November 17, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
435 
the condition of the trees in his splendid nursery, which visitors 
find—perhaps sometimes to their surprise—is not only, as Mr. 
Raillem has so aptly described it, “ the ancestral home of the Rose,” 
but also a home for a very remarkable collection of hardy fruits. 
The Lesson of the Cordons. 
A great fruit expert not long ago related to me with keen enjoy¬ 
ment how, when visiting the garden of a writer who had made 
himself an authority on the formation of trained fruit trees some 
years ago, he found the most perfect examples of skilful training 
that the mind could conceive. They were in all sizes and all forms, 
models of beauty and symmetry. There was only one drawback to 
them—there was not a fruit to be found in the whole collection ! 
The only produce on the place was yielded by the trees that had 
escaped the “ improver’s” hand and been left to Nature’s training. 
It must be clear to anyone who is in the habit of visiting gardens 
in which fruit is grown that cordons are too often restricted to 
starvation point. Are these trees always worth the time and labour 
expended upon them ? I venture to doubt it. Three or four 
meagre Pears a year are frequently the extent of their crop, and 
sometimes there is no fruit at all. I have invariably noticed a great 
difference between trees that have a good length of wall to travel 
over before the ultimate stopping takes place, and those which are 
never, so to say, given their heads.” This is another instance of 
extension versus restriction, and Mr. Paul pointed out to me, in his 
extensive collection of trained trees, a still more convincing lesson. 
Some trees that have been checked in order to keep them of the 
character that is expected of cordons when purchased, follow the 
orthodox lines of bearing by giving a fruit here and there ; but in 
other trees the side shoots have been allowed to advance and mature 
instead of being pinched, and are bearing at least six t mes the 
quantity of fruit that the others carry. Not only is it more abun¬ 
dant, but it is larger and in every respect finer. 
These trees are growing side by side in the same soil, under 
exactly similar conditions, and the only difference of treatment lies 
in the energies of the trees in the one case having been kept 
severely in check, while in the other a natural outlet for them has 
been permitted. Surely this teaches a very significant lesson, and 
tells us that a far more cogent reason than convenience of gathering 
is to be advanced in favour of oblique training. The nearer the 
horizontal that the trees are trained the greater the length of wall 
before them, and I would suggest that where in the case of low 
walls early stopping of the leader has to be practised in order to 
keep the trees below the top, and virtual if not actual barrenness 
results, the trees should either be lifted and replanted at a more 
obtuse angle, or the wall be surmounted by a fence of wirework 
stretched espalier-like along the top. The beneficial results of the 
latter system cannot be better displayed than at Manresa House, 
Roehampton, where practical Mr. Davis has resorted to it for his 
Pear and Plum trees. In either case room for extension is provided, 
and its good effects will speedily manifest themselves. The latter 
plan is preferable to that of greatly depressing the trees, which, as 
I shall presently endeavour to show, is itself a species of restriction. 
Standard Apples. 
In trade circles the reputation of the standard Apples at 
Cheshunt stands as high as that of the Roses does with the general 
public. They are a very remarkable collection both in extent and 
cultural excellence. Lines of trees stretch a quarter of a mile or 
more in length, and they are a sufficient distance anart to allow of 
horse labour between them. Here is a batch of 1500 Bienheims, 
there 800 to 1000 of Ecklinville Seedlings, and other popular 
varieties are also largely grown, the total number amounting 
probably to 70,000 or more. This, be it understood, represents 
standards alone, other classes of trees being also grown largely. It 
would be difficult to imagine more admirable specimens of planting 
standards, the stems being thick, vigorous, and upright. I parti¬ 
cularly noted the sturdy character of the stems, and it is worthy of 
note that the splendid foundation they provide has been obtained 
by permitting a little growth extension. Instead of the stem shoots 
being at once removed they are allowed to make growth for the 
special purpose of thickening the stem in the earlier days of the 
tree. Thus the younger members of the plantation are feathered 
with foliage up to the branches. The shoots are of course ulti¬ 
mately removed, but not until they have served a very useful 
purpose of the nature indicated. Here again is an instance of the 
advantages of extension as opposed to restriction. Only those who 
see the trees can realise the full benefits of the cultural treatment 
adopted, and it is only bare justice to them to state that I have 
never seen a more remarkable example of nursery practice than 
that of the Cheshunt standards. 
Trained Trees. 
