DWARF PROLIFIC NUT. 
The county of Kent has long been distinguished for its pro- 
duce of Filberts, where several hundred acres of land are occu- 
pied in their culture, and very few of any other varieties of the 
Nut have been produced, either there or elsewhere in England, 
as an article of commerce. Its thinness of shell, and sweetness 
of flavour, are not excelled by any ; but the Dwarf Prolific Nut 
is a more abundant bearer ; its dwarf habit better suits it for 
small gardens, and its fruit is scarcely, if at all, inferior to the 
Filbert. Small, compact standard bushes, of the size of goose- 
berry bushes, abundantly laden with fruit, become objects of 
interest ; but this is far from being the case with a straggling 
copse, or fence-like arrangement, of lofty boughs, which can only 
be permitted to occupy a place at the back of the garden. 
This, however, is chiefly the fault of the cultivator, for even 
the Filbert is capable of being kept within bounds, although 
less manageable than the Dwarf Prolific. 
All varieties of the Nut usually produce numerous suckers, 
which may be taken off for increase ; or, if these be insufficient, 
branches may be layered in the spring, and in the following 
winter they will have rooted sufficiently to admit of their being 
planted out. When the plants have become strong, and grow 
freely in their final situations, they should be cut down to a 
single stem of eighteen inches high ; twelve inches from the 
earth of which should subsequently be kept quite free from side 
shoots, and a head composed of half a dozen shoots should be 
formed from the upper six inches of the stem. The best 
Kentish growers keep the centres of their bushes open, giving 
each one the shape of a goblet. This may be conveniently 
effected by placing a small hoop in the centre, confining the 
main branches thereto, and regularly pruning back all lateral 
shoots of greater length than six inches, to an inch or two of 
their base. Finally, observe, that in Febimary, when the little 
crimson blossoms tip the points of the buds, if there be not 
also a good supply of catkins, a bough of the common Hazel, 
that has them, should be placed on the top of each bush. 
