HAARLEM. 173 



fairly set or formed, requires five or six months to swell 

 and arrive at maturity, and as the new wood for next sea- 

 son is not at present (29th August) nearly ripe, this state- 

 ment must doubtless be received with some qualification. 

 The same tree, we understand, is to be again forced next 

 spring ; but it certainly cannot then be expected to pro- 

 duce a third part of the number mentioned. The princi- 

 pal produce of the apricot-tree, as is well known, is from 

 the new wood ; but some flower-buds generally appear on 

 the older spurs ; and on these last must next year's preca- 

 rious crop depend. 



Raspberries are here forced, in the mode practised with 

 vines at the Baron de Vroeylande's near Ghent *. The 

 bushes are planted on the north and south sides of a pit, 

 filled with tanners-bark, leaves, or stable-litter. The shoots 

 of last year were at this time laid down to a horizontal 

 trellis, where they had yielded fruit in the vernal months. 

 All means of artificial heat were now, of course, removed. 

 The shoots of this year were allowed to spring upright ; 

 and these will, in their turn, be laid down to the trel- 

 lis at the approach of winter, when the others will be cut 

 away. The gardener told us, that raspberry plants thus 

 treated yield large crops ; and doubtless they are much bet- 

 ter adapted for this mode of forcing than vines. We do 

 not recollect to have observed this plan of procuring early 

 raspberries practised in our own country. Where the fruit 

 is relished by the family, it may probably be deserving of 

 a trial in private gardens ; and where, as at Covent-Gar- 

 den, it is likely that the prices procured would reward the 

 expence and trouble bestowed, it might even be worth the 

 attention of the market-gardener. 



* Supra, page 62. 



