564 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 25, 1890. 
Secretary, Mr. Geo. Woodgate, all of whom were unanimously re-elected. 
On the election for fifteen members to form the Committee six new 
members found places thereon.—G. W. 
-- Presentation at Shrewsbury. —Recently Mr. R. Milner, 
who for twelve years was gardener at Sundorne Castle, was presented 
with an illuminated address (and a silver sugar basin and cream jug 
for Mrs. Milner). The presentation was made at the offices of Messrs. 
Adnitt and Naunton, Secretaries of the well-known Shrewsbury Show. 
The Rev. J. W. Dodson presided, and there were present Messrs. Jeffries, 
Bowler, Lambert, &c. In making the presentation, the Rev. Chairman 
referred in the highest terms to the great interest Mr. Milner took in all 
matters relative to horticulture, always willing to give sound practical 
advice when required, and he was sure that he would be only expressing 
the sentiments of the numerous subscribers to the presents, when he 
spoke of the regret he felt at Mr. Milner’s leaving the neighbourhood, 
and he begged of the acceptance of the presents as a slight token of the 
high esteem in which he and Mrs. Milner were held during their twelve 
years’ residence at Sundorne, and wishing Mr. and Mrs. Milner continued 
happiness and future prosperity. Mr. Milner returned thanks for the 
valuable presents and address, which, he said, he and his wife valued 
very highly, and they leave the neighbourhood of Shrewsbury with 
many pleasant memories. Mr. Milner was appointed gardener to Miss 
Talbot at Penrice Castle, near Swansea, some few months ago, and we 
understand that many improvements are being carried out in the old 
gardens under his supervision. 
GROUPING PLANTS. 
Grouping- plants effectively has become an important part of the 
duties of many gardeners, both in the arrangement of conservatories and 
the embellishment of rooms on festive occasions. The managers of 
flower shows encourage the tasteful association of plants both in the 
summer and autumn. At many November shows all plants, besides 
Chrysanthemums, are excluded from the groups, but in others orna¬ 
mental foliaged plants are admissible. In the former case several 
groups are pleasingly arranged and well finished, but the majority are 
composed of a smooth face of colour with a good display of pots and 
stakes. At Hull the groups must be margined and interspersed with 
foliage plants, and thus afford very good lessons in effective arrange¬ 
ment. The illustration (fig. 76) represents the first prize group there, 
much reduced from a photograph. It was arranged by Mr. G. Wilson, 
gardener to J. Reckitt, Esq., some of the chief plants employed being 
mentioned in the report (November 27th, page 467). They were in 
the brightest and best of condition, and disposed so as to as far as 
possible display their individual beauty. The group combined richness 
of colour with elegance in leafage, and was admirably finished through¬ 
out. Beautiful associations of pLants of the same free nature are 
provided at the Brighton shows. 
OBSERVATIONS ON PRUNING. 
Perhaps to no other branch of gardening is there attached so 
much of apparent mystery for the amateur as the subject of 
pruning. When the magician’s wand in the shape of a pruning 
knife wielded by the cunning hand of a gardener has passed over 
the object of amputation, it is only necessary to await the result. 
But while disinclined to agree with this assertion in its entirety, 
there can be no doubt that the art of pruning is most beneficial in 
its results. Since the day when our great progenitor was placed in 
the garden to keep and dress it the fluctuations of pruning betwixt 
extension and spur systems have been continuous in their action 
and varied in their methods. Nor is strange that it should be so 
when we consider the numerous genera that are thus operated upon, 
and the many soils and situations in which they are grown. 
Peaches have been subjected to the spur system, but it may be 
safely said that the practice was not continued for any lengthened 
period, yet the examples are many in which fruit trees have been 
rendered more productive by a partial freedom from this method. 
It was a very old writer who remarked when treating on this 
subject, “ Yet have not any that I know described to us (except in 
general words) what or which are those superfluous boughs which 
we must take away ; and that is the most needful point to be 
known in lopping.”® But with all due respect for his endeavours 
to clear away this darkness it must be admitted that the shadow of 
uncertainty hangs over his teachings like the difficulty of a 
physician in writing a prescription without seeing the patient. It 
* Evelyn's “ Silvia,” page 211, fourth edition. 
is impossible that there can be other than general directions on such 
a subject, but those instructions ought to be sufficient to any who 
will but mix them with his powers of his observation and know¬ 
ledge of the genera and locality. 
