284 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 5, 1883. 
the kind usually sent out as minor, which is nanus of Haworth. 
The true plant is decidedly the best, although the one called nanus 
is pretty enough. They both nod to the earth, and the flowers are 
about the same size. The true minor has narrower more acute 
perianth segments, cup rather longer with a more rounded tube, 
and the leaves are rather shorter and broader, and I think the 
flowers are more bent to the soil—even touching it—than nanus. 
The latter is undoubtedly a form of minor, and was considered 
such by Haworth, for he also named it minor var. conspicua. A 
duplex form of nanus is also in bloom, very dwarf, with flowers 
rather more erect. All three are most desirable little plants and 
well worth growing, most easily managed, simply requiring to 
be planted in rich soil, and if in clumps the effect is greatly 
enhanced. 
I have another in bloom named minimus, which is very much 
smaller, with longer peduncles ; flowers slightly pendulous, about 
three-quarters of an inch long and not quite so wide, with a deep 
yellow copiously fringed cup. It is indeed a little gem, very rare 
but easily grown : and between this and minor there is an inter¬ 
mediate form much smaller than the latter but larger than mini¬ 
mus. Burbidge gives a good figure of the last in his Monograph, 
and he remarks that Herbert in his “ Amaryllidacese ” gives 
figures of two forms still smaller than the recognised minimus. 
This is so in plates 39 and 41 of that work, one of which is named 
pumilus, and is very small. It is a pity these have been lost to 
cultivation. Mr. Barr has a variety now in flower named pal- 
lidus praccox, and which Parkinson evidently had a knowledge of, 
and most lovely it is. The flowers are not quite so large as those 
of the type ; the outer divisions shorter than the cup, of a pale 
sulphur, while the cup is slightly deeper in colour, the tube dilated 
at the base, smooth, with a moderate fringe. I suppose this has 
the advantage of early flowering over pallidus itself, which with 
me has flower stems only about 2 inches high ; but we must make 
some allowance for the climatal difference between this part and 
London. Mr. Barr, however, says he thinks prtecox has not been 
in cultivation in this country since the days of Parkinson. Mos- 
chatus is a pretty variety, distinct in form and colour ; the outer 
divisions are oblong, rather blunt, creamy white, while the corona 
is long, clear yellow, with the tube fluted and the margin freely 
friDged. It has a strong and not disagreeable perfume. All the 
above are varieties of the common N. pseudo-Narcissus (with the 
exception of the Hoop Petticoat) of our woods in meadows, 
although distinct from each other, which has caused them to be 
regarded and described by the older botanists as distinct species. 
LEUCOJUM YERNUJI. 
This is a chaste little harbinger of spring, with its pendant 
white flowers with green tips, most freely produced, as it is most 
easily suited as to soil and position, merely requiring—as far as 
my experience teaches—a light rich soil. I believe there is a 
double-flowered variety, which, however, I have not seen ; but 
Mons. de Graaff informed me he had it in flower last year, and 
two bulbs were purchased from him : but I am afraid they will 
not gratify us with flowers this season, still it must be very pretty. 
SAXIFRAGA STRACHEYI. 
This is perhaps the finest of the Himalayan Saxifrages, at 
least, of those introduced to our gardens. It is a great pity 
indeed that it will not quite endure our climate without some 
protection, such as is afforded it by a frame ; but its beautiful 
thyrsoid trusses of flowers are far more handsome when they 
expand in a cool house. I am sure it is a very excellent plant for 
the decoration of the cool greenhouse, while the graceful curva¬ 
ture of the primary and secondary branches of the spike is very 
effective. A very enthusiastic admirer the other day remarked 
that it was equally as attractive as many Orchids. So it is, but 
not so showy as many other Orchids. I have flowers on one spike 
which measure 14 inch across, pure white, with red glistening 
discs and red stamens. I have never yet succeeded in seeding 
it, but am trying again this season. S. thyrsanodes is new to me, 
having been sent, I believe, into this country by that indefatigable 
cultivator Herr Max Leichtlin of Baden-Baden, and it is quite 
distinct from any other kind I am acquainted with. The leaves 
are very large and covered with long hairs. Flowers in dense 
heads, clustered, with the ramifications but slightly curved, not 
quite so large as those of Stracheyi, but very fine, pure white with 
red stamens. It is very floriferous, and, like the last species, 
requires slight protection.— Cestrian. 
