MISCELLANEOUS HARDY FRUITS. 



255 



are found to be a good manure, and the decayed 

 primings and foliage of the trees themselves are 

 likewise used with advantage. Manure is ap- 

 plied by laying it on after having removed the 

 surface soil for some distance round the tree in 

 autumn. When the soil is removed, all suckers 

 should be carefully eradicated, otherwise manur- 

 ing will be of little avail, for the nourishment 

 afforded by the manure will be carried by the sap 

 into the suckers rather than through the vessels 

 of the old stem. Keeping the plants clear of 

 suckers is a most important point in the cultiva- 

 tion of the Hazel-nut; if, indeed, it is not of all 

 others the most important. 



Pruning. — The plants should be reared, in 

 the first instance, with a single stem, which in 

 autumn should be topped at 18 inches from 

 the ground. If after the final planting the stem 

 should appear too weak, it will be advisable to 

 allow the plant to grow unchecked, except in 

 respect to suckers, none of which should be 

 permitted to expand their foliage, but must be 

 removed as soon as they can be discovered. 



When the plants have grown for one season, 

 those that have too weak stems should be cut 

 dow r n near the ground, and only the strongest 

 one of the shoots which subsequently push 

 should be permitted to grow. It should be 

 trained erect during the summer, and cut back 

 in autumn to 18 inches from the ground. This 

 constitutes the upright stem, 1 foot of which 

 should always be kept quite clear' of shoots. If 

 above this height six sufficiently strong shoots 

 push, let them be inclined outwards and at equal 

 distances from each other. This can be done 

 with the greatest regularity by means of a hoop 

 placed in the centre. If six good shoots cannot 

 be obtained, select three of the best, and endeav- 

 our to grow these three of equal strength during 

 the summer, and cut them back to within 4 or 



5 inches from their base. In the following 

 summer two shoots from each of these three 

 will become the origin of six branches for form- 

 ing the head. The leading shoots of these 

 branches require to be shortened more or less 

 at every winter pruning. How far they should 

 be shortened back depends on the soil and 

 climate. The object is to cause the shoot to 

 push laterals along its whole length, instead 

 of being naked near its base, as would other- 

 wise be the case; and this will be ensured by 

 cutting off two -thirds; but one-half or one- 

 third may, under some circumstances, be found 

 sufficient. 



In Kent, the trees are not allowed to exceed 



6 feet in height, and in many cases not more 



than 4J or 5 feet. In consequence of the lead- 

 ing shoots being thus shortened, laterals will be 

 abundantly produced. If any of these are 

 likely to grow too strong, they should be 

 checked by pinching. In autumn, the laterals 

 should be shortened back nearly close to the 

 stem, and in consequence of this two or more 

 shoots will push from their bases, which would 

 not otherwise have been the case. If the plant 

 is not growing too luxuriantly to wood, these 

 shoots will bear fruit. If they are too numerous 

 they should be thinned; and if any are too strong 

 for the others, they should be checked, for by 

 this means the flow of sap will be equalized, and 

 then not only will productiveness be induced, 

 but the fruit will be well nourished and of large 

 size. It should, however, be borne in mind, that 

 if any shoot is allowed to push with excessive 

 vigour in any part of the tree, the fruitfulness 

 of the other parts will be rendered uncertain. 



It should be understood that the Hazel-nut is 

 monoecious, that is, separate male and female 

 flowers are produced on the same plant (see 

 fig. 1041). The male flowers, those long pen- 

 dulous catkins, appear in winter; but the female 

 flowers are not visible till spring, and are then 

 rather inconspicuous. The bud containing a 

 female flower is a little more plump than the 

 ordinary wood-buds, and from its apex several 

 deep crimson thread-like styles are protruded in 

 spring. The pollen of the male flowers being 

 essential to fertilization, if there are no catkins, 

 or if they are cut off in pruning before the 

 female flowers appear, there can be no fruit. 

 It is, therefore, necessary to save a good number 

 of catkins when the trees are pruned; if this 

 can be done, it is best to prune in January, but 

 if the catkins are scarce it is advisable to delay 

 pruning till the female blossoms have been for 

 some time expanded; and even then, if the cat- 

 kins are so situated that, in order to give the 

 tree a symmetrical form, they would have to be 

 cut away, it is well to leave some of the shoots 

 which are best furnished with male blossoms, 

 for a week longer. In cases where the catkins 

 have been badly injured hy frosts, or are very 

 scarce, branches well furnished with them may 

 be cut from the common Hazel and fixed among 

 the branches of the cultivated trees; the pollen 

 from these branches will then fertilize the 

 female blossoms. 



As already observed, the laterals generally 

 bear the fruit. They should be shortened to a 

 female blossom-bud as early in spring as these 

 can be discerned. Occasionally some of the 

 shortest twigs, with a flower -bud at the ex- 



