o 



4 



Til 15 GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[Jan. 27, 





correspondent writes as follows : If pruning commenced 

 •with the growing-season, and wts judiciously carried on, 

 the result would be very different from what arises from 

 the bad practice of allowing a tree at midsummer to pre- 

 tent the appearance of an undipped hedge. The tree 

 might well make a rapid and simultaneous outbreak from 

 »U parts ; and even, as " Tyro" sugg. sts, if the super- 

 fluous wood was left on the tree until the winter pruning, 

 the rapid outbreak in spring, although not to such an ex- 

 tent as it had been in bummer, will yet be much greater 

 than is consistent with the permanent well-being or fruit- 

 fulness of the tree ; for as sure as those strong growths 

 are cut away after having become strong, so sure will 

 the tree make rigorous etTnts to replace them, unless 

 the supply from the roots is interrupted. Hence the 

 great good of root-pruning, or, what is perhaps bet- 

 ter with young trees during the first three or four years 

 after planting out, when they are so very apt to 

 make strong wood, to lift them and replant them. If 

 pruning begins as soon as shoots appear where they are 

 not wanted, a great deal of wall may be gone over in a 

 •hort time. The trees by thin method will present a neat 

 and healthy appearance ; and the young wood, by being 

 freely exposed to the action of sun and air, will be well 

 ripened. Respecting leaves, when they are produced in 

 great quantity thry are generally small, and small leaves 

 are by no means so t t as larger ones are. Take 



the Vine for example : if the foliage is good, and has been 

 properly exposed to the influence of light, &c, the wood 

 will be strong, the eyes plump, and, under favourable 

 circumstances, a good crop will be produced. Now the 

 reason of all this is rery obvious— it is breadth and health 

 of foliage, and not numerical quantity that is requisite to 

 elaborate the juices of a plant ; two or three large and 

 healthy leavesare better than a dozen small ones. Phy- 

 aiologists are in error when they forbid us to prune a 

 forest-tree because a few of its leaves would be lost. This 

 remark is equally applicable to fruit-trees ; but still I am 

 no advocate for putting the axe and saw n e into gene- 

 ral use. Pruning, to be efficacious, whether on fruit or 

 forest-trees, should be performed as soon as the part to be 

 rejected is capable of removal. — A . Dawson. 



Summer-pruning Fruit-trees. — One or two correspond- 

 ents in a late Chronicle have started the question — how 

 far is summer-pruning desirable ? and they appear to say 

 not at all. This is a subject de ving far more attention 

 than it has hitherto received from gardeners generally ; 

 and so far as I can judge from my own observations, the 

 summer-pruning of fruit trees is productive of nothing 

 but leaves to the trees and disappointment to their owners. 

 1 have pruned at all times, and, as far as I could under- 

 St I them, exactly in the way directed by my authorities 

 (books on Horticulture), but I can safely say that 1 never 

 yet saw a blossom-bud upon the spur lefc for its produc- 

 tion, if the tree was at the same time growing vigorously. 

 It is true that by root-pruning or ringing the bark, I have 

 made these spurs form blossom-buds, but these practices 

 are not always desirable. I fancy, however, that I learnt 

 a good deal on the subject from an itim rant Scotch gar- 

 dener whom I employed to train and prune my trees some 

 winters ago : his maxims were, "never cutaway a t.vig in 

 the summer that you can, by any possibility, get to the 

 wall ; for," says he, "did ye ever see a clipped thorn hedge 

 full o' May-blossom ? ye pit the trees quite oot o* temper 

 ■when ye keep cut, cut, at them a' thro' the summer, an' 

 it's just a battle between ye, whether ye tire o' cutting or 

 they tire o' growing first : brother mixims were — prune 

 freely in the winter; keep your tree' well balanced; nail in, 

 at full length, all young shoots intended for bearing ; keep 

 np a succession of young shoots to supply the places of 

 those that are worn out and exhausted by bearing, and 

 ring your trees when the growth of them is too luxuriant. 

 I must adroit that his fondness for ringing was carried to 

 what I considered a great excess, for he would ring Plums, 

 Cherries, and Peaches, (despite of the gum), with as little 

 forbearance as he would an old Crab-tree ; however, he 

 made the trees produce such crops as had not previously 

 been seen in the neighbourhood. I trust some of your 

 scientific contributors will offer a few remarks on this 

 subject.— T. G. 



Pruning Forest Trees. — This is a subject in which I 

 am much interested, having inherited an extensive range 

 of plantation and planted in my acres myself. Dr. 

