General Notices. 647 



Hacon's Incomparable as an excellent winter pear, which produces better 

 fruit on a standard than against a wall. (Gard. Chron., vol. i. p. 20.) 



Keeping Apples and Pears. — Apples and pears are kept better in a cool 

 cellar with a humid atmosphere than in a perfectly dry fruit-room. Apples 

 exhale a sort of natural varnish sufficient to exclude all moisture, and which 

 checks the too rapid perspiration of the fruit. {Ibid., p. 701.) 



Packing Fruit for Carriage. — "I beg leave to suggest the following plan, 

 vi^hich is found°better than any other for insuring the safe transport of delicate 

 philosophical instruments, and is equally adapted to ripe fruit. Having 

 packed the fruit in an inner case with soft cotton, or whatever may be deemed 

 best for the purpose, let that inner case be suspended within an outer one 

 by lines or cords. Suppose, for instance, that the outer case is 2 or 3 

 inches clear all round the inner case, and the eight cords proceeded from the 

 eight outer corners of the one, and were fastened to the eight internal corners 

 of the other case. In this way, whatever side was uppermost, the inner case 

 would be suspended from the four upper cords, the four lower ones serving 

 only to steady it, and to prevent its swinging against the outer case. If the 

 whole be turned upside down, the functions of the cords become reversed, so 

 that they must all be strong enough to perform either office, about which, 

 however, there is no difficulty. I have bestowed great attention on all the 

 known modes of checking vibration, and have no hesitation in recommend- 

 ing this as incomparably superior to any stuffing of moss, hay, or shavings; 

 and it may, perhaps, have the additional merit of preventing the chance of 

 imparting unpleasant flavour, which might arise from a compact mass of 

 vegetable matter between the two cases. It is not essential to use exactly 

 eight cords, nor to fasten them from angle to angle of the cases. Any 

 arrangement by which the inner case is suspended, and, at the same time, pre- 

 vented from swinging against the outer case, will equally well answer the pur- 

 pose. A still better plan, for those who have frequently very choice specimens 

 of fruit to transmit, would be, to insulate the inner case by spiral spi-ings, with 

 the addition of small portions of felt or woollen cloth, to limit the vibrations, 

 on the same principle as m}' supports for microscopes ; the springs would be 

 very cheaply made, and would avoid the repeated trouble of packing or tying ; 

 but the cords will do extremely well." (J. Ross, Regent Street ; in Gard. 

 Chron., vol. i. p. 485.) 



Roots of Fruit Trees. — The roots of all fruit trees should be kept as near 

 the surface of the ground as possible, in order that they may profit by the 

 warmth of the sun and a free communication with the atmosphere. {Gard. 

 Chron., vol. i. p. 21.) 



The Spanish Filbert does not throw up suckers, and Mr. Rivers has sug- 

 gested the idea of grafting the common filbert on it. {Ibid., p. 69.) 



Gooseberries are recommended to be grown below some higher grounds, so 

 that they may have the benefit of the water that comes down from above. 

 This shrub, to bear large fruit, requires a warm and rich soil, well supplied 

 with moisture from below, and a situation sheltered from the wind, and having 

 the full benefit of the sun. The watering-pot is of little use to gooseberry 

 bushes, if they have no other supply. {Ibid., vol. i. p. 613.) 



Gooseberry Cuttings of winter's wood always succeed best when the articu- 

 lation, or socket which joins the young branch to the old, is pulled out along 

 with the cutting when separated from the bush. The buds should all be taken 

 off, except from four to six at the top of the shoot. {R. Lymhurn, in Gard. 

 Chron., vol. i. p. 486.) 



The Club in the Cabbage Tribe has been prevented by filling the dibble holes 

 with quicklime before inserting the plants. Planting in dry soil, and not 

 giving water, appear also to be more or less a preventive, because the 

 insect which produces the club chooses moist ground in which to deposit its 

 egg. {Gard. Chron., vol. i. p. 717.) To prevent the club in cabbages : — Take 

 1 gallon of fresh soot and 1 lb. of pounded saltpetre, mix them with water to 

 the consistence of coal tar; dip the root of every plant in before planting. By 



