714 



APPENDIX. 



tions is undiminished. There is a period in all trees when this force is so diminished, 

 that small short shoots only are produced, and this is the period of maturity or 

 fruitfulness. This period may no doubt be hastened by disbudding and disleafing, 

 but is apt to engender disease ; it is like taking away a part of the stomach and 

 lungs, to hinder the development of absorbent lacteals, and is dangerous. A safer 

 way is to cramp the development of the whole, by limiting the food, by making 

 the soil poor. The allowing the border to lie unstirred has partly the same effect. 

 The action between the heat, moisture, and gases of the atmosphere on the roots is 

 diminished, and in vigorous growing varieties, and rich borders, is beneficial by 

 impoverishing. The best way of all, however, is to allow the tree to come to 

 maturity, by laying in as much young wood, and giving as much extent as requisite ; 

 and the period will arrive sooner or later, according to the inherent vigour of the 

 variety, the richness of the soil, and warmth and light of the climate, when short 

 shoots only will be produced, and these fruitful. That giving extent will moderate 

 vigour cannot certainly be doubted, otherwise there would be no limit to the size 

 of trees. Though, perhaps, not a mere evolution of parts already formed, which is 

 an obscure subject, and one which will perhaps never be in our power to resolve, 

 yet there is certainly a limit to expansive power. It may be, and undoubtedly is, 

 greater in favourable than unfavourable situations, but has always yet been limited, 

 as a certain extent can be named which trees have not yet been found to exceed ; 

 whether from an inherent limit in the power itself, or the circumstances in which it 

 is placed, is likely to be for ever incapable of determination. 



1384, in p. 630. — In di'y sandy poor soils, the cabbage-plants are found to club 

 at the roots, fully as readily as in good loamy soils. Where there is not a suffi- 

 ciency of plants without club at the roots, it has been found beneficial to cut out 

 the protuberance, and destroy the insect. A sifting of soot and coal ashes on the 

 surface has been generally found to aid in preventing the attacks of these insects, 

 and also of the turnip beetle. 



1406, in p. 639. — In this quai'ter of the country great failures in the crop of 

 potatoes have occurred, to guard against which the best method is to plant the 

 ground as moist as possible, and use well-rotted manure and vigorous unripe sets ; 

 drought in planting-time long continued in spring having been found most prejudi- 

 cial. See R. Symburn, "On the Culture and Preservation of Potatoes," in 

 Gard. Mag. vol. xvi. p. 20. 



1411, in p. 642. — The old everlasting potato (a small round sort) introduced by 

 the Messrs. Falla, of Newcastle, and the later introduced small white kidney, 

 called Fairy, have both the same properties as the above, of Messrs, Chapmans, 

 producing great swarms of small thin-skinned waxy potatoes which, being covered 

 with haulm, afford a dish of young potatoes through the whole winter. 



1415, in p. 644. — Potatoes that are greened possess more inherent vigour in the 

 sets : the potato is a bud, or collection of buds, on an under-ground stem ; and a 

 greened one has as much more vigour as the stem of an unblanched plant would 

 possess over that of a blanched one. The young shoot will rise stronger, and the 

 greened skin will not be so easily affected by weather. 



