September 25 . 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
407 ! 
all projecting brandies in a straight line, so as to form 
them into a fence-like form. Should any plant be running 
up with a single stem, that stem should be shortened-in 
to produce many stems, and Jlius thicken the future 
hedge. This hoeing, digging, and pruning to be con¬ 
tinued, year after year, till the plants are from three to 
lour feet higher; which, probably, would require five 
years to accomplish. Then the year preceding their re¬ 
moval, open a trench, with a narrow spade, down the 
centre between the rows, deep enough to reach the lowest 
roots. With a sharp knife cut in all the strong roots, 
make the soil fine, and replace it in the trench. Such a 
root pruning would cause quite a wig of fibres to each 
plant. 
Whilst these small roots .are forming, the ground j 
where the hedge is to be planted should bo prepared for ! 
its reception. Remembering tbe sort of soil and sub¬ 
soil the Holly thrives best in, endeavour to make the 
ground similar. If low and wet, dig a space two feet • 
wide; and then form a ditch eighteen inches wide on 
each side, throwing the soil on the space where the 
hedge is to be planted. This will raise it and drain it 
at the same time. It should be done so long before as 
to get mellow and well pulverized by the time of planting. 
Transplanting Evergreens. —It was a matter of 
grave dispute,—When is the best time to remove ever- j 
greens? 1 am an advocate for early autumn-planting; 
though with well-prepared plants, growing near where 
they are to be removed to, my practice warrants me in 
saying, they may be safely removed, in favourable wea- ■ 
tlier, any time from the beginning of October to the 
end of April. I have moved large evergreens success¬ 
fully in the depth of winter, during a dry season ; but 
if I had the choice, I would prefer October to any mouth 
in the year. The time having arrived, then, let one man 
open a trench in the centre of the raised bank, and 
others open another on the outside of the outermost 
row of the plants, rather deeper than the deepest roots. 
Let a man thrust a spade down about eight inches to a 
foot on the inner side of tbe row, pressing the soil and 
roots outwards. It will be found, then, that every plant 
will come itp with a large, solid, compact ball of roots. 
If the place to be fenced in is no great distance, then 
two men might carry as many plants as they could on 
a hand-barrow, which would not shake the balls ; the best 
of any mode of conveyance; but if the place is a con¬ 
siderable distance, then a cart, or waggon on springs, 
would be the next best carriage. The plants should be 
carefully lifted into that carriage, the balls packed close 
to each other, and the plants set upright. On arriving 
at their destination, the trench being ready to receive j 
them, lift them carefully out of the carriage, and set 
them one by one in the trench, just deep enough to al¬ 
low the roots to be covered two inches with the soil. [ 
This planting should be done rapidly, so as to expose the 
roots to the dry air as little as possible. When all are j 
planted, and the weather dry, a good watering should be 
given; and, in order to keep the plants steady, some 
stout stakes should be driven iu, six or seven feet apart; 
then tie firmly to them two rods, one near the top of 
the stakes, and the other about half way from the 
ground. To these rods tie each plant firmly also. It is ; 
evident no ordinary cause could then shake or blow 
down the hedge. Lastly, to keep the roots in an even 
state of moisture, cover the top of the bank with two 
inches of short, littery stable manure, which completes 
the planting. 
Tire advantages of this mode of forming allolly hedge 
are manifold. In the first place, it is a fence at once, 
requiring no protection of posts and rails. In the next 
place, it is certain to grow, and is not so liable to be de¬ 
stroyed by bares and rabbits, — great enemies to tbe j 
thriving of small Holly plants, by nibbling off the bark 
round the main stems, as well as mincing oil' the ends | 
of the young shoots. This certainly of a good fence 
at once, and the great saving of a fence for the fence 
rewards the hedger for all his patience and trouble. 
T. Appleby. 
(To lie continued.) 
THE ORANGE TRIBE. 
{Continued from page 426 .) 
Propagation. —Having, in my former papers on this 
useful and beautiful tribe of plants, given a few remarks 
on their desirableness in culture, and a list of the 
various species and varieties, I now proceed to give a 
few directions how to increase them. The two great 
qualities indispensable to the successful propagator are, 
patience, and unremitting after-attention, together with 
a knowledge of the best time to put in his cuttings,buds, 
or grafts, and the proper age of such cuttings, &c. 
Experience can only lead to the successful application 
of such knowledge, or to apply and use instructions 
from such persons as possess such knowledge. 
I have, in my mind’s eye, the most successful pro¬ 
pagator in Great Britain; nay, if I was to say in the 
whole world, I should not over-rate his ability, and I 
gladly take this opportunity to bear testimony to his 
uncommon success as a propagator for nearly half-a- 
century, and also to his worth as a man. I mean Mr. 
Fancourt, tbe propagator for Messrs. Henderson, at 
Pine-Apple Place, in whose service he has been nearly 
forty years, during which long period he has clone 
nothing else but propagate plants, more especially 
Heaths and New Holland plants, with unvarying 
success; I may venture to state that he has propagated 
millions of these plants. He is now the father of 
propagators, being, I believe, the oldest living; yet his 
powers and success are unabated. Great numbers of 
propagators, both English and foreign, have to thank 
Mr. Fancourt for the knowledge he has imparted to 
them. With all this success and merit, a more un¬ 
assuming, worthy man I do not know. He has a son, 
that I am happy to state is following his father’s 
example, and bids fair to be equally successful. I trust 
the readers of The Cottage Gardener will excuse tins 
short digression, in bearing testimony to the ability and 
character of Mr. Fancourt. Writing on propagation 
naturally brought him to my recollection, and many 
readers that are in the trade will agree with me in my 
estimate of his worth. To them his success is well- 
known, though out of the trade (I mean nurserymen) 
he is almost unknown. May he long continue to be 
the father of the profession. 
All the varieties of the Orange tribe are propagated 
by seeds, cuttings, layers, budding, and grafting, on 
each of which modes I will give a few brief directions. 
By Seeds.—1 have already remarked, that in this country, 
to raise seedlings in order to improve known varieties 
would not be worth the time and attention necessary 
for success. Even in Italy seedlings do not fruit till 
they are eight or ten years old, or even older. An 
instance is recorded of a fine tree, twenty-five years old, 
that had not blossomed at that age. Yet, if an amateur 
is desirous of attempting this always desirable object, he 
should select seeds from the largest, best-flavoured, and 
finest-formed fruit, with the thinnest rind. We might 
also impregnate diflerent kinds with others possessing 
qualities desirable to introduce into the progeny. It is 
my opinion, and has been the opinion of other writers 
on this particular point, that the so-called species 
would intermix with each other. Assuming that to be 
true, the improver might mix the large Citron, or Shad¬ 
dock, with the best OraDge, and thus reasonably hope 
to produce sweet Oranges approaching to the size of the 
Shaddock, which would be a great improvement. 
r 