 Thackeray states that he commenced on the removal of 

 the trees from the nursery, by cutting two, three, or four 

 branches from his trees, and from some, annually close to 

 the stem, beginning at the top of the plant and descend- 

 ing, balancing the tree as well as he could. He further 

 adds that his woodman and his assistants have persevered 

 in this system at all seasons of the year removing all large 

 luxuriant branches from the same tree once or oftener ; 

 the result has been that his trees have acquired strength 

 and vigour, as i 3 evident from the healthy appearance of 

 them, as well as their augmented size. If this is the mode 

 in which Dr. T. proceeds, I differ from him very widely. 

 Should I be able to form an Arboricultural Society, 

 Dr. T.'s plantations shall be visited. I hope to do thl 

 myself next summer; for my present purpose I will bring 

 to my aid the positive knowledge we possess on this sub- 

 ject ; and what could f do more as member of any society 

 than to propose that theoretical disputed points should be 

 proved ? Mr.Billington, who had the management of one of 

 the Royal forests in the north of England, now residing near 

 Oswestry, has given in a publication some valuable facts, 

 the result of his experiments with Larches; one with the 

 branches entire had increased 2^ ins. in girth in each year 

 for four years on an average ; a second, with branches 

 shortened, 2£ ins., and another, with branches cut close to 



' 8 



ms. ; the tree with the branches entire had increased 

 7$ ins. in four years, making one inch in each year more 

 than the other, an object well worth attending to. These 

 facts are superior to theory. What, then, is the value of 

 Dr. T.'s universal pruning at all times of the year \ Great 

 improvements have taken place in Agriculture in sowing 

 Wheat in drills a good distance apart, saving one half of 

 the seed, and producing a larger crop. I hope, therefore, 

 that gentlemen will know the great advantage of only 

 allowing a certain number of trees to grow on the 

 ground ; as many only as it will support and brin^ 

 to maturity. An incalculable loss takes place in 

 England by the mismanagement of woodland pro- 

 perty. Cut wood and have wood is my motto, after 

 30 years' experience. I cut away trees where there 

 are too many. I wish to shape my practice in accordance 

 with the laws of nature, and not to set myself in opposi- 

 tion. I expect to find her a kind handmaid if I woo her 

 skilfully, but a very termagant if I resist her. "Quercus" 

 has been attacked, because he has advocated nature, and 

 is advised by one gentleman from the county of Kerry to 

 take a journey to Chester, to ascertain by his own inspec- 

 tion the state of the Nerquis plantations. If Dr. T. would 

 have the goodness to say what is the height of his trees, 

 and at what distance they stand from each other, " Quer- 

 cus" would then be able to form a better judgment. It 

 often happens that by pruning severely the owner thinks 

 he can keep so many more trees on the ground. Thus, 

 one giant evil produces another, and both end in complete 

 ruin. — James Jlamerton, llellijirld Peel. 



Hammond's Cape Broccoli 1 suspect " \V. N." must 



have received some other kind of Broccoli than Hammond's 

 Cape. WJ h us, at Hroadlands, no signs of tenderness are 

 visible, even during sharp frosts ; the heads ar<; large, and 

 as close and white as a Cauliflower. It continued in use 

 until a fortnight ago, and if enough had been planted it 

 night have been prolonged until February. — Samuel 



Ilenman. 



The Fig. — Many papers have appeared from time to 

 time upon the culture, pruning, and management of this 

 plant, but we arc still as much in the dark respecting it as 

 we were 30 years ago. It still remains independent of 

 man's control — producing abundantly, or continuing bar- 

 ren, year after year, as though it were the sport of chance, 

 or were governed by influences wholly unknown to 

 science. It seems that there is but one object to be 

 accomplished towards bringing this wayward producer 

 under subjection : it is admitted by all that the only crop of 

 fruit which can be expected to ripen in the open air in Eng- 

 land is that which is produced upon the Midsummer shoot 

 of the previous season, upon which the fruit-buds are formed 

 which, if not sufficiently advanced to form the second crop 

 — to fall unripened with the first frost— become the fruit 

 of the following spring. If, therefore, some means could 

 be devised by which, as soon as the Midsummer buds are 

 formed, the further growth of the tree could be checked, 

 it seems reasonable to suppose that we should be Ms to 

 insure a crop in the next season. Possibly, you may be 

 aware of some experiments having been made with this 

 object. Would taking the tree up, or pruning the roots 

 in autumn, have this effect — or could you suggest 

 any other means by which this object might be attained ? 

