44 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ February, 
and throughout that time I do not suppose any man living has ridden the 
hobby more diligently or with greater pleasure than I have done, and still 
should do, if I had the opportunity. For want, however, of a suitable 
situation, I have been compelled to abandon the cultivation of these 
flowers till now I have only a portion of one kind left—namely, the Tulip ; 
and for several years I have not had the opportunity of caring for these 
as I ought, on account of their being miles away from my home. I may 
add that when one has reached his sixty-sixth year, as I have done, bodily 
infirmity is apt to interfere with pursuits of this kind. 
What I have stated may be thought discouraging, though I know not 
why it should be. At any rate, I think the truth ought to he told. 
Moreover, if I am correctly informed, there is now some promise of a 
revival in the fancy. This no one would he more pleased to see brought 
about in earnest than myself, and no one can he more willing than I am to 
afford such assistance as my humble abilities and means may allow, in the 
way of advice to the young and inexperienced who may stand in need 
thereof. I shall therefore proceed to treat, hereafter, of the management 
of those old favourites, the Carnation and Picotee. 
Huddersfield. J. Hepwoeth. 
THE WINTER DRESSING OF ORCHARD-HOUSE TREES. 
<®\RESS your fruit and orchard-house trees with a solution of Gishurst 
53^1 compound, 8 ozs. of the compound to a gallon of water. This is the 
confident recommendation of more than one acknowledged authority, 
and to doubt the soundness of the advice thus conveyed, may seem 
little short of heresy. Nevertheless, my observation and experience 
of the matter compel me to do so, though I do not wish to depreciate the 
value of Gishurst compound as a very effective application for the destruc¬ 
tion of insect enemies, after they have left the egg state. It is, however, 
admitted that when used at the above degree of strength it will sometimes 
cause a few—and if a few, why not many ?—buds to fall off. 
Several years since, my confidence as to the efficacy of this winter 
dressing was shaken by the following circumstances. Two healthy Plum 
trees of large dimensions, trained to a wall facing the east, were during the 
summer found to be much infested by aphis or green fly; syringing was 
freely had recourse to, and the enemy was kept somewhat under, without, 
however, being entirely subdued; and during the winter which followed, 
one of the trees was unnailed, and very carefully dressed with the compound 
of the degree of strength mentioned above. It was also intended to 
dress the other tree in a similar manner, but other operations pressed, and 
this intended dressing was postponed, until it was found to be too late to be 
applied that season, and spring meanwhile arriving, both trees bloomed 
