Frsevary 2, 1895.] 
THE GARDENEKS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
137 
case of experiments, none of less than seven years 
he best quality for economic 
Ad ys alphabetical, 
‘loos nica (Greek Silver Fir), — Age, 
et; soil, gravelly 
where it has 
of the same age 
firm, medium in weight, and the quantity of resin it 
contains, and works smoothly, and takes a good 
li Used for forming side of temporary shed. 
eleven 22 and given general satisfaction. 
balsam KD gn e from the beautiful yellowish- 
BS ao at the time of felling, — 
perceptible for many yards away, an 
mented upon by the woodmen engaged in felling isi 
removing the specimen, I think the timber is quite 
equal to that of Silver Fir of similar age, but more 
resinous, and weightier. 
. lasiocarpa (? A, Lowiana).— Age 18 years; 
cubic contents — teet; soil peaty. Timber much like 
tbat of the foregoing, and equally dark in colour, 
but proportionately lighter. Lasting quality not 
— when compared with Scotch Fir of 
sam i 
—Age 42 years; cubic contents 47 feet ; 
vial deposit. Timber of good quality, 
cream colour, though the latter varies 3 accord- 
ing to soil, that produced on gravel at higher alti- 
tudes being reddish-yellow, rth uch harder; 
indeed, the difference was so great in * that 
on placing the boards side by side they could 
ot be recognised as that of the same species, 
am much pleased with the “any of the timber of 
this tree, and consider that it is quite equal to that 
of the Silver Fir, but the quality is evidently greatly 
affected by soil and site. 
A, manniana (Nordmann’s 
or Silver Fir). — 
Oldest tree 53 years, but others of 
` 5 5 
doors, ba it has been proved superior to that of 
the Silver Fir of even age. Specimens of the 
timber 8 boggy soils in Ireland are remarkably 
hard and fine grained, clearly proving that the tree 
is of great merit for afforesting peat bogs. From 
the experiments of nearly fifteen years standing, 
am confidently expecting that che Nordmann Fir will 
e a valuable timber - producing tree in this 
untry. 
bh 
p Pinsapo (Spanish Silver Fir).—Age o 
years; cubic contents 47 feet 
loam resting on gravel. 
of tree 
t; soil sand 
Timber of no great value, 
being brittle, and soon apt to ee pir hard to 
convert on account of 5 branchy s It re- 
sembles that of the Silver Fir in colour 
A, Webbiana (Captain Webb’s Silver 7 — 
Age 23 years ; cubic contents 2 
ich alluvial 
21 
e changes of weather on an exposed shed for 
nine tons? 3 
a (Chile Pine). — Age of trees 
47 and 52 years; hae contents 38 and 51 feet; soil 
in both instances lo 
work, but when manufactured 
into household furniture it lasts well, ten years not 
seeming to have changed the wood in the least. The 
timber of trees up to, say, 20 years is notorious for 
its ts decay. 
as ta (Lebanon Cedar).—Age of trees 
99 wale ai 130 years ; soil in both cases inclined 
b ic tents 153 and 231 feet 
er 1 brittle though 
long grained, light, easily worked, and susceptible of 
a good polish, I cannot agree with those who state 
hat the timber is by no means durable, for my own 
experiments demonstrate that it is in this respect of 
considerable value, It is certainly apt to snap short, 
and i is W denne but for all that it 1 of good 
sh 
p- 
—.— — was pee” of this wood — 
years ago, and after being subjected to * and 
e ak 8 for it rs sunk in the soil, the 
boar en removed las t year, was throughout 
erri 8 though dark in appearance. The 
tree from which th t was close 
upon a hundred years old, having been planted 
by the great statesman See Pitt, when he 
owned the Holwood property in ae The 
boards were fully 2 inches thick, 
widths up to 2 feet, and the trough i * long by 
feet wide. sition in whic e ti as 
placed was one of the most trying, i being sunk in 
the soil, and only filled with water during the sheep- 
shearing season, the vicissitudes of drought and 
damp were very considerable, and well fitted to test 
the quality of woods. Immature wood of the 
Lebanon Cedar decays pad particu arin biren 
D 
placed out of doors, though when kept tantly 
in a dry and equable ental, 10 is fairly —— 
In some of the N large specimens which have 
been converted at Wobur 
ic 
3 I consider the 
timber very n e rch i 
ap 1 ie a a quality, but it is not so 
A, D, Web 
elastic, 
(To be continued.) 
