JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 1, 1878. 
fair-sized tree against a cottage will often pay a year’s rent, 
and in addition to the paying part of the question it affords 
the prettiest clothing a cottage can possibly have. They need 
little attention in the way of pruning and training—indeed, 
they generally get too much, summer pruning and training 
being quite a superfluity unless the trees are growing very 
vigorously. From the middle of October to the middle of 
December is the best time to give them their pruning, and this 
consists in merely cutting out the weakest wood and that 
which has borne heavily. If insects have been troublesome, 
and there is any danger of their lurking in the shreds and 
crevices, it is best to unnail the trees entirely, so that the wall 
can be syringed or painted as well as the trees with something 
to make sure work of the enemy, bunching the branches up 
and slinging them to the wall or to stakes driven firmly into 
the ground. Nailing may be done at any time before the 
flowers expand provided the branches are not tied up too 
closely, but pruning should always be completed before Christ- 
mas. The most difficult as well as one of the most important 
things in Morello culture is the disbudding, and this, perhaps, 
had better stand over till the time comes round for it ; for the 
present it must suffice to say that all misplaced shoots and 
those which are not likely to be wanted for succession are to 
be picked carefully off as soon as they are large enough to get 
hold of, while those which are left are allowed to grow in their 
natural manner till the following pruning time, when there is 
no difficulty in fitting them to their proper places. This mode 
of culture may not suit those who think more of trees trained 
in some fanciful form than they do of a crop of fruit, but as 
regards fruit-producing it is quite successful. Black aphis 
used to be a terrible plague to us before the days of duty-free 
ground tobacco, but a taste of this on any affected shoot soon 
makes clean work. 
Some of the Plums I have proved to do exceedingly well on 
a north wall, and there are doubtless many others which 
would do equally well. Those I recommend from experience 
are Victoria, White Magnum Bonum, Golden Drop, Orleans, 
and Blue Perdrigon. I also recommend for trial in the same 
position Jefferson’s, Cooper’s Large. Impératrice. Mirabelle, and 
some of Mr. Rivers’s early kinds. Marie Louise Pear is said 
by some people to do well in a northern aspect, and is worth 
trial. Of Currants, White Dutch and Red Grape are, I think, 
the best ; and of Gooseberries Warrington and Red Champagne. 
And here I must utter a word of caution to those who con- 
template following the Longleat plan of fitting up permanent 
netting for the preservation of Gooseberries and other fruits, 
and ask them to take a lesson from my partial failure. It is 
quite as necessary here to protect the buds in winter as it is 
the fruit in autumn, and I took fully into account that we 
should haye extra labour in looking after the ordinary Goose- 
berry caterpillar when the birds were excluded. This was 
carefully attended to, and an almost clean sweep was made of 
the variegated host ; but another enemy clothed in emerald has 
stolen in unawares, and a large portion of the trees became 
leafless in two days. The fly which produced this is not so 
Jarge as that which produces the ordinary Gooseberry cater- 
pillar. Of course I was not aware of the existence of this 
pest or I should have taken means for its eradication during 
winter. In future, however, if I build a Gooseberry house the 
roof will be moveable, to be taken off after the buds have 
started growing and replaced when the fruit is approaching 
- the ripening stage, thus protecting from bud and fruit-eaters, 
and allowing our friends the insect-feeders to help us as they 
are always anxious to do. I enclose specimens of my new 
enemy in three stages, as well as two ordinary Gooseberry 
caterpillars.—W. TAYLOR. 
[The larger specimens sent with the enclosed are only larve 
of the Gooseberry Sawfly (Nematus Grossulariz), perhaps: 
rather paler than the usual type. The small cocoons accom- 
panying appear to be those of an ichneumonidean parasite 
that has been attacking the Sawfly larve. The latter not un- 
frequently defoliate the bushes in June or July, and the eggs 
ought to be looked after at an earlier period of the season. 
Shaking the bushes or hand-picking is the only remedy now. 
—J.R.S. C.] 
DISBUDDING ROSES. 
I HAVE already said something, but 1 wish to put in a dis- 
timct plea against the present practice of disbudding Roses. 
