in the most vigorous tree, and almost every spur 

 will form itself into a fruit bud, and in the next year a good 

 crop of fruit may be expected, and will be produced if no mis- 

 hap occur, as frost. 



It does not answer to have trees on the dwarf stock and 

 allow them to grow at will. In some soils and situations they 

 fruit freely without recourse being had to lifting, but in tho 

 majority of cases they grow too strongly to be free-bearing. 

 Besides, if a tree grows strongly it does not afford correspond- 

 ingly fine fruit, though the tree needs to be vigorous in order 

 to perfect a full crop of fine fruit. It may be vigorous in 

 having an abundance of large loaves borne on short stifl shoots 

 or spurs, and these are what are wanted, not growth of con- 

 siderable length, which may have to be shortened two or three 

 times during the summer to keep it within bounds, and allow 

 of a prospect of fruit some time. If this kind of growth bo 



