172 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST 
[ August, 
left forefinger and thumb, and thrust the point of the layering-knife through the 
second or third joint, as the layer may be- more or less matured ; bend up the 
layer until the joint thus cut freely opens, press gently into the soil, and peg 
firmly. As will be seen by the accompanying wood-cut, the layering-knife is 
made with a flange, which, like the point, is finely tempered, thin, and very sharp. 
This was kindly made for me by a friend in Sheffield many years since, and is 
a great improvement upon the ordinary knife, not only that it effects the 
operation at one thrust or cut, in place of two, and thus saves important time, 
but in rendering a second cut needless, it avoids a difficult and dangerous part 
of the work, which frequently, in my experience, led to the loss of the layer. The 
second finger of the left hand, holding the layer, having to be made into a block 
or pad for receiving the thrust of the knife, will require to be guarded with the 
top of an old glove, or piece of wash-leather of a sufficiently thick texture. 
When finished, water lightly with the fine-rosed pot, as above referred to, 
and carefully shelter from very bright sun or heavy wind until the rooting 
is commenced. The pegs I prefer are made from the common fern, and these, 
if cut when ripened in the autumn and used with care, will last for two seasons 
at the least.— ^E. S. Dodwell. 
THE THINNING OF STONE-FKUITS ON WALLS. 
® HEEE is a wonderful difference of opinion alike in regard to the time to 
thin and the extent of it. The time is of lesser moment than the amount, 
f for young fruit perform almost similar functions to leaves. It is not until 
they are considerably advanced that they take much or an}^ strength out 
of the trees. During their preliminary stages, they assimilate rather than ex¬ 
haust ; and as they are tender and exposed to many accidents, prudence suggests 
that they should not be thinned too earl}^, for the late frosts are severe 
thinners. If all are left till the frosts have finished, the probability is that a 
crop at least may escape. Those stowed away in sheltered nooks and corners 
mostly escape, and those in hidden places are generally what the thinner whips 
off, anxious that his elected fruits should be prominent and have full scope for 
growth. But the night frosts and biting winds cut into such the deepest. 
Better therefore wait till nearly the end of May before much thinning is 
attempted, for by that advanced season the frost will have left off thinning, and 
the cultivator comes in to finish or supplement its work. The rapid swelling of 
the fruit will then also compel its being thinned. Sufficient room cannot other¬ 
wise be found for it, and its rapid development, and the beginning of these changes 
of function renders it needful to remove any excess of fruit. The more perfectly 
formed and finest fruits will by that season also have developed themselves. This 
alone is worth waiting for. It is not always that the finer fruits reveal them¬ 
selves from the first. Imperfections of fructification are not in eveiy case apparent 
in the early stages, but towards the end of May, most imperfections of form, or 
weaknesses, or want of vitality, will have become apparent. We can then thin 
