. 278 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
that I have chosen the most applicable term as to what 
I would explain, I must use it lor the present as a 
provisional title. By this I mean what is generally 
practised by good gardeners, and what I have before 
alluded to, viz., a compromise between two extremes, 
the Vine being, as it were, either scorched and snubbed 
or encouraged into a state of rest. Our intelligent 
readers will here perceive that what I would urge is, 
that although we may not dictate to Nature in her best 
moods, we may, at any rate, in practice qualify per¬ 
nicious extremes of a purely accidental character; for 
whoever thought of imitating a hail-storm or a burning 
hot sirocco in a hothouse? I therefore conclude that 
we do well to feed our hard-working Vines and Peaches 
for awhile after the fruit is gathered. 
Rest as Connected with Insects, &c. —Here we 
have another important consideration, although of a 
collateral character. All practical gardeners are aware 
of the fact that the red spider, scale, &c., are fearfully on 
the alert as soon as the foliage of the Peach or Vine gets 
into full play, or is on the decline. This, no doubt, is 
owing to the character of the sap of the tree, together 
with the atmospheric conditions as regards heat, &c. 
The elaborations are, doubtless, at this period at a high 
pitch, and must form a rich treat to these marauders. 
Now, the more the plants are hurried to rest the faster 
these insects pursue their depredations; and herein is 
another reason for sustaining the trees in a healthful 
condition until their purposes are fully carried out. 
Good gardeners, therefore, at this period use the syringe 
very frequently, and batter well the foliage of both 
Vines and Peaches. 
Rest as Concerning the Future Spring. —Rest has 
the power of creating what is generally called excitability 
in fruit trees, and the more it is prolonged, and the 
more performed it is within given limits, the greater, in 
general, will that excitability prove. Still it must here 
be observed that the ideas of this rest condition were 
rather extravagant in years gone by. Most gardeners, 
some forty years since, made a practice of taking Vines 
out of the front sashes of their houses every winter in 
order to “ harden them,” for such was the technical phrase 
in those times. I have helped to get Vines out under 
such circumstances forty years since at Melrose Hall, 
near Wandsworth, then the seat of D. Rucker, Esq., 
the Vines having stems four to five inches in diameter. 
I have known about seven men employed to get out one 
of these old Vines, and it was really absurd to witness 
the mighty fuss there was over this ceremony, the poor 
old Vines frequently cracking and splitting at sudden 
bends. This was the practice of Mr. Kershaw, one of 
the soundest old English gardeners in his day, and a 
most respectable man. 
Now, although rest of a somewhat decided character 
is requisite for forced deciduous fruit trees, there is 
really no necessity for subjecting them to intense 
frosts. A Vine which has enjoyed for months a tempera¬ 
ture ranging from 70° to 90° will find sufficient rest at 
a temperature ranging from 32° to 45°, or perhaps even 
more. Of this there can be little doubt, so that those who 
possess what are called greenhouse vineries need not 
j distress themselves about the freezing of their Vines. 
I may now take a brief retrospect of the whole affair, 
! and in doing so I shall endeavour to show to the unin¬ 
formed what is good practice in these matters. In the 
first place a distinction must be made between borders 
inside houses and those outside. Of course, to have 
the roots saturated with moisture when the trees are 
gradually sinking to a rest condition is by no means 
desirable; therefore, if the roots be outside we must 
make allowance for those dashing rains which some¬ 
times occur in August and September, and water 
accordingly. But as to inside roots the case is very 
different; these are generally in a very dry condition 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, August 4, 1857. 
at the period named, and, such being the case, a 
thorough soaking often becomes necessary. But let us 
again observe the object in view. The Peaches are 
gathered, the foliage is just commencing its autumn 
discoloration, yet, if in good health, still producing 
young shoots in various parts of the tree, particularly 
towards the grosser portions of the extremities. What 
should be done ? 
In this case a double purpose may be served; the 
blossom-buds at the base of the earlier foliage may be 
rendered more plump, and the strength of the tree may 
be equalised. Suffer them, therefore, to grow a week or 
two, say nearly three weeks ; but as soon as the prouder 
terminal points have produced three or four eyes let 
them be pinched, but suffer all the weaker portions of 
the tree to grow to the very last, at the same time 
removing all mere breast spray which shades the 
principal wood. And as to Vines, here we shall find 
a similar movement. If they are healthy, and the 
trees have not been overtaxed, we shall have them still 
producing small spray, with numerous small leaves, 
which at once show, by their character, their inefficiency 
as to the production of any amount of elaborated sap ; 
but they may be made subservient to the production of 
fibres in the border, and we seldom hear gardeners 
complain of a border too full of roots. I think it well, 
therefore, to suffer these late growths for awhile at the 
extremities of the tree, or, indeed, in any portion where 
their shade wfill not damage the chief foliage on wdiich 
the next crop depends, or create inconvenience to the 
plants or other matters below. But they should not be 
allowed this liberty long—not above three weeks ; they 
should then be closely pinched, or, indeed, pruned away 
if the trees are manifestly inclining fast to a state of 
rest. R. Errington. 
SETTING OFF AND CROSS-BREEDING. 
I have many thanks to offer for kindnesses received, 
but, as some of the addresses of the benefactors have 
not been sent in with their contributions to the Experi¬ 
mental Garden, I have resolved on taking a leaf out of 
the late “ transactions ” at the Horticultural Society, and 
thus thank all the contributors up to the end of July in 
the “ lump;” then go on to tell how things are looking | 
at the Experimental; and finish with full and particular j 
accounts of the ways we propagate, or make sure of the | 
different classes of plants which we employ for another 
year. 
The Experimental Garden has just gone through a 
fair critical examination by one of our “ great English 
gardeners,” and without being dux , as the head of the 
class is styled in my native academy at Inverness, the 
Experimental may reasonably aspire to excel in some of 
the higher departments of our craft, that is, judging 
from this first examination. 
Sir Edmund Head, the Governor General of Canada, 
Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, with Lady Head, 
paid a visit of state to the Experimental Garden the 
other day, both of them looking remarkably well after 
nearly ten years’ residence in a much colder winter 
climate than ours, and the wear and tear inseparable 
from their high official standing in North America. 
Now, supposing we had another example from our Aus¬ 
tralian settlements or New Zealand under precisely 
similar circumstances, how would the comparison stand ! 
in respect to outward appearances? I think the chances j 
are that we should find judgment against public opinion; | 
indeed, I am sure of it, and I could produce physiolo¬ 
gical reasons in support of the fact. All our public 
writers err who recommend a warmer climate for a 
healthy man to live in than was natural to him and his 
fathers. I allow the fact that the young of all plants 
and animals do better up to a certain age in a warmer 
