258 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
such as would be obtained from the top spit of an old pasture. 
Some few years since I had occasion to plant rather largely on a 
heavy soil, and I was quite astonished at the rapid progress of the 
trees, they seemed to revel in the strong clay, and I think that the 
peach, nectarine, and apricot would do much better were they 
planted in a soil which had a liberal proportion of clay incorporated 
with it previous to their being planted. I am well assured that if 
this was done in the case of the last-mentioned fruit we should not 
hear so much of the Moorpark and other varieties losing their 
branches. When the soil is very light and sandy it will be highly 
advantageous to apply a good dressing of strong clayey loam, but it 
must not for a moment be supposed that even in light soils the trees 
will not do without this dressing of clay. 
As already stated, pyramidal and bush trees are the most suit- 
able for growing in the open quarters, as they require less attention 
to keep them in order during the summer season than the espaliers, 
and moreover have a more ornamental appearance. To prevent loss 
of time-trees properly formed and large enough to produce a crop 
of fruit within a year or two should be selected ; they will cost a 
trifle more, but where the space is limited it is much better to have 
bearing trees than to wait several years. In any case trees three or 
four feet in height should be purchased. In the case of pyra- 
midal trees, the strong side-shoots which are produced just above 
the junction of the scion and graft must be repressed, or they will 
spoil the contour of the tree. 
The young growth will require stopping or pinching once or twice 
during the summer ; this as a rule should be done towards the end 
of July. At the same time some of the shoots may be removed 
altogether from parts of the tree where it is overcrowded with wood ; 
all gross shoots should also be rubbed otf during the summer. The 
winter pruning consists in removing the weakly shoots where they 
are not required for furnishing the tree, and shortening the stems 
back to about six inches. To prevent their growing too freely root- 
prune or lift them every second or third year, according as may 
be required ; of course, so long as they continue to make firm short- 
jointed wood and produce heavy crops of fruit, it may be inferred that 
no root-pruning will be necessary. 
My collection of plums, which is one of the most extensive in 
the country, comprises nearly three hundred distinct sorts, and 
from these I have selected the following as being especially suitable 
for small and medirrm-sized gardens ; — 
Dessert. — Apricot, LiegaVs . — A medium-sized fruit, of a 
greenish yellow colour, and fine piquant flavour ; ripe in September. 
Coe’s Golden Drop . — A handsome yellow fruit, of large size, and 
delicious flavour ; ripe in October. 
Denniston s Sujoerh . — A first-rate, medium-sized fruit, equal in 
flavour to the greengage ; August. 
Drap d'Or . — An excellent little yellow fruit; ripe in August. 
Early Erolijic, Hubbard’s . — A valuable purple fruit, ripen- 
ing the second week in July. Also useful for culinary 
purposes. 
