April 27, 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
57 
! 
! 
be moved from place to place almost as easily as they, 
and by planting time be well interlaced with roots ; a 
little rubbing of!'at the corners then being more quickly 
and easily accomplished than disontaugling roots that 
had been crammed and pot-bound in a pot. Of course, 
if the grassy side of the turf was roasted, or other means 
taken to destroy vegetation, the scarifying process might 
be avoided, and to the benefit of the young plants, as 
the most valuable part of the turf would be retained ; 
and all experience goes to show that a roasting, or char¬ 
ring, so as to destroy vegetable aud animal life, when 
properly moistened and aired afterwards, is eagerly 
relished by most tribes of vegetables. 
HEAVY CROPS OF RASPBERRIES LATE IN 
AUTUMN. 
“Live and learn” is a good old proverb, to which we 
give a ready acquiescence, though we are slow to 
practice the principle it involves. A neighbouring 
gardener has informed me, that for many years he has 
obtained heavy crops of Raspberries in the autumn 
months, up to the middle of November, or later if the 
autumn was mild, which were found to be of great con¬ 
sequence at that time for tarts and dessert. I may bo 
mistaken; but, so far as my knowledge goes, the practice 
he follows is not generally adopted. If in this 1 should 
be wrong, there can be no harm in ventilating the 
subject in these pages. I owe the detail of Mr. Coxe’s 
practice to having seen rows of Raspberries with no 
canes, but with vigorous shoots a few inches above the 
ground. As this kind bears best on the young shoots, 
it was found, that when allowed to bear at the same 
time with other Raspberries, and late in the autumn, 
likewise, the shoots become exhausted aud worn out. 
By cutting down the canes, and having only one crop of 
fruit in the year, the gathering commenced after those 
grown in the usual way had finished; and there was no 
extra drain on the strength of the plants. 
It is very likely that other kinds, such as the Falstoff , 
might answer woll under a similar treatment. At any- 
rato, fruit, and very fine too, is often produced late from 
young shoots. As the fruit of the double-bearing kind 
is comparatively of little use in summer, when the 
common kinds are producing largely, this system of 
cutting clean down at the end of the season, to ensure 
a plentiful supply the following autumn, may be useful 
to many lovers of this fruit. R. Fish. 
THE EFFECTS OF THE SEVERE WINTER OF 
1853-4 ON SOME TREES AND SHRUBS. 
Since the ever-to-be-remembered hard winter of 
1837-8, there has been introduced into Great Britain a 
considerable number of previously unknown trees and 
shrubs from various climates, many of which were 
supposed to be hardy, and others considered too tender 
to bear our climate. The winter that has just passed 
has been severe enough to test that important point to 
almost the greatest extent. When the thermometer 
sinks by frost down to almost zero, that is, to thirty- 
two degrees below the point when the freezing of water 
commences, any tree or shrub that will live under such 
severe cold may be considered hardy enough to be 
planted in the open air, because such severe cold may 
fairly bo considered the greatest that it is probable will 
ever occur in this country. Information that can be 
depended upon on this point is especially of importance 
to parties now or hereafter about to plant for timber, 
or to form ornamental shrubberies near their dwellings. 
It may now be fairly assumed, that if any trees or 
shrubs of doubtful hardihood have passed through the 
last winter uninjured they may be safely planted in 
quantities. 1, in consequence of these ideas floating on 
my mind, have made some few observations on this 
subject, and shall in this paper report them. If others 
of the readers of The Cottage Gardener residing 
in various parts of the country would do the same, a 
mass of useful information would be stored up in our 
pages, that would be, no doubt, highly prized, and 
gladly received by parties interested in such matters. 
Rhododendron, Gibsonii , syu. R. formosum. I have 
accidentally discovered that this fine, large-flowered 
shrub is perfectly hardy. My nursery is much exposed 
to the north and north-west winds. The soil is a stroug, 
heavy loam, very suitable for fruit-trees and Roses. The 
situation is neither high nor yet low. There is a small 
river (the Colne) within a quarter-of-a-mile, and my 
ground rises above the level of the water nearly thirty 
feet. The subsoil is brick earth, some four feet thick, 
resting upon gravel. Under such circumstances, the 
ground may be fairly considered to be below the average 
temperature, having the advantage, however, of re¬ 
taining moisture longer than laud the subsoil of which 
is gravel close to the stratum of vegetable-feeding earth. 
In this situation, and in such soil and subsoil, the 
following have stood uninjured :—First, the Rhodo¬ 
dendron above mentioned. There can be no mistake 
here, for the plant stands fully exposed, aud has had no 
shelter whatever ! I was from home during the whole 
of the winter storm, and the foreman housed all plants 
he thought needed shelter, but mistook the Rbodo 
dendron for something else, and left it out. Had I been 
at home, 1 should certainly have sent it into comfortable 
winter quarters in the greenhouse, but, as -it happened, 
it was left out, and thus, I may say, I have accidentally 
found that it is hardy, and thus there is added a haud- 
some shrub to our known stock of proved hardy ones. 
The only damage it has received, is the tips of the 
leaves are a little browned. The plant stands three 
feet high and about half-a-yard through. 
I have been rather particular is describing the soil, 
situation, and other circumstances respecting the place 
in which this fine shrub has stood the winter, in order 
that our readers may perfectly understand the ins and 
outs of the subject. 
Geanothuspapillosus. —The plants of this species in 
this nursery were plunged in their pots in tan, close to 
a south wall, in a sheltered corner. They were all killed 
down to the tan, but are springing up again just from 
that point. 
Pinus excelsa, fully exposed, has every leaf sound. 
Pinus insignia, rather browned at the tips, but is re¬ 
covering. 
Picea nobilis, fully exposed, not in the least injured. 
P. grandis, a little injured. 
1 aXodium sempervirens, rather browned, but is pushing 
now freely. 
Cryptomerid japonica, browned very much, but 
amongst them there are some as green as a leek, 
showing that there is a difference in constitution in 
some plants of the same species. 
Oedrus peodara. —In very exposed situations some 
plants are a little discoloured, but the ends of the shoots 
are perfectly sound 
The Araucarias are slightly browned also, but are re¬ 
covering. 
The new and beautiful shrub, Deutzia gracilis, has 
proved as hardy as D. scabra. Many of my plants were 
in pots, not plunged or otherwise sheltered, but are now 
showing abundance of bloom. Some of them have been 
placed in gentle heat, and have bloomed, and are in 
bloom as fine as heart could wish. The standards are 
equally as hardy as the low dwarf ones. 
Mitraria coccinea quite killed. 
Arbutus, Sweet Bays, common Laurels, Laurus- 
tinuses, are all more or less injured. The Bays will 
lose their leaves aud young shoots. T. Appleby. 
(To he continued..) 
I 
