General Notices. 361 



June, making strong canes to the top of the house by Octo- 

 ber last. Some of them were, primed to the length of the 

 rafters, about twelve feet; these now are bearing, some of 

 them twenty bunches of grapes, weighing at least fifteen 

 pounds ; the shoots are all laid into pots twice^ — once near 

 the root and a second time on the back curb of the bed, 

 which fills the centre of the house. By this means, the 

 shoots are enabled to take up a quantity of nourishment, 

 which enables them to be partially independent of the parent 

 vine, a new shoot being brought up from the base to take the 

 place of the one in fruit. Mr. Needham has practised this 

 plant extensively and with the best success. 



In the graperies, the vines have a good crop. Some of the 

 Cannon Hall were producing uncommonly large berries and 

 bunches ; this is truly a noble grape. Other new sorts were 

 the Palestine grape, which produces large clusters, weighing 

 eight or ten pounds. The leaves are very much divided, 

 and the clusters very large and long. The Muscats of Alex- 

 andria were also showing some well set clusters of fine size. 

 Indeed, all the vines looked well under the good management 

 of Mr. Needham. 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. General Notices. 



Sujnmer Management of Pyramidal Pear Trees. — The following remarks 

 on pruning dwarf pear trees, were intended to appear in our June number, 

 but, for want of room, they were laid aside. They are yet quite seasonable, 

 and should be attentively read by all cultivators : — 



A few directions for summer-pruning pyramidal pear trees, will not, per- 

 haps, here be out of place. I gathered some experience during my tour 

 in Belgium and France, which I feel happy to impart. I have, in the 

 "Miniature Fruit Garden," given directions to shorten o/Hhe shoots of 

 pyramidal pear trees towards the end of summer ; if root-pruning is closely 

 attended to, I am still inclined to consider it best to do so ; but if the trees 

 are suffered to grow naturally, a modification of the pinching system of 

 Monsieur Cappe, as given in the Gardener's Chronicle, No. 28, 1847, may 

 be followed with advantage. 



To follow this method, close attention must be paid to the trees early in 

 VOL. XIV. — NO. VIII. 31 



