216 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ Sep* ember 12,188P, 
admitted by all that the only special value these awards possess is 
when the exhibitor of a variety holds the whole of the stock, as he 
can then command the market and the best price obtainable. In 
the case of sports in the hands of several people, the usual method 
is for one to purchase the whole, or to come to some agreement 
respecting the distribution at the same time, and instances were 
cited in support of this. The Japanese Carew Underwood, a bronze 
sport from Baronne de Frailly, was sent out simultaneously by two 
firms. Lord Wolseley, incurved sport from Prince Alfred, which 
was in the hands of two private growers, was purchased and sent 
out by one firm. A third example was afforded by Mrs. H. J. 
Jones, which was obtained by two nurserymen ; one who had a small 
stock being awarded a certificate, and the other with a larger stock 
immediately took advantage of it by placing his plants in the market. 
Granting a certificate in the case of the new French varieties, 
which may be in the nurseries or gardens of a dozen persons, 
distinguishes the variety only and confers a general benefit upon 
all in the trade who have it, and in advertisements or circulars it 
is customary to indicate those varieties which have been so 
honoured. 
The award of the arbitrators is not yet announced, but it will, 
no doubt, provide a fair settlement of a troublesome dispute ; and 
though it may be in some respects regretable that it could not 
have been arranged without having recourse to law, the case will 
establish a needed precedent. 
METHODS OF RENOVATING FRUIT TREES. 
Once more the time has arrived for important work in the 
fruit garden to be commenced, and for taking the first active steps 
towards carrying out contemplated additions to the stock of fruit 
trees already in cultivation. About the need for or wisdom 
of renovating innumerable old, or comparatively old, trees there 
cannot be two opinions, but when we come to the methods to be 
adopted in carrying out this wise measure there is less unanimity 
among the authorities. 
liegrafting i partially worn out tree has often been recom¬ 
mended as a good means of re-invigorating it. There is no doubt 
that Apples will grow on Pear stocks, or vice versa. There are a 
few varieties of Apples of extra robust habit, but as a rule Pears 
are quite as vigorous, and if the former are grafted on to Pears it 
will only be for a short time that an improvement in the tree’s 
health will last. This regrafting trees, whether with the same class 
of fruit or not, is, as far as complete renovation is concerned, a mere 
“ flash in the pan,” or, in other words, is certain to end in failure. 
For the first three or four years the grafts or young branches grow 
strongly, and so they would if the branches were cut hard back 
and allowed to grow again, but directly the trees arrive at a 
serviceable size they quickly collapse ; at least, such is my 
experience. There is very much to be said in favour of regrafting 
vigorous trees of inferior varieties with superior sorts, this beino f a 
ready means of very greatly improving the value of an orchard, 
but something more than grafting is required in the case of all 
nearly or quite worn out trees. There may be a few instances 
where a change in the character of the head of a tree may be of 
marked advantage, clean healthy branches taking the place of those 
much cankered or stunted in growth, but as a rule it is below the 
surface of the ground where there is most need for remedial 
measures. Especially is the case where many trees are grown 
either in an orchard or cultivated garden. The roots from much 
isolated specimens can and do ramble widely in search of fresh 
food, but this is not often available for orchard trees. Those in 
cultivated gardens are not so far out of the reach of what they 
most require, but as it happens the roots of these are driven down¬ 
wards by the spade or fork, and the roots will not lon^ be in a poor 
or cold subsoil without most injurious effect upon the top growth 
This brings me to that portion of my subject which ought just now 
be especially important to gardeners and fruit growers generally. 
