52 
THE FLORIST. 
The soil was, however, too light and sandy, and, in spite of my having 
them annually root-pruned, they grew too vigorously, making strong 
shoots from the centre of the trees and soon reaching the glass ; the 
lower shoots of the trees were shaded and weakened, and they soon lost 
their symmetry. I then had trees potted, which have ever since given 
me much satisfaction. 1 can now see that my trees planted out might 
have been kept in order by removal, but although 1 was then practising 
it on Pear-trees, it did not occur to me. 
In the central border of a large house like that at Stansted Park, it 
seems to me that nice half-standards with straight three-feet stems 
would be most eligible. Their heads should be made to spread hori¬ 
zontally, by carefully pushing out their central shoois and pruning so as 
to offer a large surface to the sun ; for the Peach without a “ sunny 
side”— i. e.y a rosy cheek—is too often flat and insipid. 
I observe that your correspondent procures fine fruit from trees in 
pots, but not so large as from those planted out. This must be owing 
to his not allowing the trees to root through into the border, which I 
hold is indispensable to obtain full-sized fruit; the quality of the fruit 
is also said by him to be inferior from trees in pots. This, I know 
from experience, in most cases, is owing to the situation of the trees. I 
have for some years past eaten the most high-flavoured and delicious 
Peaches from trees in pots, and, on the contrary, some of the most 
insipid and worthless; the former from trees fully exposed to the sun 
and air—the latter from trees standing in the shade, too far from the 
glass and the ventilators. It is scarcely credible to what an extent the 
same kind of Peach is influenced by the position of the tree ; but 1 feel 
I ought to state there are variations in the flavour of Peaches and Nec¬ 
tarines, in different seasons, scarcely to be accounted for. In 1855 
my Nectarines were nearly all below par, as regards flavour, and the 
Peaches all remarkably good; in 1856 the Nectarines were all excellent, 
but several kinds of Peaches, generally first-rate in quality, were inferior 
in flavour; 1 may add, the trees all stood in the same house, in the 
same positions, and had exactly the same culture. Again, Peaches of 
the same kind—such as the Grosse Mignonne, Royal George, and 
others—often differ in goodness in different seasons. I should, without 
hesitation, have attributed these changes to the greater or less extent of 
sunny weather, did not the alternate variations of flavour in Peaches 
and Nectarines make me doubt if it was the real cause. 
The success that has attended the culture of Plums, Figs, Cherries, 
Pears, and Apples, in pots, at Stansted Park, is very gratifying, and at 
once puts to flight the little cavillings of “ Pomonamore ripe Figs 
have been eaten in England these last five years than were ever seen or 
thought of before. 
I am quite sure that “ G. T.” needs no hint; but he will not feel 
offended when I tell him that the Stanwick is by far the most delicious 
of all Nectarines; its flavour, however, is never fully developed in a 
cold orchard-house. I have two fine trees in pots, standing in one of 
my Rose-houses, in which gentle forcing is commenced towards the end 
of January ; they ripen their fruit towards the end of July, seldom 
crack, and are always perfectly delicious. I sometimes think that were 