ROSE WILLIAM ALLEN RICHARDSON. 
IN reply to an inquiry by “A Young Bosarian,” page 128, I 
give a short account of the above Rose. It was first distributed 
in 1878 by Madame Ducher at Lyons. The growth is very vigorous, 
with long branches, much resembling the variety Reve d’Or, with 
a dark glossy foliage. It bears at the tips of its branches 
trusses of lovely flowers of moderate size, and of a deep clear 
orange yellow outside. Under glass the colour changes to reddish 
orange. I do not know any Rose of that peculiar colour. The 
plant has to be well protected against the cold and frost in spring. 
All our Marechal Niels and Noisettes are killed by only 10° 
Reaumur of frost.— Heinrich Schultheis, Stewfurth-Nanheun 
Ilcssen. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Spring Pruning .—So frequently has it been attested that newly 
planted trees must remain unpruned till spring, that the practice 
has probably been adopted by many of our readers. To such the 
time has come for action, and a little advice will serve to help 
many a hesitating beginner. Pyramidal trees often come from 
a nursery with 2 or 3 feet of the bottom part of the stem bare of 
branches, and this is the case not merely with trees one year from 
the graft, called maidens because they have never been pruned, 
but of trees three or four years old, said to be in a fruiting con¬ 
dition and proportionately costly. In either case the upper part 
must be sacrificed for the sake of the future tree, and the stem 
severed at 2 feet from the base if the bark is hard and the buds 
unlikely to burst freely into growth, as is often the case in trees 
that have been crowded together in nursery rows till they have 
become almost unsaleable ; but the soft bark and more prominent 
buds of younger trees admit of the stem being left G or 8 inches 
longer. We have so treated hundreds of young trees of Plums, 
Pears, Apples, and Cherries, and have never known them fail to 
make a free strong lateral growth from the union of stock and 
scion upwards. 
Dwarf-trained trees must be pruned in accordance with the 
form they are eventually to take. Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, 
Cherries, and Figs are all best of the ordinary fan shape. If they 
are maidens with single stems cut the stem asunder at the fifth or 
sixth bud from its base ; but if they are a year older shorten 
according to their strength and position, taking care to leave the 
lower branches longest. For example : if a tree has three branches 
on each side, if the bottom ones are shortened to 2 feet the next 
two should be pruned to 18 inches and the top pair to 1 foot, in 
order to maintain an equal distribution of vigour. 
Palmette verrier is the best form for large trees of Pears and 
Plums on walls and fences. The stems of maidens must be 
pruned to three buds, or four if either of the bottom buds appear 
doubtful, the object being to secure a pair of side shoots yearly 
till the tree fills its allotted space. Older trees with side branches 
must have them shortened in a similar manner to other dwarf- 
trained trees, and the central or stem growth shortened to three 
buds above the upper pair of branches. 
Cordons of a year old from the graft must be shortened to about 
2 feet from the base. If older, they are shortened more or less as 
the general appearance of the tree requires ; more, if the stem is 
not well furnished with spurs, or the tree is weakly ; less, if it is 
robust and well furnished with lateral growth. 
Standards must have the young growth shortened to 1G or 
18 inches, and thinned if necessary, five or six shoots being enough 
to form the main branches of the largest trees. Prune every 
shoot to an outer bud in view of forming a handsome spreading 
head, and examine the supports of each tree as you prune it, for 
it is important they should be carefully secured till the roots are 
well established in the soil, both for the health of the tree and its 
subsequent appearance. 
Bush trees may be shortened in proportion to their strength, 
2 feet being a safe maximum length. If they are intended to 
have dwarfed closed pruned branches more may be retained than 
if the growth is to be eventually left unpruned like a standard. 
In either case keep the centre clear of growth, so as to admit a 
free play of light and air among the branches. Some sorts of 
fruit are of such a close erect habit of growth as to be quite 
unsuitable for bushes, and require much care in pruning every 
main branch to an outer bud, and in training while the growth is 
young and pliant. To do this well requires much care and watch¬ 
fulness, but with this there is no reason why every kind may not 
be trained perfectly to whatever form taste or fancy may suggest. 
