THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



101 



-• 

 th»t 



gunmen 

 in &*** 



iTl^sserted by Meyen and others 



the spiral tissue becomes a 



cases 



f fluid — a position which is at present, 

 j° e least, extremely doubtful, and sup- 

 * *• t 1 well ascertained fact, it would be so 

 f"* l\ rm the assumed agency of such tissue in 

 &**?*: ir ^(o imply of itself temporary diseased 



ven should the expansion of the leaves restore 

 . L to their former state of equilibrium. It is 

 ******* hat if t j ie consequences were confined to a 

 ***** abstraction of superabundant fluid, health 

 SlVentually be altogether unimpaired as in the 

 "Sous case of slight epistaxis, or nose bleeding in the 

 **** frame forming an outlet at the expense of an 

 ^JJcorUnt temporary lesion of the vessels for the 

 ^ V the svstein. But unfortunately, in the v 

 kSoro where lesion has once taken place it is not 

 *2t8 so easily repaired, and a flow of sap once esta- 

 kjjshid i„ a certain direction may become chronic, and 

 S» by means of an extravasation of the fluids in 

 fa iiirrounding tissues, a diseased condition of the cell- 

 •tlb leading to gangrene and ultimate decay. In some 

 <nt6. as in the open ulcers which are not uncommon in 

 B00 the discharge may be traced inwards to a collec- 

 tion of corrupt fluid due to the decomposition of the 

 titer or sap which has percolated through decayed 

 and the matter which it may hold in solution. 



egetable 



In other cases, the fluid, instead of presenting the colour 

 d decayed wood, blackens everything it touches, is pecul- 

 iarly foetid, though extremely attractive to wasps and 

 fin from its saccharine nature, and is evidently due to 

 as in a far greater degree of concentration. It is not 

 in general traceable to any particular spot, but the 

 thole of the surrounding woody tissue is impregnated 

 iith the same disagreeable odour, insomuch that when a 

 tree so affected is felled, it is extremely unpleasant to stand 

 kj while the portions of the wood which are saturated with 

 the fluid in question are severed by the axe. Sometimes 

 where there can be no pretence of any inherent disease, 

 11 in the case of a sound tree — the Horse Chestnut, for 

 example— cut down when the sap is commencing to 

 low, the discharge from the divided surface will put on 

 the same foetid character, in consequence of under- 

 going putrescent fermentation.* The discharge, how- 

 ever, in many cases seems to differ very slightly 

 from ordinary ascending sap, though the stream 

 it often altered in appearance externally by the pro- 

 duction of such fungi as the orange-coloured Fusisporium 

 «balliens. Independently of any ulterior consequences, the 

 perennial loss of a considerable quantity of ascending sap 

 can scarcely be consistent with perfect health ; and in 

 the cases where the discharge is saccharine, the evil is 

 ef course aggravated, and the ultimate destruction 

 more inevitable. If the affection is inveterate, the case 

 does not admit of relief, for any suppression of the 

 woe in one direction would only lead to rupture in 

 another; but if the continuance of the affection has 

 been due to ulterior causes, it may be possible to remedy 

 the evil by freely opening the parts and the removal of 

 •eeayed matter, after which protection from external 

 •gency may be supplied by varnish, collodium, or such 

 other remedy as the particular circumstances may sug- 

 PJt In pruning, it is of consequence that every dis- 

 eased fragment or patch should be removed ; and in 

 we trees which are subject to much bleeding, the 

 operation should be performed as early as possible, 

 winsure the healing or hardening of the divided surface, 

 la some cases, as in the Birch and Sugar Maple, where 

 ne sap is peculiarly plentiful, artificial means are taken 

 » divert the fluid. In such cases, as the auger is passed 

 *Wan inch into the wood itself, it should seem that 

 weascending sap is principally collected, and indeed 

 «cius,yelv, at the early part of the season ; but in 

 «ner case the process can be carried on only within 

 J™n lmit8 without affecting the health of the tree 

 **L ' Loudon mentions the case of Count VVin- 

 gjy* Moravia, who planted the Sugar Maple ex- 

 rwejy, but whose trees soon became sickly and died, 

 J consequence of drawing sap from them every year. 



