34 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ Februaby, 
this nortliern part of Britain, to Have unfavourable -weather during the -whole 
flowering period; nevertheless, good crops are generally obtained. I therefore 
conclude that the assumed unfavourableness of the weather during the early 
stages of growth, could not have been the sole cause of the failure. I am much 
rather inclined to believe that it was owing to the excessive dryness of the soil at 
the roots, and the entire absence of dew in the previous summer, which prevented 
the proper secretions from being stored up in the embryo fruit-buds, which, 
although to all appearance unusually full and perfect, were in reality not so, 
since they lacked stored-up energy—such energy as a barren tree may generally 
be seen to possess, while it is wanting in one carrying an over-abundant crop of 
fruit. Where liberal waterings were not resorted to, the trees had a hard 
struggle to supply both fruit and foliage through so long a drought, and all the 
more so where a vegetable crop covered the surface of the border. 
The Apple crop here, as in most other places, has been a failure, the exceptions 
being those sorts that bore little or no fruit the previous season : this fact furnish¬ 
ing another proof of the effects of stored-up energy in the buds in promoting the 
powers of fruition. These strong and well-stored buds seemed to escape the 
ravages of caterpillars, which so generally attacked the weaker ones, that at the 
time of flowering very few perfect blossoms were to be seen, most of them ha-ving 
two or three petals deficient. 
Both Peaches and Apricots set their fruit well, and bore good crops. Much 
of this success I attribute to two liberal waterings given to the roots during the 
dry period of 1868. The peach-wall border is never cropped, and has a drainage 
of 18 in. depth of stones all over, the soil being not more than 20 in. deep. The 
roots are coaxed as near the surface as possible by forking in, about 4 in. deep, 
good layers of well-rotted dung every second or third year. The Apricot border 
is cropped generally with kidney beans and ashleaf kidney potatos alternately. 
The roots are here also near the surface, the trees having been all root-lifted, and 
encouraged upwards, by baring the roots and applying good coats of manure. 
The vegetable crop showed exactly, during the dry weather, how far the tree roots 
extended. This gave me the first hint that both trees and vegetables required 
watering, and immediately a thorough soaking was given, followed by another 
about three weeks afterwards. The same was also done in the case of other wall 
trees, where the borders were otherwise cropped. 
I find, upon examining my note-book, that the first expanded flower of 
Apricot on the open wall in 1869 was seen on February 12, being ten days earlier 
than in any former year registered. We seldom use any other covering than old 
herring nets put on double. The crop gathered this season was between 400 
and 500 dozen. I had the crop reduced, however, much below the average, 
because some of the trees had been recently root-lifted, and had not fully regained 
their vigour the previous season.—J. Webster, Gordon Castle. 
