HORTICULTURE. 



227 



Frail however, planted in single rows, as edging* to borders, 

 and in this way they often produce great crops. In ei- 

 " liter case, care mutt be taken to replant them every 

 fourth or fifth year at farthest The alpine and wood 

 species may be placed in situations rather cool and 

 shady ; perhaps as an edging in the shrubbery. In 

 such places they produce their fruit perfectly will, and 

 Lite m the season, which is desirable. 



1. The fruit hat evidently received its English 

 name from an old practice of laying ttra* between the 

 rows : in clear weather, the ground is thus kept from 

 drying too much, and less watering i* requisite; while, 

 in drenching rains, the berries are preserved from be- 

 ing soiled by the earth. This custom i* still followed 

 in some parts of France ; and it has of late been par- 

 tial!; ;i the neighbourhood uf London, through 

 the recosBsneadation of >ir .loaeph Bonk*, contained in 

 the first volume of the English Horticultural Memoir*. 

 When the fruit is formed, some lay tiles or mo*s around 

 the plants; these answer the same purpose as straw, 

 but certainly not more effectually, aud the procuring and 

 applying them must be attended with more trouble. 



17*. Strawberries are a favourite dessert fruit, and 

 by different means they are brought to table from Fe- 

 bruary till November. By various kinds of forcing (to 

 be afterward* noticed) they are procured from Febru- 

 ary till June; they are produced abundantly in the open 

 air during the month* of June and July ; and by 

 of the alpine and wood sorts, the strawberry 

 is prolonged till the end of October. The 

 be used very toon after being gathered. If kept only 

 for a lew hours, the veal' found to have considera- 

 bly diminished. The berries are generally eaten along 



1 79. Strawberries are readily raised from the seed, 

 and new varieties are thus procured. If sown early, 

 they seldom fail to produce flowers end fruit in the 

 succeeding ytmr. In collecting the seeds, it i* proper 

 to observe that the berries be perfectly ripe, so that 

 the seeds may be rinishtsl from their surface, at may 

 part with fat. 



Having thu* given an account of the fruit* which 

 are ueoalry cultivated within our walled garden*, in the 

 open air. it may be proper in this place to take tome 

 short notice of several other fruits, and nut*, which are 



monly in the sums or 



or in tli,- .,rch.ir.l .in. 



in 



the garden, 



ground. 



but 



more 

 di 



g it. 



or pi ess 



*nd its environ* ; and likewise to 

 particularly some of the native fruits 

 which are still gathered lor use in the country. 



Fruitt 



r.f . 



180. The Pomegnmmte-im (Pmica grmnattm 

 /nstasjsVisi Htmogynimt Nyrli, Jam.) is a native of the 

 Ix-rant, but naturalised in the South of Europe. It 

 was introduced into England toward the end of the 

 16th century. At first it was treated a* a delicate 

 plant ; bat now it stand* in the open border. It is 

 only, however, in shshsrtd situation*, against a south 

 wall, and in favourable season*, that it produces toler- 

 able fruit : it acquires indeed a considerable sice, near, 

 t of sn ordinary pippin, but is out* defcient in fla- 

 vour. The tree requires* rich strong (oil; in spoor and 

 dry soil, it will not even shew flower*. To the north, 

 ward of London, the fruit scarcely every approaches ma- 

 turity. A variety with double flowers is frequently 

 jlssHiJ against the sides of houses by way of ornament; 

 nd when dotlMd with its scarlet flowm, it is not only 



very beautiful, but grateful by its odour. The pome- Fruit 

 granate is generally propagated by layers. The flowers Garden. 

 proceed from the extremities of branches produced the """" 

 same year. The stronger branches of the former year 

 are therefore shortened, in order to obtain a supply of 

 new shoot*. The best time for this pruning is Novem- 

 ber. 



181. The Olive, (Olea Europaca, L. Diandria Mono- 01 > Te - 

 gyiiia ; Jasminece, Juss.) which constitutes much of the 

 riches of the south of France, Italy and Spain, with 

 difficulty survives in the mildest parts of our island. 

 Protected during winter in the same way as the myrtle, 

 generally by short litter laid around the stem, and by a 

 slight temporary screen of evergreen branches, it some- 

 times flowers ; and in some very warm seasons, it has 

 produced a few unripe fruit. 



182. The Puhamin or date-plum, (Dtospyroi Lotus, Puhamin. 

 L.; PoU/ramia Diaxia; Guaiacanee, Juss.) is chiefly 

 cultivated on account of it* fine shining (eaves. Its 



fruit, however, is relished by some. It is the sie of a 

 cherry, of a yellow colour, and eaten, like the medlar, 

 in a state of over-maturity or incipient decay. The 

 plant is tender for the first year or two ; and even af- 

 terward* require* a sheltered situation, and rich but 

 dry soil. It was known in the time of Gerarde, but i* 

 still very little attended to in gardens. 



183. The Curnrlian cherry (Cor*u* mateula, L.; Te- Cornelian 

 tramdfia Monogyuia; Capnfoitacttr, Juss.) was formerly cherry. 



cultivated a* a fruit-tree, and it i* enumerated a* 

 such in all the old book* on gardening. The fruit was 

 used in making tarts, and a rob de cor nit was kept in 

 the shops. It is now transferred to the shrubbery, 

 where its early flower*, appealing in February and 

 March before the leave*, render it ornamental. The 



woed is remarkably hard ; so that spears were in an- 



--- . * '< :. 



r:tn. ttM'.r- BsyJBX I ;'. 



184. Beside* the v^mm apple, pear, and quince, Apple ge- 

 several other* of the Pyrns genus are cultivated. The nu - 

 CktMfte ap[:U (P. tprclaUln, L.) is planted in many China*. 

 garden* and shrubberies in the south of England, 

 chiefly on account of it* fine show of deep red budu 



and larg bleesosns, which appear early in May. It ia 

 increased by grafting on crab stocks. Beautiful tree* 

 of this kind, some of them above twenty feet high, are 

 to be seen ia garden* in the neighbourhood of London. 

 The Siberian era* (P. pnuu/o/Mi, L.) i* primed chiefly Siberian 

 lor it* elegant little fruit, memblhtg large Duke chcr. ent- 

 ries, which are very ornamental in hrubnerie*, in the 

 autumn and early part of winter. The Small-fruited Small crib. 

 crab (P. baceala, L.) i* planted with the same view. 

 From the fruit of tlii* *ort, a* we learn from Pallas, 

 the qua** or cider of Siberia is made ; and we may 

 add, that it make* an excellent preserve with syrup. 

 The Japan apple, (P. Japoitica, L.) blossoms and 

 bean fruit if trained against a south wall ; but the 

 fruit is of no value. The plant requires to IN; covered 

 with a base met or close straw-net during winter. The 

 Sorb, or Service Ire f, (l'i/nu lormiualuof Hurt. Kcw. ; Sorb. 

 Craiirgut lorminatii, L.) i* a large tree, growing na- 

 turally in some part* of England, a* in Hertfordshire, 

 from whence the fruit i* brought to I. on. ion in large 

 quantities in autumn. It is figim I in N.werby's " Eng- 

 lish Botany," t. 898. The fruit is of the shape of the 

 mumw haw, but larger ; of a brownish colour when 

 ripe; if kept till it be soft, in the same way a* med- 

 lar*, it has an agreeable acid flavour. It succrcds in 

 any strong clayey soil ; it i* scarcely ever cultivated 

 as a fruit-tree, but i* often planted in lawn* and about 

 HaWxls, 