 — J. J. [We are happy to say that one of our corre- 

 spondents, a first-rate practical man, is preparing a paper 

 on this subject.] 



To Destroy the Wireworm. — When I get in my turfy 

 loam, I have a copper of boiling water ready, and as the 

 turf is stacked up, upon every layer of it I pour from the 

 rose of a large watering-pot (holding it down quite close) 

 a good drenching of boiling water ; I then add another 

 layer of turf, and so on throughout the whole. It effec- 

 tually destroys insects of every kind, and materially 

 assists the decomposition of the turf. If the loam re- 

 mains for a length of time before it is used, when about 

 to pot Carnations, or any flower suffering in an equal 

 degree from the attacks of wireworm, I spread upon some 

 hard ground the compost I have prepared for the purpose, 

 and giving it a good sprinkling of boiling water, I allow it 

 to remain until it is dry. — Rusticus. 



The Himalayan Funnel.— It has frequently been your 

 business, no less than your pleasure, to discuss the various 

 forms and materials of garden-pots and watering-pots, 

 which, as'appurtenances, however humble, to Horticultural 

 pursuits, you seem to have thought invested with as much 

 dignity, derived from usefulness, as entitled them to your 

 attention. On the same principle you will perhaps be 

 disposed to notice a prospectus whirh I send you, an- 

 nouncing a new chimney-pot, which, as flues and fires are 

 essentially Horticultural, has a fair claim on your consi- 

 deration. This particular chimney-pot has, however, a 

 double interest ; it is no vulgar invention of some sub- 

 annuated sweep, driven by the relentless humanity of 

 Parliament to seek, as Punchhas it, consolation in distant 

 climes ; but it has been imported from the Himalayan 

 Mountains, 28,000 (?) feet above the level of the sea, by 

 an enterprising British officer, who, whatever he may think 

 of fire, is clearly not afraid of smoke. I would be serious 

 on this subject for its own sake as well as its associations. 

 Who, indeed, can contemplate a Himalayan chimney-pot 

 without thinking of a Suttee, or muse upon the circum- 

 stances which have carried the mechanic arts to such a 

 height in those benighted regions, without imagining 

 some mysterious connexion between the Brahma of their 

 idolatry and the Bramah of ours ? A new Himalayan 

 plant with some unpronounceable name would have been 

 an object of interest ; but a Himalayan chimney-pot, the 

 produce of Himalayan intellect, is as superior to the former 

 as mind is superior to matter. No matter, however, how 

 this may be, the chimney-pot in question is based upon 



i 



matte, hydraulic, etomne quod exit in ic — inciudm* la* 

 and, by no means, least, that it is secured to a ImJ, 

 acquaintance of the British officer aforesaid by the** 

 of the 65th, 6 and 7 Vic. Tbe happy possessor of t*k 

 immaculate chimney-pot may bid defiance to the windi • 

 for while, as the proprietor states, with infinite candour' 

 4 - most other inventions are singularly adapted to incresst 

 the evils they profess to remedy," this can never fail. L-» 

 the storm blow up or down, or right a-head or round i 

 corner, north or south, or east or west, this universal 

 apparatus turns the blast to its own account, and compel. 

 it to aid in the escape of the smoke. Tempests cannot 

 shake it, nor floods overwhelm, nor fire consume it; and 

 it is made of such enduring materials, and in such divejw 

 sity of shapes, that age cannot wither it, nor custom ttaU 

 its infinite variety. 1 could say more on this topic, were 

 1 not fearful of subjecting you to a claim for the advertisa 

 ment duty, which it is your duty not to evade ; but I hive 

 thought it my duty, nevertheless, to prepare your readers 

 for the forthcoming announcement of the Himalaya 

 Chimney-Pot.— Fumus. 



