June 8, 1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 465 
Celery .—I am now making trenches, placing in 12 inches of 
old frame manure, and scattering salt over that, as the plants 
should be grown vigorously. For my limited supply I prefer 
Crimson Incomparable, as do most of my neighbours. 
Little Pixie Savoy, Brussels Sprouts, and Kales should not be 
forgotten for winter use. Potatoes and other garden crops will 
be earlier than usual.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
FLOWERS IN SPRING. 
From the notes in our Journal by so many contributors it is 
evident that old favourite plants are rising in estimation again—a 
most satisfactory sign. Your correspondent, Mr. J. Gadd, Belhus 
Park, speaks favourably of Daffodils making a grand display, and 
in borders of such extent as he describes herbaceous plants may be 
grown to perfection. As a successor to the Daffodils named I can 
conceive of no brighter gem than Caltha palustris plena. In patches 
a few feet apart in a border not less than 100 yards in length they 
are simply grand. Being of bright orange colour they have a 
telling effect, and ought to be much more cultivated than they 
are at the present. They are easily increased by division after 
flowering, and they enjoy partial shade and moisture, but they 
are not particular in this respect. By the margins of water and 
shady walks in open spaces they prove some of the finest spring¬ 
blooming plants we possess. Lithospermum purpureo-ceeruleum 
is another of the choice spring-flowering plants, and when seen in 
masses it will not soon be forgotten. Why it is so seldom met 
with I am at a loss to conceive. Lithospermum prostratum, too, 
as an edging plant must be seen to be appreciated. Erinus al- 
pinus and E. alpinus alba are useful for edging, and beautiful as 
useful. They are easily increased by division and seed. Collinsia 
grandiflora is one of the most effective plants we have for the 
spring garden. Sown in autumn and planted out in early spring, 
no plant can be more beautiful. Erysimum Perofskianum treated 
in the same way produces its bright orange flowers freely, afford¬ 
ing a fine contrast. Saxifraga granulata and granulata plena are 
very desirable for spring gardens. Erysimum pulchellum is a fine 
plant for bed or border. It is of dwarf compact habit, its pale 
sulphur-coloured flowers lasting long. Limnanthes Douglasi is 
very effective for beds and borders as an edging plant, is very fine, 
and should be sown late in the autumn, Plants of Centranthus 
macrosiphon from autumn-sown seed are affording us a fine display. 
Among our many favourites some are quite as interesting without 
their beautifully coloured flowers as others are with them, and 
one of the most beautiful at the present time without flowers as 
an edging plant is Polemonium cairuleum variegatum.— Verna. 
U D - 
CORDON FRUIT TREES. 
Pruning in the culture of pyramids and bushes is a relative 
matter depending entirely upon their general treatment, but in 
that of the cordon it is decidedly as positive as is the fact that 
lateral growth must be restrained, rendered fruitful, and kept so 
principally by judicious pruning. Granting this fully, I am 
nevertheless by no means disposed to insist upon the necessity of 
an inflexibly rigid and elaborate system of close pruning, such as 
is insisted upon by Du Breuil, simply because cordons are main¬ 
tained in a healthy fruitful condition without it. Beginners, too, 
are apt to be puzzled and alarmed at such very elaborate details, 
which to them seem to stamp the system with difficulties demand¬ 
ing high professional skill, and more time and thought than they 
can well give. No doubt the French Rystem if followed in its 
integrity gives fruitful spurs arranged with mathematical pre¬ 
cision and neatness, but then in order to keep them healthy it has 
been found necessary to annually cut off 16 inches of the top of 
the stem, which induces new growth at that joint, and a conse¬ 
quent free circulation of sap throughout the stem. This annual 
sacrifice of such a considerable portion of the stem is so objection¬ 
able that the question naturally arises, Is it unavoidable ? So 
far as my own experience goes it enables me to answer that it 
certainly is uncalled for in the treatment of healthy young cor¬ 
dons in full bearing—that is to say, bearing as much fine fruit as 
is consistent with the size and strength of each tree—a very dif¬ 
ferent matter to crowded clusters of fruit, small and often mis¬ 
shapen, simply for want of judicious thinning. I have many 
cordons which bear fruit abundantly, and yet have sufficient wood 
growth upon the spurs to maintain the requisite balance of health 
with fruitfulness, and so long as this continues there will be no 
shortening of the stems. 
Let us now follow the pruning of a cordon from infancy to 
maturity. Taking a maiden like fig. 65, on page 323, it is 
shortened by about one-third—a little less or a little more— 
according to its strength at the time of planting. This rule of 
pruning when planting is inflexible. It never fails. I have long 
practised it upon all sorts of trees—standards, dwarfs, bushes, 
pyramids, espaliers, and curdons, making no distinction, but treat¬ 
ing all kinds of fruit alike—with invariable success, the result of 
the pruning being seen next season in a vigorous leader and sturdy 
lateral growth, which is allowed to make four or five joints before 
it is nipped off to two buds to lay the foundation of the spurs 
upon which fruit will eventually come. Very strong maidens are 
thus treated twice during the first season of growth after planting, 
and tip of the leading shoot is also nipped off once or twice at 
about a foot in length, perhaps a little longer if it is very vigorous 
and its buds very prominent. Very vigorous leading growth 
sometimes puts forth laterals without being stopped at all, but 
such instances are exceptional, and are only mentioned to show 
that every tree must be treated solely on its merits and not by 
line and rule. A tree of weakly growth or at all delicate is left 
free to grow untouched during the first year, and extra care is 
taken to assist it by supplying water or sewage as it appears to 
require help. In soils much affected by drought mulching is of much 
benefit. In all well-drained soils drought should not be waited 
for, but mulching should follow tbe planting immediately as a 
necessary safeguard for the lacerated roots. Mulching indiscrimi¬ 
nately has been called in question ; but if it be conceded that 
drainage and specially prepared stations in faulty soil are funda¬ 
mental points indispensable to successful fruit culture, then 
mulching may be insisted upon as of equal importance. 
When the leaf falls in the autumn of the first year there will he 
a little work for the pruning knife in shortening the last growth to 
two buds, and the advantage of leaving the late growth unchecked 
will then be visible in its firm texture, well-matured bark, and 
plump buds. In the following summer after pinchiDg the early 
growths twice back to two buds, but not uDtil they have grown to 
a length of 5 or 6 inches each time, we go a step further with 
trees in full health and vigour by fracturing the third growth 
early in September in the south, and a fortnight sooner in the 
north to render the buds at the base of each shoot more prominent 
than they would otherwise be, and to hasten the development of 
fruit buds as in fig. 1, especial care being taken not to fracture 
the shoot so severely as to prevent the flow of sap to the tip, or 
the basal buds will push an incipient growth and be spoilt. Some 
practitioners are so fearful of this happening that they do not 
break the shoot, but simply twist back the tip, which is not nearly 
so effectual as the fracture. A useful check is also sometimes 
given by clipping the upper leaves (fig. 2), in order that, the 
elaboration of sap alone continuing unchecked in the lower ones, a 
more full development may be imparted there. 
In the subsequent winter pruning especial care is taken to cut 
across the shoot with a very slight slope just above the bud as at 
A, fig. 3, thus leaving all the tissue near the bud to sustain it 
