April IP, ] 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AXD COTTAGE GARDEXER. 
293 
s 
THINNING AND DISBUDDING.j 
- --f- : 
P ROBABLY no operations in gardening are more important than 
the early thinning of seedlings, both of flowers and vegetables, 
-and the timely disbudding of Vines and fruit trees to prevent the 
overcrowding of their growths. But essential as this work is there 
are very few gardens in which it is sj'stematically and properly 
conducted. The drawing of small seedlings from a crowded mass is 
a tedious occupation, and the time devoted to it is often begrudged, 
while the duty is commonly neglected by men who cannot, as they 
say, “fiddle and potter about, but must be doing something to 
make a show.” And it is not gardeners alone who are given to 
that line of reasoning, but there are those above them who are 
not over-satisfied to see strong men engaged in such light-fingered 
movements, but prefer to see them more laboriously employed. 
It is impossible to say how many crops have been weakened and 
how many millions of plants spoiled through the crushing and 
crowding to which they have been subjected in the early stages 
■of growth, and the lightest work for atfording them space for 
development is often the most profitable that can be engaged 
in. A gardener who knows his business is fully alive to the 
importance of such apparently small matters, and if he is 
allowed to do what he know wants doing the first, or has not two 
or three men’s work before him, he will not permit either plants. 
Vines, or trees to sutfer by want of timely thinning or dis¬ 
budding. 
It is impossible to attach too great importance to the operations 
in question. An example of the value of adequate space to plants 
from their first appearance above ground may be adduced from a 
-very simple crop—Radishes. Sow the seed thickly, and allow the 
plants to remain to struggle with each other in a densely crowded 
mass ; the crop will be worthless, and seed, labour, and ground 
■wasted. No great loss, perhaps someone may be inclined to suggest 
—“ only a few Radishes.” There are men, no doubt, who make 
light of small failures, but they are rarely notable for great achieve¬ 
ments. But we have not done with the Radishes. There are at 
this moment scores of acres growing in the London market 
gardens, on land occupied at a rental of £8 to £10 an acre. 
Obviously it must be rich, and the crops well managed, or it could 
not yield a profit to the tillers. Suppose a man has five acres of 
Radishes s;» died by thick sowing and dense crowding, would the 
loss of such a simple crop be trivial ? On the contrary, the wasted 
seed, fertility, and space would be serious. Bad management of 
that kind means ruin, but it is not allowed by good cultivators ; and 
five acres of Radishes, thinly sown, thinly grown, early and 
•clean, bring a return of from £20 to £40 an acre. This, if any¬ 
thing can, will enforce the lesson that we desire to impress on all 
who need it of the importance in the first place of thin sowing, 
then if the plants come up too thickly of the necessity of thinning 
them quickly and sufficiently. For preventing needless expend! 
ture in two ways—waste of seed by its too lavish use, and the 
consequent cost of thinning the plants—one of the largest and 
most successful of market gardeners sows his own seed with his 
own hands, though his weekly wage bill exceeds that of a thousand 
acre farmer. 
The principle advocated applies to all plants and crops that are 
intended to develop into objects of beauty or usefulness, from 
Lobelias and all other flowers raised in pots under glass, also 
No. 511.— VoL. XX., Third Series. 
Celery and whatever vegetables may be raised similarly, and 
equally to open ground crops of Turnips, Carrots, Cabbages, or 
whatever may be raised, including flowers. Lot them remain 
crowded too long and grow too tall, and nothing that can bo done 
afterwards, including thinning, can atone for previous mistakes or 
neglect. For insuring strong plants of the most satisfactory kind 
the seed leaves or cotyledons should never touch each other. Tliat 
is the first condition for robustness of habit, and the subsequent 
withdrawal of superfluous plants should never be deferred till 
those which remain fall over, because not strong enough to stand 
alone. It is impossible that such weaklings can be satisfactory 
and a credit to the cultivator ; moreover, this late thinning of 
root crops, such as Onions and Carrots, simply invites the attacks 
of their natural enemies—maggots—by the easy vulnerability of 
the tender stems and the accessibility of the underground portions 
to parent insects for depositing eggs. From whatever point of 
view regarded, the close and long-continued crowding of young 
plants of all kinds cannot be too strongly condemned. It is 
obstructing, not assisting. Nature, and a burlesque on intelligent 
cultivation. 
Passing to disbudding or removing superfluous growths from 
Vines and fruit trees. This work is not by any means so thought¬ 
fully conducted in all gardens as it should be. In some it is 
deferred too long ; then, as if to make up for past omissions, the 
removal of the crowded growths is excessive. It is a mistake ever 
to allow any crowding of the foliage, yet it is not too much to say 
that this error is apparent every summer in more than half the 
vineries and Peach houses in the kingdom. One good leaf that 
developes nnder the direct action of light is of more benefit to 
Vine or tree than ten crushed, crowded, and shaded, hence flimsy 
examples. These are tree weakeners, abstracting more than they 
return, for they cannot elaborate the crude sap and secrete 
nutrient matter for the wood and fruit ; but leaves of the best 
character, fully textured and their functional powers developed, 
are tree strengtheners, for they return more nutriment than they 
abstract for their own support. The more of these perfect leaves 
there are the better, therefore undue suppression of growths should 
not be practised, but by far the commoner evil is an unreasonable 
multiplication of parts each struggling with the other for sun and 
space, and all suffering by the effort. 
The first and most effectual measure for obviating the evil in 
question is the removal of those growths when quite small that 
are obviously not wanted for occupying space, for the sufficient 
reason that there is no adequate space for them to occupy. A little 
forecast of the space that starting growths will need for the full 
expansion of the foliage will enable a decision to be arrived at 
relative to the removal or retention of those growths. Yet prudence 
must be exercised and allowance made for accidents, especially in 
the case of Vines, or a blank may be created that cannot be easily 
filled. The growths actually required for permanent positions 
must be absolutely safe before all others near, some of which 
might be useful as substitutes, are taken away. 
Newly planted Vines need particular attention. The canes of 
many are much too long for stout growths to be produced. The 
sap is divided into too many channels to flow in full force, and a 
concentration on fewer outlets will increase the momentum, and 
consequently the strength of the growth extensions to which it is 
directed. Therefore it is often highly desirable to gradually re¬ 
move a number of shoots from the upper parts of canes that were 
not sufficiently shortened before planting, and at the same time the 
lower parts of canes from which fruit-bearing laterals are not 
required should not be wholly denuded of buds as many are, but it 
is better to let a few leaves expand for enlarging the sap vessels 
and strengthening the stems. Established Vines, except in the 
charge of the best Grape growers, are usually permitted to become 
much too crowded, and this alone is the cause of many failures or 
inferior fruit. The too free extension of laterals can and should 
No. 21fi7.— VoD, LXXXII., Old Series, 
