January 30, 1390. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
91 
to protect them thoroughly from these. But if trees were planted with 
a clean stem of say not more than 4 feet it would be a great improve¬ 
ment on the old system of planting them with a stem 6 and 7 feet high 
before branching. The shorter stems could be easily protected from 
sheep by barbed wire guards, and horse and cattle should never be 
allowed to enter the orchard. If this method was adopted, and the 
trees planted 21 feet apart, they could be kept lower, and more under 
“Profitable Fruit Growing”—will have a wonderful effect in the pro¬ 
duction of fruit in future by teaching all interested how to grow and 
market it in the best condition possible. To say the least, I consider 
the essay a masterpiece of its kind—a real acquisition, which cannot 
fail to do an immense amount of good, and raise the status of fruit 
culture in this eountry to a pitch it has never attained before.— 
A. Pettigrew, Castle Gardens, Cardiff. 
the control of the cultivator. Besides the great advantage it would be 
in gathering the fruit, which would not be so liable to be injured by 
high winds. 
A particular friend, and, I might say, one of the best gardeners in 
the country, in writing to me some time ago on the cultivation of hardy 
fruits, said that a certain distinguished statesman in his speeches had 
done more to raise the status of hardy fruit culture in this country 
than all other things put together during the century. Well, taking 
that for granted, I venture to say that Mr. Wright’s prize essay— 
REV. W. WILKS, M.A. 
We have pleasure in having been able to secure a portrait of the 
above gentleman for engraving in the Journal of Horticulture. We 
desired to do this because Mr. Wilks has not only been an ardent horti¬ 
culturist for many years, and has practised the ancient art of gardening 
in its most modern aspects at Shirley, but more particularly because of 
the position he occupies as Secretary of the Eoyal Horticultural Society. 
This is a very honourable office to fill, but is no sinecure to a gentleman 
