22 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDEXIXG. 



dotted lines. This is not theory, but simple fact, and a 

 hald record of e very-day experience. Hence the prac- 

 tices of tying down Vines, and twisting the branches 

 of fruit-trees in various ways to bring forth shoots 

 where wanted, and to force all the buds, in such 

 plants as the Grape-vine, to break almost simulta- 

 neously, and with an equality of vital force and 

 growing power. The cordon, Fig. 30, is another 

 illustration of the same jDrinciplc, and I have not 

 seldom converted cordons into a loose hoop towards 

 the autumn, to equalise the powers of growth, and 

 especially to plumj) up the base-buds of free-growing 

 shoots. 



The Common Orchard Apple - trees. — 



This (Fig. 31) is almost too well known to require 

 much to be said about it. A great many varieties 

 of Apples will grow up into this form if simply left to 

 themselves. After planting in such soil and in such 

 manner as have been already pointed out, most of 

 them do much better if a little pruning and training 

 is given for the first five years or so of their life. 

 Less formality is needed, and more freedom should 

 be given than is desirable or possible with most 

 of the other forms. Still, cross and badly-placed 

 shoots should be promptly removed, and overcrowd- 

 ing avoided if the trees are expected to last long in 

 health, and continue fertile. 



A glance at Fig. 31 will show that the main 

 . branches were well started, and the top is fairly- 

 open, though so freely furnished. Some contend 

 vigorously for orchard trees with open centres, 

 severely pruned into form. Round-headed trees, 

 however, are to be preferred for the orchard, inas- 

 much as they are more picturesque as well as more 

 profitable, and the far-spreading boughs afford one 

 of the most potent means of protection to the trees 

 against spring frosts. 



During their earlier stages, orchard trees should 

 be carefully pruned and trained if needful, to fur- 

 nish sufiicient base-wood well posted. But once 

 form and fertility are firmly established, give 

 them their heads, and prune or train but little, or 

 not at all. 



This does not run counter to the instructions 

 already given — circumstances alter cases. In fruit 

 gardens the exigencies of space, conveniences of cul- 

 ture, and even the pleasures of manipulating fruit- 

 trees, watching, gathering, and enjoying their pro- 

 duce, plead for small trees, and of course repressive 

 measures of pruning and training to keep them so. 

 But in the orchard, that charming border-land be- 

 tween lawn and park, so often the joy of childhood 

 and the delight of age, the larger in reason the trees 

 grow the better, so long as fertility runs abreast 

 of growth, and hence thci soundness of the advice. 



prune them not at all. Leave well alone, amid the 

 orchard trees, and sheathe the knife, unless wanted 

 to amputate weakly and diseased limbs, or prevent or 

 cure overcrowding. 



FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



By Eichard Dean. 



The Polyanthus. — This is generally known as 

 Primula veris, and in all probability originated from 

 a cross between the Cowslip and the Common Prim- 

 rose, P. vulgaris. Polyanthus is derived from two 

 Greek words, and means many-flowered; that is 

 to say, instead of having the individual flowers 

 attached to a stem rising up from the roots, it 

 throws up a stout petiole or flower-stalk, from the 

 point of which branch out many flowers on short 

 stems, and so it is spoken of by florists as a 

 "truss." Polyanthuses ai-e now divided into two 

 main classes, viz., the Gold-laced, and the Fancy or 

 Giant varieties. 



Gold-laced Fohjanthuscs. — These have for many 

 years been a marked favourite of the florists of Lan- 

 cashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and other of the 

 Xorthern and Midland counties, and in Scotland, 

 where they are much grown for exhibition purposes. 

 In the case of the Gold-laced varieties, the centre of the 

 flowers, and the sides and ^Joints of the seg-ments, are 

 edged with gold. A perfect flower is very beautiful ; 

 those who make the Gold-laced Polyanthuses pets, 

 speak and write of them in enthusiastic terms. One 

 of them states : " My flower is the Polyanthus : a 

 gem, than which no flower can more justly lay claim 

 to the title of being beautiful. Its varied tints, tlie 

 richness of its colouring, the grace and elegance of 

 its form, agreeable fragrance, easy projmgation, 

 hardy nature, and being one of Flora's early visi- 

 tors, it is welcomed with no ordinary feeling of 

 satisfaction by every one who possesses the least taste 

 for flowers." 



A cultivator of Gold - laced Polyanthuses re- 

 quires that what he regards as a fine variety 

 should possess the following characteristics : — The 

 stem strong, elastic, and erect, and of such a height 

 that the truss of flowers may be above the grass or 

 leaves of the plant. The foot- stalk stitf, and of a 

 proportionable length to the size and quantity of 

 the pips, as the individual flowers forming the truss 

 are termed : these, not less than five in number, and 

 more, that the truss may be close and complete. The 

 pipe, tube, or centre of the pip should rise above the 

 surrounding surface, be short, and finish fluted to the 

 eye ; the anthers cover the neck of the tube : this is 

 what the fiorists term a thnun eye. When the style 