1 



i 



" Sh 



ALL 



EARLY PEAS, 

 you be able to gather a dish of Peas in May % * 



The 1 ^ uent inquiry amongst gardeners 40 years ago. 

 to «^;^ at ? ,ation of the one as the question was 



^towered 



tie other 'f 11 affirmative > °* the disappointed look of 

 Cri- /{ m y expressed the importance of having an 



•oil or W v! . ; for > howe ver unfavourable the 

 »K8 1ip!»iIk yn ? lght be > the g^dener knew well that 

 i*ld 2 a ;? r L had a di8h of Peas in M *Y> « is failure 



c °mpariL r *i Uted to his ne 8 ,ecfc or want of * kiU - 

 ^d wmiM t m eans and assistance at his com- 



^hbonr * ma(3e with those of bis more successful 

 ^e his 1 rema rks elicited tending to sour and 



« he h*!lT Per i a . 8 un 8 en, "al as the stiff, wet, undrained 

 " *J t0 cul *ivate ; for it was then the practice, 

 ™ n y T u ,s still continued, to sow the first crop 



or beginning of December, 

 many casualties and failures 



**dwith 

 <>f Peas 



?o 0t whic 8tanding the 



* ^verin j^if 6 J lab,e > fo * with ©very care bestowed 



^out^rJ T * cinder ashes, Ac, the mice find 



* hi * causes fj*™ 7 them off to their winter dormitory, 

 **> ^me in f™ C [° P to come U P Patchy ; the slugs, 

 "^ — - * ior a share of the snnil in ifofimwA nf *h* 



the spoil in defiance of the 



SL^bourhooS nf t T ble ann °yance being experienced in 



SytJ! *^ *re n J?> ? n from this cause - T ^ e roota of 

 2£ l j* such Eit?,M« n ,nj ? red b y noxious exhalations from 



— — «** change which may not be immediately 



frequent application of lime, for in some seasons their 

 name is Legion, especially in heavy soils. But even after 

 struggling through these mishaps they are frequently 

 attacked by an audacious flock of sparrows. In vain are 

 all the recommended remedies for such a disaster tried; 

 threads of all qualities and colours, feathers of every 

 dye, dead cats, live cats, cats painted on boards, rattles, 

 and jingling glasses, are of little avail against these 

 determined freebooters. No, no ; the sparrow is too 

 familiar with man and his ways to take alarm at 

 any subterfuge of that sort ; he must find you a 

 resolute foe armed with jour gun before he gives 

 way. The remnant of the Peas, however, still excites 

 our hope ; those that were cropped over send up fresh 

 stems ; the season advances, the growing weather of 

 spring sets in, the surrounding vegetation assumes a 

 vigorous and a healthy growth, the carefully tended 

 Peas make progress. At last the embryo blossoms 

 appear, but expectant hope is doomed to disappoint- 

 ment; still their stems are cankered, the foliage becomes 

 yellow, and a frosty morning or two makes the failure 

 complete. Such is the history and my general experience 

 of a crop of Peas sown in November or December. 



To gather early Peas is as important to the gardener 

 now as it was 40 years ago, but in that long period I 

 have only three times pulled a dish in May ; it is true, 

 some of my brother gardeners who had to cultivate 

 a dryer soil in a warmer locality have succeeded 

 once in five or six years in obtaining the desired result, 

 and now that we have decidedly earlier varieties, the 

 average will be less if the seasons are favourable, for the 

 frosts, as the crop is coming into bloom, will retard the 

 earlier Peas. The well-informed and reading portion of 

 young gardeners have every opportunity of becoming 

 acquainted, at least theoretically, with the means adopted 

 at the present time to have a dish of early Peas, and 

 who among the many aspirants to the highest rank of 

 gardeners will fail to read, as far as the time and means 

 at his disposal will permit, the principal periodicals on 

 gardening of the present day ? To neglect this will be to 

 fall out of the rank and file of his calling to join the 

 brigade of the * rule of thumb," the irregular and awk- 

 ward squad of gardeners. There is one advice, however, 

 which has frequently come under my notice, and which 

 is so plausible that I have no doubt it has been 

 frequently followed by eager and unexperienced gar- 

 deners, " Sow on strips of turf, forward them in a mild 

 heat, and afterwards harden them off f or thus, * Sow 

 thinly in a one-light box, give a gentle heat, harden off, 

 and transplant," &c. Now, I cannot say that this is 

 judicious advice, for to bring forward Peas in heat, 

 however mild, will stimulate their growth, so that their 

 stems will become attenuated, and how they are to be 

 hardened off to withstand the severity of the weather 

 afterwards those who have tried the plan will best know. 

