114 Notes and Gleanings. 



Trellised Fruit-Walls. — I lately heard a discussion on the alleged ad- 

 vantages of wall-trees being fastened to a trellis, instead of being nailed to a 

 wall. It was argued against nailing to the wall, that the part of the fruit next the 

 wall did not ripen like that exposed to the sun. Such may be the case in bad 

 seasons, especially with apricots ; but the case may be worse with those on a 

 trellis, on which the trees are not only deprived of the reflected heat by the 

 draught of air between the trellis and the wall, but also the warmth from the 

 wall during the night : besides, the shade by either plan would be nearly alike ; 

 and the ripening of the crop depends more on the action of the sun upon the 

 leaves than upon its hot rays impinging on the fruit. The ripest fruit may 

 be found under the leaves, in consequence of its having, according to their 

 health, had more nutriment from them, modified by the rays of light. The un- 

 equal ripening of fruits depends more on how the stalk-ends are situated; which 

 in general, being next the wall, or close upon tlie shoot, and the sap-vessels in 

 those parts of the fruit through which the juices flow to nourish it, are the last 

 to ripen or decay. Although this may be little thought of, it is nevertheless 

 true ; and the same may apply to all kinds of fruit, the good qualities of which 

 depend much on the health of the leaves, as just noticed. Therefore the too 

 common plan of picking off the leaves to " let the sun to the fruit" should be 

 done with great caution. If possible, none of the fruit-bearing shoots should be 

 deprived of their leaves ; otherwise, for want of proper nourishment, the exposed 

 parts of the fruit may be scorched or ripened prematurely by hot sunshine. This 

 may be the principal cause of fruit ripening on one side, and remaining green 

 on the other. 



Connected with this subject, I may mention that the ripening of all kinds of 

 fruit is only the beginning of decay in the pulpy matter which protects or ma- 

 tures their seed. In general, this is situated in the heart of the fruit ; but in 

 other cases, as in the strawberry, on the outside. Moreover, however pleasing 

 to the eye or taste cultivated fruits may be, they are only monstrosities from their 

 original species, — the apple a puffed-up crab, and thj peach a swollen almond. 

 Consequently, seedlings, the offspring of these monsters, are often more like the 

 original stocks than like the cultivated parent. As an instance, I once raised 

 some seedling-pears from seed of the best new kinds ; and only two of them 

 have produced fruit worth notice : the rest are of rank growth, as full of spines 

 as if they had been reared from seeds of wild pears, and only fit for grafting 

 upon. — J. IV., in Florist and Pomolojist. 



PiNUS PATULA. — One of the Mexican pines, and a most graceful and dis- 

 tinct species. Its wood is of a peculiar lead-color. The foliage is from eight to 

 nine inches in length, and grows in threes, very delicate, and most graceful, of a 

 fine silver-gray color, hanging perpendicularly or pendulous on either or on both 

 sides of its delicate branches, like the hair neatly parted on a young lady's head. 

 The tree is handsome at all seasons ; but it lights up in the most glorious man- 

 ner with a gleam of sun, and waft of wind. There is a fine tree of this species 

 growing here, which has borne cones for years past. — James Barnes, in Florist 

 and Potnoloiiist. 



