93 
the Damson almost destroyed by it, whilst the owners were totally 
unconscious of the presence of such an enemy. Sulphur, dusted 
liberally under the leaves, in the early stages of their progress, 
will arrest their depredations. 
305 The Filbert. The cultivation of the Filbert is very simple; 
indeed, in the majority of gardens. Filbert bushes are left alto- 
gether in a state of nature, as to pruning. It has, however, 
been long since shown, that they are very superior in point of 
cropping when put under a course of training; indeed, we should 
say, no fruit better repays attention than the Filbert We would 
not confine the cultivation to the red and while Filbert; there 
are other excellent varieties, which make a desirable addition 
to the dessert; of such are the Cosford, which is remarkable 
for the thinnest of its shell, and, moreover, is an excellent 
bearer; the Frizzled Filbert, also a great bearer; and the 
Spanish Nuts, which are of the Cob character, and sometimes 
used as stocks to graft the other kinds upon, as they are not so 
liable to produce suckers. Grafting of nuts, however, is rather 
troublesome, and not a necessary process. 
Suckers, in abundance, may be obtained from stocks neg- 
lected in their cultivation; and these should be taken during 
the season for planting deciduous trees, any time from Novem- 
ber to ]March; but we prefer November. As they are by far 
more under control, when trained on a single stem, the young 
stocks, whether suckers or cuttings, should have all the eyes 
stripped away, which are below the ground level, after the 
manner of Gooseberry or Currant cuttings, technically termed 
“blinding.” Above ground, the axillary buds may be suflfered 
to produce side shoots, for a year or two ; these strengthen the 
stem, providing they are what is termed “snagged” in at the 
winter's pruning; that is, shortened back to a single bud in 
their first season’s growth. This is a practice which has, for 
many years, been applied to standard Apple trees, in nurseries, 
in order to obtain a firm stem ; the “snags” must, however, be 
totally removed in the second year, whilst the healing powers 
;ire active, and the wound will quickly become cicatrized. 
The clear stems of Filbert trees must not be less than a foot 
high, and the centre shoots should be cut away to form the tree 
into a bowl-shape. This is done to admit plenty of light amongst 
the branches. It is found that Filberts, growing in a neglected 
287. ACCTARIUM. 