 It has, however, frequently been a source of regret to 

 me to have seen the unskilful attempt and its futile 

 result. But I will not comment further on the means 

 adapted by others, but give an account of my own 

 practice ; and here I would observe that I have nothing 

 new to offer, but will simply state those conditions fre- 

 quently gleaned from the experience of others, but which 

 have been introduced into my own practice, as I hs 

 found them conducive to early and profitable results. 



For many years I have discontinued sowing Peas in 

 November or December, being fully convinced from my 

 own experience, as well as from a careful comparison 

 with the practice of other gardeners in the same 

 neighbourhood, that it was merely throwing away seed 

 and time. Another reason, which is frequently over- 

 looked, is that the warmest and best places are 

 invariably appropriated to the early sown Peas ; thus 

 throwing the sowings which are most to be depended on 

 to more exposed situations, and if these sowings consist 

 of what is now called second earlies the failure of the 

 first crop necessarily makes the first dish of Peas late 



indeed. 



In the first week in January, the first sowing of an 

 early approved Bort is made in 10-inch pots, or boxes 

 3 feet long by 10 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, but 

 I prefer pots ; have ready a sufficient quantity of soil, 

 consisting of two parts well decomposed leaf-mould, one 

 part loam, and one part sand. Fill the pots to within 

 3 inches of the top, shake the pot to level the soil, sow 

 thinly over the surface, and fill up. From 2 to 3 quarts 

 will be sufficient to sow in pots for a first crop. Place 

 the pots in a cold vinery or pit where there is admitted 

 at all times an abundance of air ; 2° or 3° of frost will 

 do no harm to the Peas. When the plants have just 

 got through the soil, let them be placed in a three-light 

 frame, the lights to be constantly kept off in mild 

 weather, and tilted at night, so that a slow and hardy 

 growth may be obtained. If severe frosty weather sets 

 in, cover up night and day, and be particular not to 

 expose them to the sun if frosted. The careful gardener 

 will take care that neither sparrows nor mice have 

 access to the Peas. 



In the mean time the ground in which they are to be 

 planted should be well limed and ridged up until snch 

 time as they are ready to plant out, which in favourable 

 weather will be towards the latter end of February. 

 Let the ridges be levelled down, and rows 4 feet apart 

 marked off. Stretch the line and cut out trenches from 

 7 to 9 inches deep, turn the Peas out of the pot, and 

 separate them, leaving two or three together ; have a 

 barrowful of the same soil in which they were sown 

 ready, place the Peas in the ridge as if planting box, 

 fill up with the fresh soil, press it gently against the 

 roota, let one inch of the top of the Pea be above the 

 soil, make a ridge of the spare soil on either side of the 



] row, and point over the soil between the rows to give a 

 workmanlike finish; when the Peas have grown 4 or 

 5 inches high, let earth be drawn to their stems, and 

 stake them — they will require little more attention than 

 an occasional survey to see if the slugs or sparrows 

 molest them. These transplanted Peas are the forlorn 

 hope of the season, but if well managed, they rarely fail 

 or disappoint the cultivator. 



The next or succession crop is managed thus, an 

 open, airy quarter being selected, it is limed and ridged 

 up in the autumn ; the first fine, dry weather the 

 following February the ridges are levelled down. If the 

 ground is light it is trod over and raked evenly ; drills 

 are drawn from 4 to 6 feet apart, according to the. 

 height of the variety sown. I then sow 1 or 2 quarts 

 (the quantity sown at one time will depend entirely on 

 the demands of the family) of the same sort as was sown 

 in pots, a quart of the best second early, a quart of 

 Dwarf Imperials, a quart of Champion of England, 2 

 quarts of tall Marrows, the best variety according to 

 taste of consumer ; these if all sown on the same day 

 will come in succession, care being taken to keep up the 

 supply by sowing Imperials, Champion of England, and 

 the Marrows as each previous sowing respectively comes 

 up; the early sorts will now be discontinued, as it will in 

 general be found that the tall Marrows give the latest 

 supply. If dry weather sets in a trench about 1 foot from 

 either side, and along the row, should be made and satu- 

 rated with water to keep the tall Peas in a healthy state; 

 every one knows the utility of having the Peas well 

 staked, so that a free circulation of air may be main- 

 tained among them. James Falconer. 



