Metrospective Criticism. 241 



extracts concerning Quercus pedunculata, and sessiliflora, or i?6bur." Our 

 two species are Q. ^obur and Q. sessiflora ; and it is the former, not the 

 latter, which is sometimes called pedunculata, to distinguish it from sessili- 

 flora, which is not pedunculated. From A. G.'s words he seems to con- 

 sider 7?6bur a synonyme of sessilillora. — B. Coventry, Feb. 1. 1831. 



The Stoneless Berberry. — In your Encyc. of Gard., you say, " it is only 

 found without stones when the plant has attained considerable age, and is 

 on a poor soil," There are many plants here, both old and young, and 

 on a very rich soil, in full bearing, which have never produced fruit with 

 stones. Perhaps they are a variety, being called here the Maiden Ber- 

 berry. — Id. 



Mr. Errington^s Method of managing his plethoric Peach and N^ectarine 

 Trees. — Sir, I am one of those gardeners who have changed situations, 

 and taken to a lot of trees troubled with the same disease as those of Mr. 

 Errington. I read his paper with great interest, as he seems to have hit 

 upon a proper method for reducing his decayed trees to a proper standard, 

 or, more properly, to a fruit-beai'ing state. Nevertheless, though Mr. Er- 

 I'ington has hit upon a proper method, yet 1 hope he will pardon me for 

 oiFering a few remarks upon it, to prevent young gardeners (though not a 

 very old one myself) from being drawn so far into that " root-cutting" 

 system, as I think his paper is calculated to lead them ; though I hope to 

 speak feelingly with Mr. Errington, and all gardeners who are or have been 

 troubled with the disease in question. I came here nearly three years ago, 

 and found the peach and nectarine trees, the first year, not only to make 

 wood strong enough for basket-rods, but strong enough to make bows and 

 arrows for Robin Hood and Little John. Some of their shoots gummed and 

 died, which is generally the case under such circumstances ; and, like Mr. 

 Errington, I could not tell how to prune the trees so as to bring them tha 

 soonest into bearing. However, I determined not to cut their roots (and 

 I beg to say that the cutting off the roots is not new, as Mr. Errington and 

 others have thought), but to give them room to spread themselves, feeling 

 confident that by so doing, and keeping that enemy, the knife, off them as 

 much as possible, I should bring them into bearing. 



Though my trees are not to be compared with the description which Mr. 

 Errington gives of his, yet I durst have shown crops of fruit this last year, 

 either with him or any other person in the kingdom. My- trees are planted- 

 too near each other ; I think of taking some of them away, to give room 

 for the others ; and should I stop with them three years longer, I antici- 

 pate some very large trees. I do not wish to be understood to say that Mr. 

 Errington's system will not bring them into bearing : far from it : I believe 

 that it is almost certain of doing so ; and trees so treated may last and bear 

 very well for a number of j'ears, in soils that will not cause their roots 

 (those that are cut) to grow carbuncles, and of course to send up suckers : 

 and in cases where pears and other fruit-bearing trees have not room for 

 theii- branches in proportion to the strength of the border in which they 

 grow, I think the cutting off their strong shoots is indispensable. But I 

 here beg to ask Mr. Loudon, if he thinks that peach, or any other fruit- 

 bearing trees (providing localities were the same), docked of their strong 

 I'oots, are calculated either to make as fine trees, live as long, and bear as 

 much fruit, as those trees whose roots are left in their natural state. I 

 agree with Mr, Errington and others, that the border is the proper place to 

 manage them ; and I consider it just as nice a point to make a border 

 neither too rich nor too poor, as Mr, Loudon mentions in his Encyc. of 

 Gard., p. 1104, art. Forest Pruning ; in which he states, " it must be a very 

 nice point, therefore, to determine the quantity of branches or leaves that 

 should be left on each tree." There appears to be some misunderstanding 

 between Mr. Errington and Mr. Seymour, 1 saw Mr. Seymour's trees six 

 years ago, and can assure Mr. Errington that his trees are neither more nor 



Vol. VIL — No. 31. r 