The trained trees are equally excellent in their way, and the 
same non-restrictive rule runs through the practice. The stock is 
not represented by a tree here and there amongst quarters of other 
classes, but a large breadth of them are growing together, and they 
are very striking. I believe that they are the special work of Mr. 
Paul, jun., who has graduated in a good school and thoroughly 
digested its lessons. The rule adopted throughout is to train 
diagonally instead of horizontally. Now this in a sense is following 
out the exiension principle, for if it be correct that the natural 
flow of the sap is more free in the perpendicular than the hori¬ 
zontal direction, it must follow that any departure from the latter 
in the direction of the former is a concession to Nature and a 
tendency to extension instead of restriction. The results at 
Cheshunt are full of significance. There is equal neatness in the 
diagonally trained trees, and there is superior vigour and produc¬ 
tiveness. This should tell us that there is a great unifying prin¬ 
ciple running through plant life which it is better to guide than to 
oppose. Mr. Paul teaches a life lesson with his cordon, standard, and 
trained trees which others have played with as a mere physiological 
theory. For this not less than for the information derived from a 
pleasant hour in his richly stored library with its rare old volumes, 
I have reason to gratefully remember a passing visit to the old Rose 
home.—W. P. W. 
BIS 
Chrysanthemum Shows. 
The following Chrysanthemum Shows, which have bean advertised 
in our columns, will take place during the ensuing week. We append 
the names and addresses of the respective Secretaries. That marked * 
opened yesterday (Wednesday). 
*Nov. 16th, 17th, 18th.—York. J. Lazenby, 13, Feasgate, York. 
„ 17th, 18th, 19th.—Edinburgh. R. Laird, 11, South Frederick Street, 
Edinburgh. 
National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The annual dinner of the National Chrysanthemum Society will take 
p’ace on November 30th at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street. Sir Edwin 
Saunders, President of the Society, will occupy the chair. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society. 
If the resolution published in the Journal of Horticulture on page 401 
represents the feeling of the Committee of this Society in relation to the 
complaint made against members of its Floral Committee by Mr. 
Godfrey of Exmouth, then does it sustain the opinion that the Society 
is governed by metropolitan growers, all of whom evidently do not 
banish from their minds their possible trade interests. That is the 
prevalent country estimate. The resolve of the officials naturally 
leads to the inference that they are in sympathy with the trade 
growers whose action, so seriously complained of, has been brought 
before them. If remarks are made at the table unfit to be 
heard by outsiders, they are unfit to be made at all. The publica¬ 
tion of Mr. Godfrey’s complaint, and Mr. Wells’ exposure at the 
Aquarium, let in a flood of light upon the objects of certain persons in 
connection with the Society’s Floral Committee. As the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society has an Orchid and a Narcissus Committee, I suggest 
that a Chrysanthemum Committee be appointed also, from which 
dubious persons be excluded. Let the Committee meet at the Society’s 
offices weekly when there are no Drill Hall meetings. This would 
prove to be a very popular move in the country.—K. 
Certificated Chrysanthemums. 
In addition to the Chrysanthemums to which we referred in our last 
issue, the following varieties were adjudged first-class certificates at the 
Royal Aquarium last week by the Floral Committee of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society. To Mr. R. Cawte, Esher, for an incurved 
named Brookleigh Gem, a sport from Jeanne d’Arc, of a purplish shade. 
To Mr. C. E. Shea, Foot’s Cray, for Miss Dorothea Shea, a cross between 
E. Molyneux and Sunset. This is a promising Japanese variety of a 
large and striking appearance, the florets being reddish in hue, with a 
silvery reverse. To Mr. J. Agate, Havant, for Princess May, a large 
white Japanese of rather a thin appearance. Also to E. C. Jukes, Esq., 
Hadley Lodge, Barnet, for Japanese Anemone La Deuil, a charming 
variety of a crimson purple colour. 
Chrysanthemums at Barton-under-Needwood. 
Mr. J. C. Grinling of Barton-under-Needwood, who annually 
invites his neighbours to come and see his Chrysanthemums, has this 
year a collection of 145 varieties in 290 pots. Mr. Davis has arranged 
the plants along the sides of the house, with the colours so intermingled 
as to produce a very pretty effect. The blooms as a whole are thoroughly 
well developed, and the Japanese are particularly good, Etoile de 
Lyon Yiviand Morel, Florence Davis, Puritan, and Thomas Stevenson 
