of Durham^ Northumbetiand, and Neisocastle upon Tyne. 245 



6. On the Management of Pear and Apple Trees, and keeping their 

 Fruits in Winter. By Mr. William Grey, Gardener to Sir C. 

 M. Monck, Bart., Belsay Castle. 



At the winter pruning Mr. Grey cuts out all the long weak 

 spurs, leaving strong fruit buds at regular distances. In spring, 

 when the trees are in flower, and a frosty night happens, the 

 trees are syringed the following morning before sunrise, with 

 cold water, which washes off the frost rime, and keeps the 

 flower from being damaged. When the fruit is of the size of 

 a pigeon's e^g, he thins them to two on each spur. The super- 

 abundant summer wood he shortens back to three eyes in the 

 end of June; when these eyes have grown a few joints, he stops 

 them again, and when they have done growing, he cuts them 

 close out, that the spurs for next season may get the free sun 

 and air. " I see some who let the superabundant wood grow 

 on their trees until August, and the sap of the tree flowing to 

 these useless shoots, causes the fruit to be small, and weakens 

 the buds for the next season. 



" When I observe the fruit on the trees to change from their 

 dark green to a clear blush, I take them carefully from the 

 tree, and lay a bass mat on the ground, and spread the fruit 

 thereon. I let them remain in the sun about three days, which 

 takes that moisture out of them which causes them to sweat ; 

 and they will keep longer when treated in this manner, than 

 when taken from the tree and immediately stored. When 

 stored, I find straw the best thing to lay them in." 



7. On the Cultivation of the Mushroom. By Mr. Thomas Smith, 



Gardener to Matthew Bell, Esq. M.P., Woolsingtofi. 



Mr. Smith grows his mushrooms on shelves in the German 

 manner, but understands all the other methods. His paper 

 is plain, practical, and well calculated to extend the culture of 

 this vegetable luxury. 



8. On the Culture of Rhubarb. By Mr. Robert Turnbull, Gar- 



dener to the Reverend J. S. Ogle, Kirkley Hall. 



Seedling plants are very properly preferred, and forcing is 

 performed by covering with pots and warm dung, in the 

 manner of sea-kale. 



9. On the Culture of Rhubarb. By the Reverend R. H. Williamson. 



In the Newcastle green-market, in the beginning of June, 

 long after gooseberries are common, and, consequently, the 

 demand for rhubarb may be supposed to have diminished, 

 100 rhubarb stalks sold for 55. The object of this paper is to 



R 3 



