THE CULTIVATION OF THE FILBERT. 
1S3 
daced. In that part of Kent which, is famous 
for the cultivation of the Filbert the soil is 
loam upon a dry sandy rock. It may be taken 
as a general rule, that soil which is proper for 
the growth of hops, is also congenial to the 
Filbert. 
The Filbert requires a considerable quantity 
of manure; the grounds in Kent are dressed 
every year, or at least once in two years. 
Every kind of manure is beneficial ; but old 
woollen rags are found to produce the greatest 
effect. 
There are four methods of raising the 
plants ; by suckers, layers, grafting, and 
sowing the nuts. Each may be practised 
according to the peculiar object of the culti- 
vator ; but the best method is by suckers ; 
they come sooner into bearing, and make 
stronger plants than either layers or grafts. 
They are taken from the parent plant gene= 
rally in the autumn, and planted in nursery 
beds, (being first shortened to ten or twelve 
inches,) where they remain three or four 
years. They are slightly pruned every year, 
in order to form strong lateral shoots, the 
number of which varies from four to six. The 
most free growing plants are obtained by 
sowing the nuts ; but they are so long in 
coming to a productive state, and are besides 
so much inclined to degenerate into inferior 
varieties, that this method should not be 
resorted to in making a permanent plantation. 
The plants raised by layering and grafting are 
of more humble growth, and therefore better 
adapted for small gardens where economy of 
space is made an object. 
The method of pruning the Filbert being 
different from that of every other tree, and 
not generally practised, a particular explana- 
tion of it will be necessary. Mr. Williamson 
has done this so clearly, that we cannot do 
better than quote his words, which follow : — 
Before any one can possibly prune a tree with 
propriety, it is necessary that he perfectly un- 
derstand the mode of its fructification. The 
fruit of the vine is produced only upon shoots 
of the preceding year ; cherries are grown 
chiefly upon short spurs emitted from the 
sides of the larger branches ; if, therefore, the 
last year's shoots of the vine, or the spurs of 
the cherry tree are destroyed, there can be 
no fruit. Now, in some respects, the Filbert 
is similar in its fructification to both these 
trees ; the bearing branches being always 
those of the preceding year, similar to the vine, 
and these branches, if the tree be properly 
pruned, might with great propriety be called 
spurs, allowing for the difference between the 
filbert and the cherry ; these short twigs or 
spurs are not more than a few inches long, 
every bud of which, in a good year, produces 
fruit. The great object of the following- 
method of pruning is to cause the trees to 
throw out these spurs in great abundance; and 
when they are got to a proper bearing state, 
more than sufficient will be produced. But 
though it is the usual practice to plant the 
suckers in nursery beds, I would advise every 
one to plant them where they are to remain, 
whether they are intended for a garden or a 
larger plantation : and after being suffered to 
grow without restraint for three or four years, 
to cut them down within a few inches of the 
ground. From the remaining part, if the 
trees are well rooted in the soil, five or six 
strong shoots will be produced. Whichever 
method is practised, the subsequent treatment 
of the trees will be exactly the same. In the 
second year after cutting down, these shoots 
are shortened ; generally one-third is taken 
off. If very weak, I would advise that the 
trees be quite cut down a second time, as in 
the previous spring : but it would be much 
better not to cut them down until the trees 
give evident tokens of their being able to 
produce shoots of sufficient strength. When 
they are thus shortened, that they may appear 
regular, let a small hoop be placed within the 
branches, to which the shoots are to be 
fastened at equal distances ; by this practice, 
two considerable advantages will be gained ; 
the trees will grow more regular, and the 
middle will be kept hollow r , so as to admit the 
influence of the sun and air; but this, in a large 
plantation, would be almost impossible, nor 
indeed is it necessary, though in private 
gardens, where regularity and neatness are 
almost essential, it ought to be practised. In 
the third year, a shoot will spring from each 
bud ; these must be suffered to grow till the 
following autumn, or fourth year, when they 
are to be cut off close to the original stem, 
and the leading shoot of the last year shortened 
two-thirds. In the fifth year several small 
shoots will arise from the base of the side- 
branches which were cut off the preceding 
year ; these are produced from small buds, 
and would not have been emitted, had not the 
branch on which they were situated been 
shortened, the whole nourishment being carried 
to the upper part of the branch. It is from 
these shoots that fruit is to be expected. These 
productive shoots will in a few years become 
very numerous, and many of them must be 
taken off, particularly the strongest, in order 
to encourage the production of the smaller 
ones ; for those of the former year become so 
exhausted, that they generally decay ; but 
whether decayed or not, they are always cut 
out by the pruner, and a fresh supply must 
therefore be provided, to produce the fruit in 
the succeeding yeai\ The leading shoot is 
every year to be shortened two-thirds, or more, 
should the tree be weak, and the whole height 
