May 1, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
837 
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Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. 
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3rd Sunday after Easter. 
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Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
FRUIT BLOSSOM. 
A LESSON OP THE SEASON. 
PRING time is with us once more rich, we trust, 
in promise of a summer and autumn teeming 
with fruit, for Pears, Cherries, and Plums are 
already beautiful “ clouds of bloom,” and Apple 
blossom, though not yet expanded, is equally 
abundant and full of promise—promise, too, 
that has more probability of realisation than 
that of the more forward fruit which now, 
April the 24th, has for several days and nights 
been in jeopardy, the thermometer falling to the freezing 
point, the foliage and most exposed blossom being stiffened 
with frost night after night, a bitterly cold wind blowing 
with more or less violence from the north-east, the sky being 
frequently overcast with heavy clouds, threatening us with 
showers of snow and rain, which thus far have not fallen. 
To this remarkable dryness of the air we owe the safety of 
the blossom up to the present time, but we anxiously await 
the result, and if the wind would change to a warmer quarter 
gladly should we hail genial showers then, for the fruit crop 
would probably be saved. Meanwhile we wait, watch, and 
learn something too, for with the bulk of the trees in full 
bloom anything approaching thorough protection is out of 
the question. Some blossom upon the tops of espaliers 
has perished from the combined effects of wind and frost, but 
upon every other part the healthy hue of the pistils show 
that the blossom has sustained no real damage, though it 
has apparently so repeatedly been upon the verge of destruc-. 
tion. 
Fruit blossom, as a cultural result, is for that reason alone 
an important study ; in it we have before us now the results 
of years of thoughtful care, offering to us one of those 
precious lessons of the seasons which we may well strive 
earnestly to master fully. A healthy fruit tree with a due 
proportion of blossom on every branch is an admirable 
illustration of well-balanced vigour, resultant either from 
judicious pruning or an entire absence of it. So regarded, 
the question naturally arises, Why do we prune a tree if it 
can be brought fully into fruit-bearing without it ? The 
obvious answer being that we prune to accelerate the 
development of fruit buds, and to restrain the growth of the 
tree within a given space. If upon inspection now we find 
that our pruning has not in any or every instance led to 
satisfactory results, let us at once compare the condition 
of the faulty tree with that of any sound one in full bloom, 
and learn by force of contrast the cause of failure. 
Excessively vigorous growth is a cause of barrenness, and 
must be checked in a hard-pruned tree to induce fruitful¬ 
ness. Mark such trees now either for lifting or root-pruning 
next autumn, such a decision now enabling us to know the 
amount of such work, and to make arrangements for its 
being done early and well. To show that vigour is the cause 
of barrenness, and how easily it may be checked in any part 
of a tree, I may mention an experiment in my own practice. 
A pyramidal Zephirin Gregoire Pear tree bearing very little 
No. 201.— Vol, YIII., Third Series. 
fruit and making excessive lateral growth, had the whole of 
the top branches left unpruned, the pruning of the lower 
branches being continued regularly, with the singular result 
of little wood growth in the unpruned branches, which soon 
became crowded with clusters of fruit buds, while the lower 
branches became even more vigorous, and remained barren 
of fruit. As an application of this lesson, the tops of several 
lofty pyramids both of Pears and Apples in full bearing 
were left unpruned, with the satisfactory result of a short 
growth well set with fruit buds, the lower pruned parts also 
continued perfectly fruitful. In another experiment the 
strong flow of sap was checked by twist.ng a wire round the 
stem of a Plum tree with the same result of little wood 
growth and plenty of fruit in the upper branches, and 
vigorous unfruitful growth in the lower ones. How repeatedly 
has it been said that nothing can prevent a tree from being 
most vigorous at the top, yet these experiments prove that it 
can be done with ease and certainty. An undue amount of 
vigour is, however, best restrained, or rather corrected, by 
judicious root-pruning, and we may now gather useful 
knowledge by an inspection of trees so treated one, two, or 
three seasons ago; the trees showing clearly that a com¬ 
plete change from barrenness to fruitfulness is not effected 
in a single season, but it is a work of gradation—a few fruit 
buds this year, more next year, and so on to a full crop. 
Unpruned trees, or rather trees with growth only thinned 
and not restricted by pruning, are also an interesting study 
now. Dwarfing stocks induce early fruiting, and Pears on 
the Quince, Apples on the Paradise, and Cherries on the 
Mahaleb stocks may be planted thickly and left unpruned 
in a shallow soil. Cherries appear to wear out early under 
severe pruning or become shy of fruiting. Of losses under 
hard pruning I may mention Morello and Kentish, a tree or 
two of the first dying occasionally under it in any soil; of 
the last, all the trees which I have had in a thin soil failed, 
but others left entirely unpruned continue healthy and 
fruitful. A row containing a dozen different sorts of Cherries 
well illustrates the effects of pruning and non-pruning. The 
trees were planted thirteen years ago, and were kept carefully 
pruned and trained; in due course they came into fruiting, 
the yield being abundant and fine, and the trees were then 
as handsome, healthy, symmetrical pyramids as could be 
desired. But the promise of successional full crops of fruit 
was not fulfilled; the spurs soon gave signs of incipient 
decay, and the trees were gradually changing into a sickly 
barren condition. Close pruning was the apparent cause, 
and it was discontinued; with a free unchecked growth 
health returned to the trees. 
Two of these may be specially selected as remarkable 
examples of the beneficial effects of this treatment. Belle 
Magnifique is 18 feet high and 13 feet in diameter at the 
base; most of the last year’s growth is about a foot in length, 
some shorter and some longer; but it is all sturdy and 
robust, and the entire tree is just now such a cone of floral 
beauty as is not often seen, every branch and shoot being 
thick set with blossoms. From the bright red colour of its 
fruit it may be termed an improved Kentish, and like that 
good old sort it makes an excellent jam and is useful for all 
cooking purposes. Belle d’Orleans was never seen at its 
best under close pruning; its large foliage kept the interior of 
the pyramid so much shaded that the spurs there all died. 
Since it was left to grow unchecked it has quickly assumed 
the proportions of a tree, its great strong branches spreading 
upwards and outwards so fast that it is twice the size of 
Belle Magnifique, and it has entirely grown out of the 
pyramidal form at first imparted to it. It, too, has been 
wonderfully full of blossom and the fruit has set thickly, but 
it has been tried so severely by frost and wind that I am as 
yet uncertain about the crop. It is an excellent early 
Cherry, ripening in June, and the fruit is a delicious addition 
to the dessert, being very sweet, tender, rich, and juicy. 
The attempt to train Belle d’Orleans Cherry as a pyramid 
No. 1857.—Vol. LXX., Old Series. 
