JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
334 
[ April 28, 1881. 
and for the sake of increasing the size and quality of the fruit. 
Shortening, or pruning back the shoots, is practised for two prin¬ 
cipal reasons—the one to increase the number of shoots, and the 
other to cause the tree to produce abundance of side spurs. It 
must not, however, be inferred that any kind of pruning will of 
necessity render a tree more fruitful than if left in a state of 
nature. Pruning is altogether an artificial procedure, and becomes 
necessary principally through limitation of space. Nature has 
her own peculiar modes of pruning, if such they may be termed, 
and that is by suffocation, and by the continual tendency of the 
ascending or extending branches to weaken and finally to starve 
out the lower branches.” This must inevitably be the result with 
such a tree as the one represented on page 23 of the book if the 
tree is left to Nature ; indeed, the engraving from a photograph 
6hows that the branches which formed the whole of the tree when 
it was planted three years ago, and which then had a number of 
buds, are now practically destitute of growths ; and in proportion 
as the branches are allowed to extend without being shortened, 
in the same proportion will their nakedness increase towards 
the base, and in the course of time the centre of the tree would 
be destitute of foliage and of course of fruit, if the extremities 
were not checked, as they must be under glass, and “Nature’s 
plan ” (extension) then ceases. 
A period of three years is quite inadequate for testing the 
system advocated, and it would have been well if the author had 
published a photograph of the tree that he planted (presumably 
under glass) in 1866. If that tree exists now it is yet compara¬ 
tively young, and ought to be in its best condition. “ Nature’s 
plan,” is very good when it is carried out in a natural manner ; 
but fruit-tree culture under glass is fundamentally artificial, and 
the management must consequently be adapted and subordinated 
to the artificial conditions of the case. We admit readily that by 
no other means than those advocated by the author, and practised 
by many cultivators, could so much fruit have been obtained from 
a Peach tree in such a limited time ; and we have not the slightest 
objection to those who prefer this plan carrying it out, and they 
will obtain abundance of Peaches in a few years ; but the ultimate 
results of “ Nature’s plan” must be what we have stated. 
There is much sound advice and excellent teaching in the book on 
thinning the shoots of fruit trees and other details of culture, and 
we have nothing to say against the good old system recommended 
as applied to orchard trees, nor, with certain modifications, to pyra¬ 
mids that have space to grow to a large size—indeed some of the 
finest pyramid Pears that we are acquainted with have for years 
received little or no pruning ; but such trees do not meetthe wants 
of all, and dwarf trees are and will be grown by many. That 
many of these are too dwarf and crippled—are, indeed, mere 
pomological toys—we admit, and that pruning is often most 
injudiciously performed is a fact we deplore; but this is not 
sufficient to induce us to relinquish a practice that when rightly 
carried out is undoubtedly beneficial. We do not believe that 
pinching the summer growths for the production of fruit is a 
delusion, and we do not hesitate saying that those who in their 
own practice have found it so have not carried out the system 
properly, or have applied it to trees that needed no such aid ; but 
we do know that the finest fruit that has been produced in England 
has been obtained from trees that have been pinched and pruned 
in a skilful and systematic manner, and we also know that the 
most successful fruit-growers in France and America prune their 
trees intelligently and judiciously, and that pruning is advocated 
by those who grow fruit for commercial purposes. 
There is much in the chapter on Vines that many gardeners 
will not accept and practise. For ourselves we do not think the 
system of Grape culture that has been pursued for many years by 
the leading cultivators is radically wrong, or the Grapes grown in 
British gardens would not be what they are—the best that are 
produced in Europe. If the plan advocated in the book under 
notice were adopted in every vinery in the kingdom, would better 
crops and finer Grapes be obtained than have been produced 
during the last twenty years ? We ask the question, which is a 
pertinent one, and leave others to answer it. 
