132 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Decembeb 4, 1860. 
by digging a trench a spade deep (or a “spitdeep,” as he says), 
in tln ee-fourths of a circle one foot from the stem of the tree, 
leaving the n maindcr of the circle solid ground. He then placed 
his spade in this solid ground in a sloping direction, so as to go 
under the roots of the tree, gave one heave, and the tree was up, 
witli a nice ball of earth full of fibrous roots. It was then 
placed on the ground for a minute or tw o, three or four straggling 
roots shortened with a knife, some of the surface mould shovelled 
into the hole and trodden firmly down, and ,the tree placed n 
it standing a little above the surface of the earth; the remaining 
mould was then shovelled in, gently trodden, two.shovelfuls of 
manure placed on the surface l'ound the stem in a circle two 
feet in diameter, and the work was finished. The .time occupied 
in lifting and planting was about five minutes, yet it .seems a 
lengthy description. Placing the manure round the trees was 
an after operation. My trees were planted in December 1854; 
the above work was done November 1856, repeated in November 
1858, and is now being done November 1860. My soil Ijeing 
very wet and cold, it occurred to me to try a top dressing of soot 
recommended by a correspondent, who often instructs us through 
your columns. So lust spring I gave to each tree a quarter of a 
peck, strewed on the surface over the manure placed there in 
the autumn. Tlie.elfect was excellent; for my Apples, in spi'e 
of the cold inclement, summer, are high coloured and of fine 
quality. This must be highly favourable to the health of the 
trees ; for I have just observed that the balls pf.garth adhering 
to the roots of those which my gardener is, removing to-day 
(Nov. 28), are bristly with those nice white spongioles, seemingly 
in full activity, which are all making their way into the surfac 
where the dung and soot were placed last spring. 
My method of pruning is very simple—learpt from book. As 
so an as the trees were planted I cut off the tops of all those 
inclined to upright growth, so as to make my rows tolerably 
level; and in summer I cut off the end of every shoot with my 
penknife as soon as it had made four or five leaves, leaving three. 
In some cases, however, I deviated; for where a shoot was 
required of greater length to give symmetry, I did not shorten 
it till it had grown to the length necessary. My orchard is in 
fives. Thus I iiave 5 Hawthornden, which supply my kitchen 
from August till the end of October; 5 New Hawthorndem 
carry me on till Christmas; 5 Rymers through January; 
5 Dumelow’s Seedling through February and March ; 5 Goose¬ 
berry Apples till Gooseberries come in. Then for my dessert I 
have 5 Cox’s Orange Pippin, 5 Ribston Pippins, 5 Mannington’ 
Pearmain, 5 Keinette du Canada (a magnificent Apple), and 
5 Stunner Pippins : these carry me through the autumn, winte • 
and spring. I might have planted some summer Apples and 
also have had greater variety ; but I flattered myself I made a 1 
the time a common-sense selection, and I find I was not fa • 
from the mark. I am aware that larger trees, pyramids on 
Crab stocks subjected to the same treatment, might give mor 
produce ; but mine is a small garden, and I write this to let th 
owners of small gardens know that they may go and do some¬ 
thing in the same \vay A _ 
Pears on Quince stocks and Plums as bushes maybe cultivated 
after the same method—they succeed perfectly. I must caution 
any of your readers who are inclined to imitate me against th 
reluctance to remove a tree when nicely established. I remember 
so w ell, when the first removal month of November came, feeling 
quite a pang of regri t at disturbing my nice trees after their two 
summers’ growth, and I thought of the old doggrel which I used 
to read in “ Poor Richard’s Almanac.” 
“I never saw an oft-removed tree, 
Nor > et an oft-removed family. 
That throve like those that settled he.” 
I swallowed my reluctance, persevered, and now have my 
reward in seeing trees full of health and promise. I will end 
this by confessing that I was weak enough to leave a few trees 
unremoved till the third autumn after they were planted ; their 
roots, I presume, reached the “nasty clay;” for, although their 
shoots were vigorous, their ends turned yellow, and the trees 
received a very severe check when they were lifted.—0. 
VARIEGATED ARABIS. 
