384 
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Holo and lolicre to groio them. 
The Filbert may be economically grown on the borders of 
plantations or orchards, or in open spots in woods, or in rows on 
either side of a road or footpath, so as to form an agreeable 
shade. When grown for market pm^poses in plantations made 
iu the autumn, the ground should be well drained, the trees 
placed at a distance of 12 feet apart and 12 feet from row 
to row ; sometimes they are grown 24 feet apart, with an Apple, 
Plum, or some other fruit-tree between. This is a very 
economical plan, because when the crop of nuts is small the 
crop of fruit may be large. Some growers give a space of nine 
feet between, and some even less than this. The late Mr. 
Richard Webb planted his trees in squares 8 feet 8 inches 
apart. I prefer planting them in squares 12 feet apart, or, 
where other fruit-trees are grown with them, 24 feet apart in 
the rows, and the rows 12 feet apart. 
Soil. 
Filberts thrive best in a rich, dry loam, deeply worked, 
with a rocky or stony bottom ; but in a rich soil it is difticult 
to bring them into an early bearing state. 
In and around Maidstone the soil upon which the nuts are 
planted varies very much, but, generally speaking, it is a rich 
loam, with a subsoil of limestone or Kentish ragstone. This 
kind of soil seems particularly suitable to the Filbert. Ground 
good for Hops is also good for Filberts. A clay or stiff loam 
containing an abundance of Hints also suits them well. There 
are some kinds of Filberts which seem to do well in almost any 
kind of soil ; indeed they will grow wherever the common Hazel 
is to be found. 
Pruning. 
To obtain a good tree the practice in Kent is to select a stout 
upright slioot 8 feet or more in length ; this is cut down to about 
18 inches, of which the lower twelve are kept free from out- 
growtli. The head is pruned to form six or eight strong 
branches, and l)y judicious use of the knife, and by training, 
preferably on a lioop placed within them, they are caused to grow 
