61 
ON DISBUDDING FLOWERING PLANTS. 
We have often asserted that, if the process employed in the cultivation of 
superior fruits, were more largely adopted among flower-growers, a great and 
immediate improvement, both in the appearance and produce of exotics would be 
the result. The care bestowed on some kinds of fruit trees, and the skill exhibited 
in their management, are quite remarkable when contrasted with the indifference 
manifested to such expedients by the agents of floriculture. 
In former papers, we have pointed out two or three things in which the 
floriculturist would do well to imitate the fruit-grower ; and we shall here ask 
attention to a very simple plan in use by the latter class, which is evidently 
productive of the happiest consequences, but which has not, as far as we can learn, 
been much or scarcely at all applied to flowering species. 
Every experienced grower of Peach, Apricot, and Nectarine trees, is unques- 
tionably an advocate and a practitioner of the process of disbudding ; going over 
them a little before the present period, or later, according to the earliness of the 
season, and removing carefully all those pushing buds that would appear to furnish 
unnecessary branches ; or, in fact, such as, if left to perfect themselves, would have 
to be cut away in winter. 
Now the philosophy of this practice is exceedingly obvious. By preventing 
the tree from developing superfluous shoots, its strength is clearly husbanded, and 
tlirown into those branches wdiicli remain ; and which are thereby rendered stouter 
and more robust, as well as better capable of bearing fine fruit and equally vigorous 
new branches in the succeeding summer. 
As we have lately insisted much on the advantage of stopping the young shoots 
of exotics while in a progressing state, in order to make them additionally bushy, 
and as, in the case of plants that branch freely when so stopped, we have noticed 
the principle carried to an extreme ; we deem it right here to suggest the means 
by whicli such a result may be obviated, and to show the desirableness of limiting 
the practice, in particular instances. The mode by which we propose accomplish- 
ing the reduction of shoots that are, from pruning or other causes, forming too 
numerously, is by disbudding, in early spring, as is done with Peach trees, &c. 
The only plant on which we have ever seen the system adopted, — and that but 
very sparingly and seldom, — is the common garden Hydrangea. This species is 
known to bear its rich clusters of flowers on the summits of the young shoots ; and 
when these are desired to be particularly large, all the buds are abstracted from 
each stem (save one or two of the principal) as soon as they show themselves. 
These reserved buds are then encouraged to unfold themselves luxuriantly, by 
the aid of a mulching of manure on the soil, or by manure water, and thus the 
noble bunches of bloom met with in exhibitions are obtained. In this example, 
