CULTURE OF POMEGRANATES. 
65 
then be potted off separately, and again plunged in a brisk heat, until they have 
established themselves : they may then be gradually hardened, until they will bear 
the temperature of the greenhouse, carefully repotting when required. The second 
year after they are struck they may be turned out, under a south wall, in front of a 
stove or greenhouse. Where they are intended to be planted, take out the soil to 
about the depth of twelve inches, and lay at the bottom about three inches thick of 
broken bricks, or other hard rubble, to prevent the roots from striking deep, and 
induce them to run near the surface, for if once they get deep, however suitable 
the soil may be for their growth, they will flower but very partially. Fill up the 
trench with a good strong rich loam, mixed with a small portion of sand, if it is 
inclined to bind. Some persons recommend a light sandy soil to grow them in : 
some years ago I tried the experiment, and although the plants grew very healthy 
and vigorous, they did not show the least inclination to flower. 
Pruning. — Proper pruning will greatly assist their flowering. All the flowers 
are produced at the extremities of the 
young branches formed the same year, care 
should therefore be taken to bring only the 
strongest buds into action, instead of filling 
the tree very full of weak shoots : to 
accomplish this, cut out all the weak 
branches of the former year, and shorten 
the others according to their strength ; by 
these means a quantity of flowering wood 
may be obtained throughout the whole 
tree. 
Grafting. — The yellow, white, and 
double scarlet varieties are often grafted on 
stocks of the common one : the operation is 
performed in February or March, after the 
same manner as the apple, &c. To bring 
the fruit to perfection, it is indispensable 
that the trees either be trained against a 
flued wall, or covered with a glass-case ; 
for although there have been instances of „ . . 
.... ... a, the flower; b, the calyx and stamens; 
their ripening on a common wall, 111 some d, another view of the same, showing the attach- 
parts of England, yet the flavour has little ' ment of the stamcns t0 the CiJ y x ; fruit, 
or no resemblance to those imported from Genoa and Leghorn ; and although I have 
never yet seen them brought to the perfection I could wish, yet the method which 
appears to me most likely to accomplish the object, is to keep the plants in pots or 
tubs ; and when a quantity of fruit is set, which will probably be about the middle 
of August, introduce them into a higher temperature to swell up and ripen. 
VOL. I.-— NO. T II. 
K 