PRUNING STANDARD FRUIT 
TREES. 
Sranparp fruit trees are often 
years, and allowed to attain a large'size ; aud when 
eventually they fail 5 de 9 . are taken in 
and e ned, 
and severely lt that 
canker, worthl — nd — — ensue, Too 
pruning is m harmfal than its total 
omission; and in the case of large standard trees, it 
is well to proceed carefully if they have been leſt to 
themselves for any length of time. It is useless to 
head down old trees, and cut out ‘as much wood in 
one year as would have been taken out in fifteen or 
twenty years if proper thinning and the removal of 
useless wood had taken place. I am not an advocate 
for the let-alone system; but in the case of standard 
trees, it is useless to cut severely whilst allowing the 
roots to have full play, the result being a forest of 
leafy shoots which do not ripen, and are too wea 
to produce fruit, I once had an orchard of trees 
which were of good age, and before I took charge of 
them they had been topped, and in some opisz piga to 
15 feet of wood had been cut away, sites 8 pre- 
sented a shaven appearance, spacers hose a aded 
for grafting; but as the maha were good, 
intended to 8 fruitfuln having 
ecome so crow strong e e were need 
here was a poor prospect of frui some time, 
and every prospect of canker. I allowed the trees to 
ow freely for a couple of years, not using the knife 
until the third season, 1 then merely cut out the 
full length, and these bore nice fruits, 2 this time 
dae pal of wood had been rectified, and the roots 
work to do, fruit-buds — rely. By 
this severe — four senso asted, and 
i n used every e, eee 
short time ago some had been removed owing te 
unpruned for oe 
canker. Some varieties will not stand such treat- 
ment, no matter how well treated afterward 
i *. my note on pruning, and 
ter is this—avoid severe cutting 
at one W id e 
cut yearly, when given a year or two's grace, h 
given as much fruit in one year as in a baaa when 
severely cut and kept in shape. It is necessary to 
cut in some cases, but in many others — would 
gross do 3 roots. In the case of 
orchard trees having a mass of tangled growth, I 
would do the — carefully, and take a number of 
years in remo euch wood, which is far better 
than half killing ‘the trees at one stroke. The 
stronger measures have been taken, but the crop 
ill perior, and the fruits produced will be 
of good market value. Instead of a crop o 
worthless fruit once in a few 
most seasons, be regular crops, and cléan, healthy 
trees, G. W 
BOOK NOTICE 
A Be ha TREATISE ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF 
PLANTS FOR THE USE OF GARDENERS OR FOR 
CULTURE, i ul Sorauer, Director of 
the Experimental Station at the Royal Pomi- 
logical Institute in Proskau ; translated by F. B 
„B. Sc., F. L. S,, Pro of Botany a 
Owen's College, Manchester. With thirty-three 
cna (London: Longman, Gree 
Co., 870, pp. 232 ) 
In the pee e of technical instruction = 
in the appointment DS the County 
itinerant lecturers, we with great 
u we Ve nou 
sed to urge for the pen e quarter of 0 eg 
er and over n we have pointed out in these 
erg he our deficiencies in * respect, and have 
how 
another quarter of a century to put us on a level in 
is matter with other more progressive nations, 
It is otherwise with the practice of gardening. 
We have, we believe, arrived at 
possible from practice alone; bu ted that thi 
80, re not relatively in advance of 
forefathers. The superiori position arises 
at our 1 not from any i 8 
our parts. en t 
tions, our een = their way were 
cultivators as we, but they had not t 
of cheap glass, — fuel, tenia heating 
dleas new varieties imported 
raised here by the hybridiser, and 
ma an con conditions 2 different localities. 
Prac d experience must always be of fore- 
at our 
thing more than skill is required, 
something is knowledge. A general — of 
the physiology of ta is an requisite 
to the gardener, but till uy e very few 
had even the most rudi acquaintance with 
the subject! As we bave said, we see the dawn of 
the indicationa we may 
better things, and among wx 
mention the lication of the ume, 
Professor Weiss tells ia that in lecturing 7 gar- 
deners on vegetable physiology e hester 
Botanic Gardens he — the want of a book that he 
could place in the hands of his pupils, which, while 
siring them a n scientifc aceotint of the 