But there is one part of a plant to which a general rule of 
pruning might be applied, which although it does not lie at the 
root of the matter is yet very near it, being in short the stem. 
Much has been written about root-pruning and branch-pruning so 
as to get an even balance betwixt the two extremities of a tree, 
whereas the medium through which this balancing is conducted is 
in many instances completely ignored, or at least but little attended 
to. On the treatment, and consequently the condition of the stem, 
depends in a great measure the future usefulness of a tree. Where 
the practice of keeping it closely trained until the desired height 
has been attained has been followed it is rarely* that the bole 
swells proportionately with the other portion of the tree, and con¬ 
sequently the nourishment for its support is not conveyed so freely 
as through a more open channel. Fruit trees with hard contracted 
stems rarely produce a satisfactory crop, and though doubtless there 
are remedies for this defect the complaint might have been pre¬ 
vented if more freedom had been given to lateral growths. Were 
more notice taken of the early treatment of the stem it is not 
improbable that less discussions would afterwards be heard about 
pruning. It is not to be inferred from this that stem pruning alone 
is necessary for the proper management of a tree, but I believe it 
would go a long way towards mitigating some of the evils of which 
so much is heard. If instead of cutting or rubbing away all stem 
shoots under the erroneous impression that by doing so more 
nourishment is imparted to the head, some of them were left and 
kept at breathing distances apart until the tree attained a fair size, 
gratifying results would in all probability accrue from the change 
of treatment. It is difficult to determine the time when the final 
denudation should take place ; age alone is not to be judged, as. 
some grow more freely than others, but when the stem is clean and 
elastic, bearing a suitable proportion to its top, the operation if 
desired might be accomplished. 
Some growers are very tardy in doing this in either forest or 
fruit trees, as the bark soon heals over if the shoots are cut clean 
and close. The Vine is as susceptible as most fruits to differences 
of treatment, and when a certain amount of freedom is given to 
bottom growths, not for the purpose of fruit, as plenty of that 
can be had from above them, but as it were to aid and assist the 
stem to satisfactorily perform its proper functions, much future 
benefit is derived. The stem swells, preventing the unnatural 
practice of tying it down, and so avoiding the sometimes baneful 
results of the system. It may be observed that suckers are less 
prevalent where there is a proportionate equality betwixt the stem 
and the top, and more plentiful where the former is contracted, as 
if the sap, after finding only a stifled outlet in the proper direction 
of its course, spent its strength in another channel.—M. D. 
HARDY FLOWERING SHRUBS. 
My object is not to write of these generally, but to draw 
attention to a few plants that are not planted in beds and borders 
outside to the extent that they deserve to be. Those selected are 
frequently associated with other plants for forcing, to be employed 
in the conservatory and for cutting purposes early in the 
season. They are equally ornamental when grouped with Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, Azalea pontica, Ghent varieties, and other American 
plants in various positions in the pleasure ground and rock garden. 
The first of these is Deutzia gracilis, which is equally as valuable 
outside as for forcing purposes. It is perfectly hardy, and in a sunny 
open spot is very beautiful in the rock garden, and few plants are 
more effective when placed towards the front of clumps of American 
plants. Wherever planted it should be given room to develope 
itself, and not p'aced where stronger growing plants will even¬ 
tually overcrowd it. When planted outside the best plan is to allow 
the plant to grow naturally, and not cut it back annually, as we 
are in the habit of doing when it is grown for forcing purposes. 
However beautiful large bushes of D. crenata and its double form 
flore-pleno, may be, they cannot surpass the dwarf growing 
D. gracilis, which is suitable for many positions where the others- 
would be out of place. 
Azalea amoena is perfectly hardy, and deserves to be planted 
outside more frequently than we see it. In many gardens it is only 
known as a greenhouse plant and used annually for forcing. It is 
valuable inside and equally effective outside. Being of dwarf 
growth it is well adapted for rockeries, and few plants are more 
conspicuous when in bloom. An open sunny spot should be 
selected where its roots can be surrounded with plenty of soil 
which has a tendency to be moist. It will soon succumb if 
planted in shallow soil that will dry up after a few days of bright 
