1G0 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 28. 
'These remarks must, however, he taken with some 
qualification, as they do not hy any means apply to 
all; and I should be extremely sorry to cast a prejudice 
on this stock, seoing it i3 so useful in many cases,—I 
merely desire to check, in a genteel way, those who have 
“ ridden their hohby too hard.” 
I must here observe, that the suggestions now about 
to he offered will have for their basis the tying-down 
principle, which I must recommend as strenuously as 
ever, especially for Pears. The habit of growth, of not 
only different kinds, but of the same kind under different 
circumstances, is so great, that it is not easy to lay 
down definite rules; and, indeed, it would not be well 
to tie the hands of tho operator too tight: he must, if 
inexperienced, merely take his cuo from others, and, 
having distinctly fixed his mind on the chief features of 
practice, the rest he should work out in a common- 
sense sort of way. 
When Pear-trees have young spray enough and to 
spare, the pruner may at once prime away all immature 
shoots of the past summer’s growth, leaving, of course, 
sufficient spray for the tying-down system. 
Here the beginner will desire to know the difference 
between mature and immature shoots, and I will inform 
him. Mature shoots are of a heavy brown colour all the 
way to their extremity; immature ones are of a paler 
colour, they bend more easily, and their suppleness is a 
certain sign of immaturity. Let the learner select a twig, 
so brown, so old-looking, as to be at first-sight barely 
distinguishable from two-year-old wood; and let him 
seloct one that at a glimpse looks pale aud attenuated; 
let him bend them respectively for a minute, and he 
will soon discover that the brown, or mature one, 
possesses double the sturdiness of the pale one—and that 
not dependent on mere thickness. But he must observe 
not to mistake the pinched shoots for unripe ones, 
merely because they have again sprouted after pinching, 
and, in consequence, have a palo green extremity; such 
have nothing to do with the character of the first-formed 
wood on the same twig, and these, when reserved, may 
simply have the second growth pruned away. But 
even amongst tho mature spray a selection must be 
made. There is another criterion, of not only maturity, 
but of a decidedly fruit-bearing tendency, which must be 
paid high regard to. I mean “ shortness of joint,” as 
practical men term it. Any one, a perfect stranger to 
fruit-culture, may soon, by taking an interest in tho 
thing, ascertain how this matter stands, aud distinguish 
the shoots readily. The space between each two buds 
on a young twig is termed, by botanists, the internode; 
aud this varies so much in length as occasionally to be 
nearly double tho length on one twig as compared with 
another, even on the same tree. Shortness in this 
internode, then, is a certain sign of a blossoming 
tendency, and vice versa. Practical men judge much by 
this. And such wood is necessarily better ripened than 
the other, for it generally ceases to grow many weeks 
before the other kind of wood. 
By the foregoing remarks, suroly the most inex¬ 
perienced may know good wood from bad. I will now 
pass on. As to tho quantity of spray to be left, that will 
depend on whether any has been previously tied down. 
In commencing the tying system, tho main branches 
may have to be thinned, aud rearranged, as advised for 
“the Plum;” this I need not repeat farther than to 
observe, that I place my leading branches about nine 
inches apart, when intended to carry tied-down spray. 
■ In order to give an idea to the beginner as to the 
I quantity of spray, we will first suppose the case of young 
trees just arrived at the bearing point—say, planted 
' three years. Such trees possess, of course, a tolerable 
amount of what are termed “natural spurs;” and, 
| verily, if such could be always obtained, there would be 
j little need of the tying-down system. 
And to digress for a moment, let me remind ardent 
young cultivators, that whilst Pears are young, growing 
nicely, not grossly, aud producing lot3 of these nice 
natural-looking spurs, or blossom-buds, a young en¬ 
thusiast might very fairly be pardoned for exclaiming:— 
“ Really these old practioners make too much fuss by 
half about this tying down, &c.: my trees thrive well 
without any bother, and I shall not trouble myself 
about them as long as they continue to produce plenty 
of blossom-buds.” And right, too, my young friends; no 
safer maxim than “let well enough alone.” But your 
trees will grow older, by-and-by ; and unless they are of 
some fortunate kind, or some exemption from the 
common lot, they will bloom gradually more and more 
unsatisfactory, until, at last, you will bo tempted, in a 
relaxed spirit, whose patience has been long taxed, to 
root up aud replant. Now, it is just in order to save 
many a good tree from undeserved destruction, that we, 
The Cottage Gardener, so often rush to to the rescue. 
We have been in your position, believe us, many years 
since; we have “ taken stock” over and over again; and 
with so much hard-bought wit, and enough of science 
for our purpose, we feel in a position to give wholesome 
advice. 
My advice in tying-down, then, is, as soon as you 
find your natural spray becoming treacherous, manifest¬ 
ing a disposition to produce abundance of twigs rather 
than fruit, from that moment resolve to depend on 
them entirely no longer; if they choose to bear Pears 
still, do not be offended with them ; if they turn re¬ 
fractory, cut them away, and provide successors. 
Aud this brings me to the real commencement of the 
tying-down plan. In the case of young trees, a very 
small sprinkling of young spray may be tied down at 
first; say one out of every foot up the main brauclies. 
As the trees get older, they will require a more liberal 
amount of tied-down spray, aud the more so when a 
character of wood springs up peculiar to trees of a 
certain age and condition; 1 moan that intermediate 
character between the true' blossom-spur and the mere 
wood-shoot. Such is generally about four inches in 
length, full of blossom-buds in their embryo, and argues 
a fine condition as to habit. 
And now, as to other pruning besides spray-pruning. 
Let me advise that all barren spurs which have 
lengthened, so as to become inconvenient, be pruned 
away as soon as a tying system is established ; and, 
indeed, as soon as tho young tied-down shoots begin to 
produce their lateral blossom-buds, that all spurs, which 
become full of lean wood-buds without blossom-buds, 
be cut entirely away, although well situated. These 
things done, tho young aud selected spray may bo tied 
neatly down on tho larger branches. I need scarcely 
say, that all training aud pruning will bo now completed. 
R. Erbington. 
A GOSSIP ABOUT SOME RECENTLY 
INTRODUCED PLANTS. 
Various inquiries having been made respecting the 
treatment of certain plants, I will endeavour to meet 
some cases, by noticing all I know respecting a few of 
them, leaving it to the greater knowledge of others to 
supplement or correct, where necessary. 
1CERATOSTEMA LONGIFLORUM. 
For this plant we are iudebted to the Messrs. Veitcb, 
to whom it was sent by their indefatigable collector, Mr. 
Lobb, from the elevated regions of Peru, he having found 
it 12,000 feet above the level of the sea. The plant does 
not seem likely to grow moro than a foot or eighteen 
inches in height, lias small round obovate leaves, like 
most of the Cranberry section, to which it belongs; aud 
