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THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 8. 
in its own nature, even when perfect, is hut a delicate 
thing, is not qualified to stand some of those fierce vicis¬ 
situdes of weather which but too often occur in the 
months of March or April, and which not even the 
appliances of canvass and other such protective materials 
can thoroughly withstand. For my own part, I have 
generally had such crops of Pears as have surprised 
most who have seen them ; yet, albeit much pains was 
taken in protecting with Fir houghs, the crop is this 
season all hut a failure. But I do hope that this mis¬ 
hap, however it might occur, will not be considered by 
our readers as disqualifying me from offering advice, or 
that it will have the effect of weakening my own faith 
in those principles which I have long since proved to 
be of eminent service in contributing to the thorough 
ripening of the wood, and the organisation of a perfect 
blossom-bud. Those who have adhered to the maxims 
of summer-stopping, &c., so often inculcated in these 
pagos, will have little to do at this period; their wood 
will be in a very different condition to that of trees 
which have been allowed to run riot; and a little careful 
comparison between the two will soon provo this, at 
least, to a man of sound practice. Peaches and Necta¬ 
rines, nevertheless, will frequently produce a consider¬ 
able amount of secondary spray immediately a heavy 
crop of fruit is gathered, and such may continue grow¬ 
ing until the middle of October. This character of wood 
I protest against, as of more harm than good to the tree, 
unless in some particular cases. It is perfectly obvious 
that such growth can contribute nothing, at that late 
period, towards the solidification of the wood, or, in 
practical words, the ripening of it; it is a dispensor, 
rather than a collector, and the only results that can 
accrue from it will he to sustain a later root action, 
leading to increased grossness, and a consequent, ten¬ 
dency to immaturity iu the ensuing year. All such 
growing points had better be pinched away at once, so 
closely as to permit the sun to shine on the principal 
foliage. If, however, trees be very weak, they may be 
suffered to grow until the very end of the month. 
“ The red-spider is apt to commence sad havoc about 
the period of fruit-gathering, or directly on the heels of 
it. If such be the case, sulphur had better be liberally 
applied, dusting it thickly on the back of the foliage. 
At this period they do more harm than at any other, 
devouriug the very sap, which is the principal agent in 
ripening the wood and perfecting the buds. 
“ Pears equally demand attention, especially if neglected 
previously. Indeed, although well attended before, they 
will often produce much late spray, especially if the 
crop be thin. All such should be closely removed, not 
leaving a vestige, if possible, both breast-wood and 
every leading shoot; for extension is here no good, but 
a positive harm to the ripening of the buds. Plums 
may requiro a little of this sort of work, too; but it may 
be observed, that this close pinching for the purpose of 
promoting a hoalthy blossom-bud in the ensuing spring, 
has reference, in a more particular way, to our more 
tender fruits. At any rate. I advise, in all cases, that 
the leading shoots of strong character be at once 
pinched—of every kind of fruit —if time permit; and, 
indeed, this very clause might havo preceded these 
recommendations with a good grace. Not every one, I 
am aware, can carry out these things; the labour | 
question is a most ticklish one, and, where more has to . 
be done than cau be accomplished, it is often a most 
painful necessity, on the part of the gardener, to deter¬ 
mine on neglecting something of secondary importance. 
But, indeed, in high gardening, there is scarcely any¬ 
thing, in these days, recognised as of secondary im¬ 
portance; for, if a given party or parties relinquish the 
culture of something for a while, as an unimportant 
affair, it so happens that, be what it may, other parties 
are pushing its culture with the utmost vehemence; and 
the Press, which never slumbers, speedily reporting 
progress through the length and breadth of our land, 
rouses the apathetic, and gives new life to questions in 
a state of decline. 
“ And now comes the period for root-pruning, which I 
name here as an adjunct to those provisions which pro¬ 
mote fruitfulness. It has been the fashion with some, 
of late, to decry root-pruning ; but, why? When their 
opinions—not arguments—are looked into, they possesSj 
as far as I have seen, no breadth, no principles. It is 
marvellously strange, that whilst some persons are 
recommending systematic root-pruning every two years 
or so—and their opinions are tolerated—that others, as 
myself, should bo stared or pointed at, for having the 
temerity to suggest occasional root-pruning, whenevor a 
healthy and plethoric tree calls out, ‘ Come, bleed 
me, my vessels are too full.’ 
“ There is, it would appear, nothing like the Yankee 
plan of ‘going the whole hog;’ people then feel assured 
that the promoter of some extraordinary practice is 
either mad or can point to progress; iu the former case, 
the asylum can speedily relieve them ; in the latter, they 
may be enabled to steal a march a-head of their fellows. 
Besidos this, there is a kind of character which likes— 
as the Athenians—to ‘ tell or hear some strange thing.’ 
Our moderns, I believe, call this a pruriency, which 
means, I suppose, not an itching palm, but itching 1 
ears. However, as I may be blamed for joking, I will 
now venture on this root-pruning matter, as shortly to 
become a seasonable affair; whether fashionable, or not, 
depends on influences individual and combined, which 
no man may calculate. 
“ I still aver, then, that root-pruning, in judicious 
hands, is a necessary branch of garden economics. We 
believe that no man in his senses would plant a tree in 
a soil so gross, or depth, with power to range so unlimited, 
as intentionally to invoke the root-pruuer’s aid. But 
who is he that can so apportion the soil of trees in a 
kitchen-garden as to provide against that superfluous 
strength which, in showery and growing periods, is 
an overmatch for the amount of sun-light; or that 
leanness, fruit cracking, or twigless appearance, which is 
the result of dry and hot periods acting on unfertile 
soils? I say, no man. It is all very well to select 
skilfully, to plant on well-recognised principles, and to 
give first-rate attention to the trees in their after deve 
