308 How to Pi^une the Filbert. 



of the filbert) as a visit to Maidstone Avould make him in an 

 hour," 



From this it will be seen that the main thing in the suc- 

 cessful culture of the filbert is the pruning of the trees ; and 

 though, as Mr. Rogers says, one hour's inspection of the trees 

 properly pruned, will convey more information than could 

 be learned in a life-time by reading, still, with the illustration 

 which accompanies Mr. Thompson's article, we think the 

 cultivator may begin in the right track, and with a little prac- 

 tice manage his trees so as to produce an abundance of nuts. 

 We only hope our remarks, in connection with those of Mr. 

 Thompson, will not only induce gentlemen who possess a 

 good garden, to introduce a few filbert trees, but may be the 

 means of bringing this neglected fruit into more extensive 

 cultivation : — 



PRUNING. THE FILBERT TREE. 



The filbert tree is one of those which does not contain all 

 the parts necessary for the production of fruit in the same 

 bud. Some buds develop only the male parts, and others 

 only the female ; the former are comprised in those pendent 

 yellow catkins, easily recognized in the end of winter and 

 early spring. The female portions are less conspicuous ; all 

 that appears of them are some slender, deep-crimson stigmas, 

 protruding beyond the apex of the buds, as represented at 

 b b. On these, fertilizing particles from the catkins either 

 fall naturally, or are otherwise brought in contact with them 

 whilst being blown about by the winds ; and fruitfulness is 

 the result. If, on the contrary, there are no catkins, or if 

 they are prematurely cut away in pruning, there can be no 

 fruit. Pruning should not be commenced till after the ap- 

 pearance of the crimson stigmas at the apex of such buds as 

 b b, and after the fall expansion of the catkins. When the 

 latter have fulfilled their purpose, they fall off. After fertili- 

 zation, the buds b b elongate into a twig much the same as 

 other buds ; but towards midsummer the formation of the 

 cluster can be seen. The cluster is always terminal. When 

 catkins are wanting on the cultivated trees, those of the 



