2026 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART II}. 
distance, and at 5 ft. apart in the row; the plants in one row alternating with 
openings in the other. When an oak wood with hazel coppice is to be 
formed, the mode of proceeding has been already given (p. 1802.). Hazel 
coppice, for the ordinary purposes of hurdle wood, hethers or wattles, crate- 
ware, hoops, &c., is generally cut every seven or eight years. The hurdles 
are sometimes manufactured on the spot; and, the other articles being selected, 
the remaining shoots and branches are made up into faggots. 
The varieties, whether botanical, or valued for their fruits, are propagated 
by layers; though the purple hazel, being as yet rare, might be budded or 
rafted. 
‘ The hazel, as a fruit tree, is most commonly propagated by suckers, more 
especially in the neighbourhood of Maidstone, where the nuts are grown to 
greater perfection than any where else in England. Plantations are generally 
made in autumn, in soil which has been well trenched and manured. The 
plants are placed in rows, at from 10 ft. to 20 ft. distance from each other, 
and at 10 ft. apart in the row; while between the rows hops are frequently 
grown for a few years; but, after the filberts have attained a sufficient size to 
nearly cover the ground, the hops are destroyed. _Filberts are also frequently 
planted in rows, in the intervals between larger fruit trees, such as apples, 
ears, cherries, &c.; but, though they grow very well in such situations, yet, 
rom being shaded, and sometimes partially under the drip of the larger trees, 
they seldom, if ever, bear so well as in plantations by themselves. The prin- — 
cipal art in the culture of the filbert, as a fruit tree, consists in training and 
pruning it properly, as the blossom is produced upon the sides and extremities 
of the upper young branches, and from small young shoots which proceed from 
the bases of side branches, cut off the preceding year. The tree requires to be 
kept remarkably open, in order that the main branches may produce young 
wood throughout the whole of their length. In the filbert orchards about 
Maidstone, the trees are trained with short stems like gooseberry bushes, and 
are formed into the shape of a punch-bowl, exceedingly thin of wood. William- 
son, who has written on the subject in the Horticultural Transactions, advises 
“to plant the trees where they are to remain; to suffer them to grow without 
restraint for three or four years; and then to cut them down within a few 
inches of the ground. They will push five or six strong shoots, which, the 
second year after cutting down, are to be shortened one third; then place a 
small hoop within the branches, and fasten the shoots to it at equal distances. 
In the third year, a shoot will spring from each bud. These must be suffered 
to grow till the following autumn, or spring of the fourth year, when they are 
to be cut off nearly close to the original stem, and the leading shoot of the 
last year shortened two thirds. In the fifth year, several small shoots will 
arise from the bases of the side branches, which were cut off the preceding 
year: from these the fruit is to be expected; and the future object of the 
pruner must be directed to produce an annual supply of these, by cutting out 
all that have borne fruit. The leading shoot is to be shortened every year 
two thirds or more; and the whole height of the branches must not be suffered 
to exceed 6ft. Every shoot that is left to produce fruit should also be 
tipped, which prevents the tree from being exhausted in making wood at the 
end of the branch. Observe, in pruning early in spring, to have a due supply 
of male blossoms, and to eradicate all suckers.” Such is the Maidstone prac- 
tice, “ which has been long celebrated,” by which 30cwt. of nuts per acre 
have been grown on particular grounds, in particular years: but 20 cwt. is 
considered a large crop, and rather more than half that quantity the usual 
one, with a total failure three years out of five; so that the average produce is 
not more than 5cwt. per acre. Williamson thinks “ the failure happening so 
often may be owing to the excessive productiveness of the successful years, 
owing to the mode of pruning, by which the whole nourishment of the tree is 
expended in the production of fruit ;” and he recommends having the trees 
rather more in a state of nature. (Hort. Trans., vol. iv. p. 154.) 
If, at any time, there should appear to be a deficiency of male catkins in a 
