FILBERT AND NUT. 187 



ledge seems to have descended from father to son 

 for generations, and a very useful portion of rustic 

 knowledge it is. Here the author begs to observe, 

 how much more valuable is the knowledge which has 

 been gained by the mere dint of practical experience, 

 compared with that emanating from theoretical 

 writers, who bury what they really know of practical 

 matters beneath a load of hard names and learned 

 quotations, which only serve to puzzle rather than 

 inform the reader. So much of this kind of writing 

 is now extant, that, though read over and over again, 

 and even committed to memory, the reader would 

 not be so wise during his whole life (especially 

 as respects the pruning of the filbert) as a visit 

 to Maidstone would make him in one hour. 



The principle of the Maidstone pruners appears 

 ta be this ; to check and control the natural growth, 

 and thereby bring forth the fruit-bearing principle 

 in greater force and energy. After training the tree 

 to a dwarfed habit, they allow it to expend its 

 strength in no other way than in the production of 

 flowers and fruit. The filbert is naturally only a 

 shrub, or small tree, and the cultivator makes it still 

 less for his convenience, in pruning and gathering the 

 fruit. That style of pruning, which is found the 

 best for the currant, is also the best for the filbert. 



The young plants which are chosen by the Maid- 

 stone growers are such as have been raised from 

 layers, and which have been lined or bedded out in 

 the nursery for two or three years. Each plant 

 should have one strong upright shoot, of not less 