We have dwelt at length on the subject of this small volume 
because it is a subject of great importance treated by a gardener 
of ability and experience. We believe the majority of readers 
will find much that they will approve in its pages, much from 
which they will dissent, and 6ome things that they will not 
understand. 
If a second edition is called for the author will doubtless 
correct the mistake he made in referring to a portrait of a tree in 
the Florist, but which was borrowed by that paper from the 
Gardener'$ Magazine and properly acknowledged. The infor¬ 
mation which has been supplied to the author on the lists of 
fruits is not quite satisfactory, while some of the names are 
spelled incorrectly, as also, curiously enough, is the name in 
every instance in which it is mentioned of Mr. Coleman of Eastnor 
Castle. These are blemishes that might have been avoided by 
careful editorial revision. The illustrations are very inferior as 
works of art. 
CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCCOLIS. 
I beg- to add to the answer made to “ G. 0. S.,” on page 268, 
that any Cauliflower might bear the name of Broccoli which 
would stand the winter without being injured by frost. Any Cauli¬ 
flowers from seed sown in September, especially in England, may 
stand the bad season and thus become a Broccoli if the weather is 
mild, and especially if the head is not too strong when the first 
frosts occur. Likewise even the most hardy Broccolis are subject 
to freezing when the winter is severe. In France, and in regard 
to the time of sowing, Broccoli has no other signification than 
“Winter-Cauliflower.” We readily class the Walcheren under 
the Cauliflowers, but to us Walcheren Cauliflower and Walcheren 
Broccoli are identical. It bears both those names, as it may as 
well be sown in March or in September, but then it stands the 
winter better than any Cauliflower.—H. Martin, Paris. 
[The only certain mode of preserving plants of the Walcheren 
variety through the winter in England is by protecting them with 
glass. Plants raised from seed sown in spring produce heads in 
August ; the variety is therefore known as a Cauliflower. Varieties 
of which Wilcove is the type cannot be made to do so ; they are 
hence known as Broccoli, and are distinctly more hardy than 
Cauliflowers. On no practical grounds can Walcheren Cauliflower 
be placed in comparison as to hardiness with Wilcove Broccoli. 
—Ed.] 
ggg§g® 
H ptes»glep: 
ftfGS.il 
At a General Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
held on Tuesday last, Major Mason in the chair, the following 
candidates were duly elected Fellows—viz., James M. Alexander, 
G. W. Allen, Mrs. Edwin Arnold, Edward Banbury, Miss Blayden, 
Frederic J. Cornwell, Edward Fenner, Mrs. Hill, Sir Louis 
Jackson, Mrs. J. Leach, T. H. Stanton, Mrs. George N. Todd, 
William Wright. 
- We are requested to state that the Council of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, having procured a quantity of corms 
of Gladioli, are now distributing the same in packets to the 
Fellows on application at the Secretary’s office, South Kensington ; 
3LA in stamps should accompany each application if required to 
be sent by post. 
- We have had many references to the cold weather that 
has prevailed during the past week. A Sussex correspondent 
states that he found ice last Thursday morning half an inch thick, 
and similar accounts have reached us from other places. As yet, 
however, we trust that little or no injury has resulted to the fruit 
trees, as fortunately the blossom is late owing to the very low 
temperature that has generally prevailed during the present 
spring. 
-Mr. J. Witherspoon writes as follows upon exhibitors’ 
grievances —“ Mr. Ferguson’s request being already attended to 
renders further attention to the same subject unnecessary, but 
the requirements of schedules and their being habitually dis¬ 
regarded I think needs again being brought forward. For Grapes 
the Edinburgh schedule stipulates that stands must not exceed 
6 inches in height at the back, which is much too low to carry 
Grapes a distance, but I understand that the judges never notice 
this stipulation. Some day an exhibitor will enter a protest, and 
then perhaps the rule will be altered. Last year I wrote to 
inquire if any guarantee would be given against disqualification, 
but I was answered by the receipt of a schedule, and I stayed 
