58 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ MARCH, 
is often seen that years ago little or no attention was paid to aspect in planting 
wall-trees, valuable sites being wasted, as it were, on late Pears, Plums, or Morello 
Cherries, so that they shrivel or ripen prematurely, and consequently do not last 
their proper season. Such favourable places would have been far more advan¬ 
tageously occupied by Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, or Figs. The keeping of 
fruit depends on the care bestowed in gathering, and the position and construc¬ 
tion of the fruit-room, which should be at the back of a range of houses, so that 
it has a north aspect. It ought to be somewhat dark, with a free current of air 
admitted by means of luffer windows in the side-walls, and ventilation at the top 
of the room, to carry away the dampness given off by the fruit. Pears are often 
gathered before they are ready, on account of birds pecking holes in the fruit 
close to the stalk. Such, or any that are specked—as the Easter Beurre and 
Beurre Ranee generally are, when growing near the roots of large trees, or when the 
roots get into bad soil—should never be stored among the sound fruit. During 
winter fruit-rooms continually require looking through, to remove any decaying* 
specimens, the old adage being specially applicable : A stitch in time saves nine. 
Fruit will keep best if put out in thin layers. The room should, if possible, be 
provided with the means of being warmed, as this is a great advantage in severe 
weather. 
I am at a loss to account for the peculiarities of ripening in the Pears men¬ 
tioned by Mr. Earley (p. 40), both gatherings, I presume, being from the same 
tree. Some examples of Beurre Biel from a south wall here, ripened prematurely ; 
the flavour was not of. the best, but they did not “go to sleep while some 
KnighVs Monarchs on a south wall dropped off early, withered, and were no use; 
this being a late variety, I conclude it is the aspect which is at fault.—G. Potts, 
Jun.^ Firle Park Gardens^ Lewes. 
THE CULTUKE OF WALL-FEUITS. 
Chapter VI.— The Peach and Nectarine {Continued). 
^^T will now be necessary to enter somewhat minutely into the details of the 
ujB first few years preparation and training of the young trees, up to the 
^ fruiting point, both as a guide to the planter as to the selection of advanced 
trees in a nursery, and also as indicating the general principles which 
should guide the practice of those who desire to enter into the preparation of 
their own trees from the first. 
It will be best to commence with a maiden tree, which may be defined as the 
first year’s growth of a bud inserted during the previous year on a properly 
prepared stock—or a maiden tree may be the growth of a graft inserted on a 
stock during the spring of the same year. In the case of the Peach and 
Nectarine, the system of budding is greatly to be preferred, and, indeed, is 
probably universally practised. The stock should be especially prepared, by 
lifting the previous year, and cutting away all the largest roots having a downward 
tendency, as before advised ; and if this is done early in October, and the stock 