Budding and Inarching the Vine. — Wishing to increue 

 the number of Muscats of Alexandria and Cannon Hill 

 Grapes, I cut down a few Vines; one-half of them wy 

 budded, and the other was inarched. To test the merit 

 of each method fairly, both budding and inarching were 

 done at one period. The result is, that by the former 

 method, bearing wood has been produced nearly double 

 the strength of that by the latter. In budding, the fol- 

 lowing is the method I pursued : — The old Vines wen 

 cut down in the autumn of 1842. They were laid ia 

 March, 1843; as soon as they had made shoots a few 

 inches long, two were selected on each Vine, and all the 

 others were taken off. These were tied in, and laterals 

 were pinched regularly off them until May. The young 

 shoots were then about two-thirds up the rafters, tad 

 nearly full-grown in thickness at the base, but not ripened 

 or turned brown. At that period the buds taken from 

 young shoots with leaves not larger than two inches ia 

 diameter, were put on ; the wood was left in the buds; 

 they were inserted in the usual way, and tied firmly with 

 a piece of matting. In the course of ten days or a fort- 

 night they were united, the matting was undone, and the 

 shoots were cut down to the buds; all shoots below tit 

 buds were taken off as they made their appearance. After 

 this was done they grew away very strong and rapidly. 

 Some of the buds showed fruit, but this was pinched off. 

 The leaves attached to the buds never flagged. — W. G. 



The Heckfield Pit. — Some inquiry having been made 

 as to the manner in which this pit (of which an account 

 is given at p. 892 for 18 43) is managed, Mr. Berry has been 

 so obliging as to forward us the following statement:— 

 Respecting the mode of getting over the difficulty of the 

 plants subsiding too far from the glass, we endeavour to 

 prevent this evil by filling the pit pretty full, with the stuff 

 put compactly together. The ridge of mould is laid along 

 the back, and the plants are planted along the ridge, 

 within 18 inches of the back wall ; they are trained towards 

 the front, sometimes on a trellis, and sometimes without. 

 The plants being placed near the back, the roots are more 

 secure against injury from over heat, whilst ample space of 

 surface is left in front for stirring up, &c. ; and, if it b 

 requisite, a fewjnehes of dung are added to the surface 

 before the bed 'is finally earthed over. The trellis, or 

 rather a small trellis under each light, is formed with two 

 pieces of wood laid across the bed, having notches cut out 

 on the upper edges for the reception of pieces of lata, 

 which are laid in as they are needed ; this trellis is sup- 

 ported on four short stakes stuck into the bed. But it miy 

 be asked whether a breakage of roots does not take placs 

 on the edge of the back flue as the bed subsides ? th* 

 would certainly take place, but is prevented by a few slates 

 set along the edge of the flue to keep the dung and eartt 

 off it. This caution, however, is only required in one oi 

 the divisions of our pits, because the cavity in its flac u 

 5 inches, whilst the cavities in the others are only 2 inches, 

 and that part of£the flue on which the dung would rest * 

 sloped off, so as to offer no obstruction. I may oD * e ^ 

 that the back lining is the one on which most dependeact 

 is placed in keeping up the heat.— Thos. Berry. ' 

 Another correspondent, Mr. James Selsby, proceeds some- 

 what differently :— To prevent the Melons from lesvmf 

 the glass as the litter sinks, I make a false bottom eighty 

 inches from the glass, consisting of joists let into the in» 

 and back wall. The joists are about twelve inches asunae • 

 and upon them are laid hurdles, or if these are not ■ 

 hand, sticks fit for hurdles placed about two inches ap 

 will answer the purpose ; and upon the hurdles, or suw 

 must be laid thin turf, such as is cut for lawns, tDC £T 

 side to be downwards, and the pieces placed close tag 

 ther, so as to keep down the steam which rises in 

 hollow space from below, and gets through the pig" 

 holes from the linings. I find this plan answers 

 than a solid bed. — James Se lsby. 



Foreign Correspondence. ^ 



Paris, Dec. 27, 1843.— The observations in »7 

 letter referred exclusively to the cultivation ot r 

 the Kitchen Garden of Versailles, but I said nothing a 

 the seedlings, of which there are a great number now c 

 into fruit. It would be difficult to determine, fr °j, 

 habit of the plants, .from what kinds they were r ^ 

 I understand, however, that the whole are tto ^ $ 

 Euville, without artificial impregnation; if so, ^^ 



sporting variety, for the greater part are ;.J e > -^ 

 the parent. Some have smooth leaves IiKe ^ J ^ 



l.\ a A f Ko» laroo hrnd Ipavpb lilfP the PrOVidenCe, *» tU .... 









the stem, only If ins. Again, in another, his 2d division, 



a tree with branches cut close in four years, had increased the most recondite principles of niirnTr" " if ■issMiiimi, jplm Cayenne, TnTone °ve*ry bushy plant" with 



Lis, others large broad leaves like the Proviucm*., »-■ ^ 

 of the Enville form ; some like C. epineui, otn« ^ 

 Anson's Queen; some in habit and fruit J£™ leftT e* 