Seeing in The Cottage Gardener of October 16th, a notice 
by “ A Yorkshire Clergyman,” of the variegated Arabis a 9 
being one oi the best variegated plants lie knows, I write to say 
that I have seen it tried this summer in the front row for ribbon 
planting, also as a self-bed, and must say it is the best plant, I 
have yet seen for the purpose. In a bed it makes a perfect 
carpet, growing so compact, and the markings in the leaf so 
regular. One great desideratum is its hardiness and looking 
equally well during winter. When it becomes more known it 
will be used for filling up beds after the half-hardy plants are 
done, and, along with the dwarf evergreens, will have a most 
beautiful effect. 
I shall be glad to give information to any one (enclosing a 
stamped directed envelope) respecting it, as I am sure any one 
once seeing it will never be without it.—J ohn Kirkby, 22, Albion 
Street, Leeds. 
GISHURST COMPOUND. 
I am not one of those numerous people always prejudiced 
against every new thing. My instincts lead me in the opposite 
direction to try all kinds of fresh inventions, with a firm belief 
in their efficacy. I bought a packet of Gisliurst the first day I 
heard of it, and have never been without it since; but I have 
not always found the same effect from solutions of equal strength, 
as if there were a small quantity of some very powerful ingre¬ 
dient in the Compound which had not been equally diffused. 
Whether this be so or not, I am sure that two weak dressings 
are safer than one strong one : and my caution, which you were 
good enough to publish, referred to strength only—not to Gis- 
hurst as Gisliurst. 
One day at the end of last December I found my gardener 
painting the trees with the old mixture of soft soap, sulphur, 
and clay—a moderately thin preparation of perhaps three quarts. 
To this I made him add 4 ozs. of Gishurst; and as soft soap 
and sulphur never killed buds for me before, it is probable that 
too much Gishurst was used. My trees were never in a less 
temperature than 26° the whole winter, and having been 
thoroughly syringed during the summer generally with plain 
water, but with 2 ozs. of Gishurst to the gallon, added once or 
twice a-week, were absolutely free from spider. 
This Compound is a capital thing; but all who have seen its 
action on young Rose leaves will hesitate before using 8 ozs. or 
10 ozs. to the gallon to anything. 
By the way, it would save much trouble in weighing if the 
Compound could be sent out in cakes of definite weight—say 
2 ozs. or 4 ozs., instead of in one solid mass.—T. S. B. 
SHORT CULTURAL NOTES. 
DRACiENA TERHINALIS. 
‘‘This was cut down last year, how should it be treated P ” 
This is a strong-growing ornamental shrub or dwarf tree from 
the East Indies, and should be grown in a strong heat in a plant- 
stove, and with bottom heat at first, if practicable, until it 
arrives at a good size, when less heat and moisture will do for 
keeping it healthy. After being cut down little water should be 
given for some time; and when shoots or suckers come from the 
bottom the plant should be fresh potted in sandy loam and peat, 
and the pot at the first potting should he small rather than 
large. Every sucker thus thrown up will make a nice plant if 
potted separately. Every young shoot will also form a plant 
if put in a small pot, sandy loam and peat placed firmly round 
the sucker or cutting, and bottom heat given until roots have 
formed, just as is generally done with a Pine Apple sucker. 
Little water should be given until roots are forming. When 
growing, a nice, moist, shady atmosphere, and a temperature 
of 70° at night, and a rise of io° to 15° during the day, will suit 
it. When fully established, and especially in the dark winter 
months, from 10° to 15° less of temperature will do. 
DRACAENA EEREEA. 
“ 1 have a tall plant of this and wish to increase it, but I can get 
no slips or cuttings: How shall I manage ? ” What is said above 
will apply to this beautiful-foliaged plant. We can gather from 
what you state that the plant has only a single stem, and, perhaps, 
it looks quite as well grown in this as in any other form. 
Sometimes in such a case a small side shoot will show from four 
to eight or more inches in length, and when that is hard at the 
bottom—that is, when it is nearly a year old, slip it off close to 
the older stem with a sharp knife, and then place it close to the 
side of a small well-drained pot, fill with sandy loam, plunge in 
a moist heat, shade from sun, and ere long roots will be formed, 
