654 Summary View of the Progress of Gardenings 



vated in the provincial nurseries ; and we think that we may 

 also add that the planters of pleasure-grounds are now intro- 

 ducing a much greater number of species than they did even a 

 few years ago. There are also throughout the country, in se- 

 veral places, such considerable collections of trees and shrubs 

 planting, as to entitle them to be called arboretums; while 

 several pinetums have been planted in consequence of the greatly 

 increased taste for the pine and fir tribe. 



In order to make known what new trees and shrubs are to be 

 found in the grounds of the principal British nurserymen, we 

 have invited all of them to send us names of what they consider 

 worthy of notice. We have received answers from upwards of 

 thirty nurserymen and curators of Botanic Gardens, and from 

 these we shall make up a report for our succeeding Number. 



In the Gardeners' Chronicle, and also in this Magazine, there 

 has lately been a good deal of discussion on the subject of prun- 

 ing trees, with a view to the production of the greatest quantity 

 of timber in a clean straight trunk, but nothing has yet appeared 

 superior to Mr. Gree's system. This system, as our readers are 

 well aware (see our Vol. for 1841, p. 435.), consists of plain rules 

 founded on the soundest principles, and, in short, may be called 

 the ne plus ultra of scientific practice. 



The pruning of ornamental trees consists in general of re- 

 moving dead or decaying branches ; but it might often be ap- 

 plied in such a way as to add to the natural character of the tree, 

 or to give it an interesting artificial character. For example, a 

 large tree which has taken a heavy lumpish form may be improved 

 in shape by thinning out a number of the smaller branches, so as 

 to show more of the trunk and main limbs, or by shortening 

 large branches so as to cut into the outline ; and a tree which is 

 already taking a good shape may have the characteristics of 

 that shape aggravated by thinning out a number of branches, so 

 as to throw all the strength of the tree into branches already 

 large. Remarkable artificial characters may be given to trees 

 by various modes. In the case of the pine and fir tribe, by 

 removing entirely every alternate tier of branches, or by leaving 

 any one tier out of three during the whole length of the stem, 

 the branches which form the remaining tiers will acquire an 

 extraordinary size, and produce a noble candelabrum-like appear- 

 ance. In the spruce and silver fir the effect of this mode of 

 pruning is very remarkable. Heading down the pine and fir 

 tribe, by strengthening the horizontal branches, induces them to 

 extend so far as to rest on the ground, and then to curve up- 

 wards towards the extremities, so as to form singular objects. 

 In this way a coppice of spruce fir is sometimes formed for the 

 protection of game. Cutting over large, healthy, broad-leaved 

 trees, such as the oak, elm, beech, &c, at the height of 10 or 



