THE FILBERT. * 237 



tied to add one fourth of it to the water used in syring 

 ing. 



This is but an imperfect outline of the management of 

 a cold grapery. Those who wish full information on all 

 points of the subject, should consult Allen's excellent 

 work, which treats of all kinds of graperies and tho5T 

 management in complete detail. 



Section 9. — Pkijning and Training the Filbert. 



The filbert in this country is a neglected fruit. It is 

 Seldom found in the garden, and more rarely still in a 

 prolific, well-grown condition. Of all other trees, it re- 

 quires regular and proper pruning to maintain its fruitful- 

 ness. The blossoms are monoecious — that is, the male 

 organs which are in long catkins (fig. 36), are produced 

 from one bud, and the female flowers from another. 



The blossom or fruit buds are produced on shoots of one 

 year's growth, and bear fruit the next. The fruit is borne 

 in a cluster on the end of a small twig produced from the 

 bud bearing the female organs. 



It is said that in the neighborhood of Maidstone, county 

 of Kent, England, the filbert orchards occupy several 

 hundred acres, and from these the principal supply of the 

 London market is obtained. One acre has been known to 

 produce £50 sterling, or $250 worth, in one season. The 

 pruning of these Kent growers is supposed to be most 

 perfect of its kii^d, especially for their soil and climate. 

 It is described as follows in the " Transactions of the Lon- 

 don Horticultural Society :" 



" The suckers are taken from the parent plant generally in the 

 autumn, and planted in nursery beds (being first shortened to ten 

 or twelve inches), where they remain three or four years? They 

 are slightly pruned every year, in order to form strong lateral 

 .shoots, the number of which varies from four to six. But though 



46 