Root-lifting and root-pruning, for one must accompany the 
other, are the very best remedial measures that can be adopted 
both for re-invigorating old trees and for increasing the productive¬ 
ness of any that are naturally too luxuriant in growth. It is onlv 
those trees well furnished with root fibres that are constantly of a 
fruitful habit, and as deep running roots form few or no fibres 
the trees they support are either very unhealthy, or else they produce 
little else but sappy wood growth. Deep root action is the greatest 
evil that can befaU a tree, and if the roots could be kept in an 
active state near the surface there would be no necessity to root- 
prune young trees to make them fruitful, or old ones to re-invigo- 
rate them, a liberal top-dressing of good farmyard manure being 
all that the latter would need every second or third year. Tn some' 
instances if grafted trees were also heavily manured before they 
had made much progress, and kept regularly supplied with it, 
valuable trees might quickly take the place of exhausted old ones,, 
but lifting the roots and relaying these in quite fresh soil is a surer,, 
and, as a rule, the more effective measure. There are plenty of 
trees that are not worth expending so much trouble over, but I 
always counsel that undue haste be avoided by those who are- 
disposed to destroy trees that have been so many years in attaining 
their full size. Young trees are usually from six to twelve years- 
before they produce many fruits, whereas an old tree can be 
restored to a most productive state in the course of two or three 
years. 
It is possible to be over-zealous even in this direction, as I and* 
many others have found out to their cost. The work may easily 
be commenced too soon and done too thoroughly in one season, 
severally ears necessarily elapsing before the trees recover from the 
very severe check given them. Several large Pear trees we par¬ 
tially lifted and root-pruned five years ago are only just recovered 
from it, the fruit produced this season only now attaining some¬ 
thing like its full size. No fixed date can be assigned for making 
a start, so much depending upon circumstances. If the tree3 
are root-pruned before the wood is well matured and the 
leaves have plumped up the buds they are liable to flag badly, and 
shrivelling will follow. Frequent syringings and temporary shade- 
in bright weather will partially prevent flagging, but it may yet be 
insufficient to prevent shrivelling and a very great check to the- 
tree’s top and root growth. It is certainly advisable to lift and 
root-prune while yet the leaves are green, but this season, unless 
the present bright weather lasts, they will be later in doing 
their work and falling, and I should not advise the remedial 
measures being started before the middle of September, the end of 
that month or early in October being quite soon enough in some; 
cases. 
It is a very risky proceeding to wholly lift a large old tree, 
and it had far better be done piecemeal, or one half this autumn 
and the other next year. In this case it is also safer to com¬ 
mence operations somewhat earlier, or as soon as the crop that may 
be on the tree is gathered. A wide trench should be opened far 
away, or, say, not less than 8 feet from the stem of the tree, one 
half of the tree being gradually undermined, and the roots care¬ 
fully preserved till the tap or deep running roots immediately 
below the bole are reached. Most of the stout roots must neces¬ 
sarily be cut through, but they ought to be preserved to as great a- 
length as possible, and all should have their broken ends clean 
cut over and then relaid in a horizontal position very much 
nearer the surface, a liberal quantity fresh turfy loam, crushed! 
bones, and burnt soil or charred garden refuse. If this is done 
well many fresh root fibres will be formed this autumn, or at 
any rate the wounds will be callused over, and “ root buds ” be 
formed. There will most probably be a marked improvement 
in the productiveness and quality of the fruit during the first 
season following root-lifting and pruning, a complete cure being- 
effected by the completion of the work in the autumn.— 
W. Iggulden. 
LINARIA ANTICARIA. 
Several of the species of perennial Linarias are well worthy 
of cultivation and of more attention than they have hitherto re¬ 
ceived, and among these the comparatively new L. anticaria is not 
the least worthy. I call it comparatively new, as so far as I am 
aware it was only introduced by the trade about the the year 1884, 
and does not appear to be very widely known. As originally intro¬ 
duced, the flowers are described as white with a flush of lilac and 
an irregular dark brown or purple spot near the throat, and 
delicately veined. The variation of seedlings from this description 
is, however, already so marked that it is highly probable that great- 
variation exists in the native habitats of the plants, as it is hardly 
conceivable that so many seminal varieties could have been pro¬ 
duced in the short time since the plant was introduced. Among 
my plants raised from seed sown last year there are no fewer than 
eight varieties mostly fairly distinct. Had it not been for an un¬ 
fortunate accident to the larger number of the seedlings there 
would almost certainly have been other varieties, as a friend, out 
of a very few seedlings, had another distinct variety—a buff ground 
with purple markings. I have saved a quantity of seed, and as the 
plants are largely frequented by the bees I have little doubt that 
some new shades of colour will present themselves. 
I do not know that details of the various markings would be 