Since the Rose show month my Roses haye been doing exactly 
as they liked. They have been distinctly let alone, and the 
result is to confirm me in my previous opinion—how much 
many lose by being shown without their buds; no doubt we 
obtain them larger, but in how very many instances the 
character of the class is entirely destroyed! Ihave before me 
a most lovely Marquise de Castellane with four buds ; it might 
be a little small for “the box,” but it is much nearer to per- 
fection after its kind, and I incline to think that the foliage 
surrounding comes also broader and more profuse where the 
habit is not interfered with. This most remarkable season, in 
my case a perfect second season of blossom at the end of July, 
gives an opportunity of observing which the industrious ex- 
hibitor seldom obtains. 
I am almost prepared to advocate forbidding all disbudding. 
Let as many little side blooms go as you please, but I would 
not have the three or four left on the exhibition bush at all 
interfered with. The sorts which have no buds can be as big 
as they please. With such a character as Paul Neyron, a large 
small family will really be found acting as a sort of wholesome 
check upon him. If this be thought impracticable could not our 
rulers of the National establish one class for Roses that have 
never been tampered with? Such are my sentiments. As an 
Trish poet remarked in his own day :— 
“ Lesbia wears a robe of gold, 
But all so tight the nymph has laced it, 
Not a charm of beauty’s mould 
Presumes to stay where Nature placed it! 
Oh! my Norah’s robe for me, 
That floats as wild as mountain breezes, 
Leaving every feature free 
To rise or fall as Nature pleases!” 
—A.C. 
NOTES ON POTATOES. 
OwIné to the singular absence of frosts in late spring early 
Potatoes, which are so often injured in their early stages of 
growth, grew on comparatively unchecked. The rains of May 
and early June succeeding rendered the growth generally 
strong, and the heat and drought of July has accelerated the 
ripening of thetubers. I have never had, nor remember having 
seen, more satisfactory crops of early varieties than are now 
being dug for daily use. Although the haulm is still com- 
paratively green the tubers, in consequence of the drought, are 
of superior quality, and they are as yet untainted with disease. 
It is of the greatest importance that the crops now sound 
and good should be kept so, and so far as I know—and I have 
made many experiments—there is only one way of doing it, and 
that is by digging them up and storing them carefully. 
Of late years the rule in regard to weather changes has been 
the setting-in of distinctly marked periods of intense heat and 
drought extending over several weeks, and then, as if Nature 
was affording compensation, a term has followed of incessant 
and protracted rains. Already we have had an example of 
these extreme changes. We had the rainy period of May, 
followed by the drought period of July. Rain is again due. 
It may come quickly; even before these notes are printed, and 
it may be both heavy and long-continued. In that case the 
early Potatoes if left in the ground will be much injured—it 
may be ruined. Hyen if they are not overtaken with the 
murrain they will commence growing again (supertuberating), 
and the produce will lose much of its present high value. 
Within a week from the date of writing (July 25th) I shall 
not, weather permitting, have a single root of early Potatoes 
left in the ground. Wherever I find the tubers have about 
attained their full size they will be taken up, even if their 
skins are not firmly set, and if the foliage is yet unwithered. 
All the varieties of Ashleaf are ready for lifting, as also are 
some of the earlier of the American sorts. The tubers will be 
spread as thinly as circumstances permit in a dark place—as 
dark as pitch for those intended for cooking purposes, but 
those for planting will not be injured by having some light, 
but exposing them at once to the sun I have found more in- 
jurious than beneficial. By a little forethought and scheming 
shelter can mostly be improvised for the tubers, which in the 
case of the earliest sorts seldom amount to many sacks, and 
they are at least as worthy of extra effort and special care as is 
often exercised in wintering scarlet Geraniums. The safety of 
digging-up Potatoes before they are thoroughly matured has 
been strongly advocated in your pages by Messrs. Luckhurst, 
Wright, “A NORTHERN GARDENER,” and others, and many 
years of experience warrant me in confirming what has been. 
published as to the excellency and usefulness of the practice 
then and now recommended. 
Although the disease has not yet manifested itself to any 