% 



MANAGEMENT OF SEEDLING PEAR TREES, 

 UP TO THE PERIOD OF THEIR FRUITING. 



The seed of a Pear, taken from a well-formed fruit of 

 first-rate quality, produced by a naturally vigorous tree 

 belonging to a good race, being sown at the end of Sep- 

 tember, with all the precautions already pointed out, 

 iu light deep soil, remains fixed in this by its strong 

 radicle for the first year. The shoot gradually acquires 

 firmness and strength, and commences to throw out 

 some branches. Each seedling plant exhibits peculiar 

 characters which, in the. course of the summer, are 

 subjects of observation for those that are in the habit 

 of experimenting. The young plants should be fre- 

 quently weeded, and the surface of the ground kept 

 loose by stirring. The young shoots that are too near 

 each other along the stem, should be thinned by cutting 

 them close to their bases with a sharp, narrow-bladed 

 knife. These are all the attentions which the seedlings 

 require in the first year of their growth. 



In the following spring the seedlings should be taken 

 up, and their tap-roots shortened. The plants should 

 then be replanted in a quarter of rich deep soil, in rows 

 2| feet asunder, and 1 foot apart in the rows. In order 

 to encourage fresh roots, about half a shovelful of well 

 decomposed dung is put under the tap-root of each. 

 During the growth resulting from the first flow of sap, 

 and especially towards Midsummer, all branches or 

 shoots that are too close, or badly placed, are cut off 

 closely, without, however, touching the upright leading 

 shoot, which is allowed to grow till it attains the height 

 of 10 feet. Some of the weak or slender-growing seed- 

 lings may require the support of a small stick to keep 

 them upright. The stick should be placed so as to best 

 resist the effects of the south-west winds. The young 

 stem is tied to it with matting ; but at the fall of the leaf 

 the stick should be immediately removed. We have 

 a great antipathy to all supports ; for these, by being 

 driven into the ground, injure the roots, whilst the ties 

 impede the free circulation of sap in the plant, and serve 

 as a harbour for insects. The stakes, moreover, by the 

 action of the wind, are apt to fret and wound the young 

 bark. For these reasdns, stakes should never be em- 

 ployed, except where they are absolutely indispensable* 

 The young seedlings ought to be induced to take an up- 

 right direction by means of disbudding and shortening 

 the laterals. If it should be found necessary to shorten 

 the central leading shoot, a slight rod should be attached 

 to it in order that the upright direction of the shoot 

 may be thereby insured. This remark, which is here 

 necessarily introduced, is of general application, and 



need not be repeated. 



In the autumn, or rather towards the end of February, 

 if the soil in which the seedlings are planted does not 

 appear sufficiently rich, the surface should be stirred, 

 and enriched with liquid manure, made with cow-dung 

 steeped in water. This will start the plants into 

 vigorous growth, which must be regulated by thinning 

 the laterals with the view of encouraging the upright 

 shoot. In the autumn of the second year after plant- 

 ing out, all the seedlings noted* as possessing the most 

 promising characters should be taken up and planted in 

 a soil more rich in humus, in rows 3£ feet apart, and 

 3 feet from plant to plant in the row. The others less 

 promising, are planted in a compartment by themselves. 

 The seedling must be pruned, disbudded, and pinched 

 according to the principles applicable to the pruning of 

 standard pyramids, with this difference, however, that 

 in the second and third year after planting, the shoots 

 of the seedlings are left at greater length. It will be 

 understood that tall-stemmed pyramids are preferable to 

 dwarf-stemmed ones, because vigorous seedlings show 

 their first fruits on the upper part of the tree, and there- 

 fore it would be perfectly useless to form a dwarf 

 pyramid at an additional expense of labour. There aro 

 however exceptions as regards some seedlings, which 



show a disposition to form dwarf pyramids, and should 



