THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 28,1856. 5D 
development of mildew. Shallots planted now on raised 
rows or beds, with some soot or charcoal mixed with the 
soil, will be more certain to escape the attacks of the maggot 
than if planted in any other way, or at any other time. The 
late crops of Celery to be earthed up high, making the 
ridges narrow at the top, and the sides beat smooth with the 
back of a spade, to prevent the rains from entering and rot¬ 
ting the hearts of the plants, and the soil from being saturated 
with wet. When fruit-tree pruning may be, will depend, in 
a great measure, upon the preceding summer and autumn ; 
for, after a hot, dry, and favourable season, such as we have 
lately had, when the wood is well-ripened, pruning should 
be performed in this month, which will assist to give a 
greater degree of maturity to the fruit-buds than if it is post¬ 
poned to the spring. But if the summer had been wet, late, 
and unfavourable for the ripening of the wood, and, conse¬ 
quently, more susceptible of injury from frosts, it would be 
better to defer the pruning to the spring, when any unripe 
wood injured by the frost could be removed. Particular 
care to be taken that it is performed before the rising of the 
sap ; for, if delayed until the buds have swelled, a great 
many will be rubbed off by the operation. When pruning 
and training young fruit-trees, a good foundation should be 
laid by nailing in a plentiful supply of young wood; for, if 
they be few and far between when young, they become very 
naked when old, and very difficult, more particularly with 
Peach and Nectarine-trees, to shape them into handsome 
trees. As the point-shoot is the first to push, it generally 
monopolises a great portion of the rising sap, which is ex¬ 
pended in the elongation of a few more buds near to the 
points of the branches, and then the lower part of the branch 
is left naked. It frequently happens that young Apricot-trees 
grow too vigorously for the first two or three years after 
being planted, in which case it is advisable to lift them, and 
to cut off some of the most vigorous roots, and to replant 
them. Root pruning may also be advantageously employed 
for the correction of any very luxuriantly-growing young 
fruit-trees ; indeed, wherever it is practicable, the lifting of 
young fruit-trees now, and replanting them again, will well 
repay the trouble. The practice to be continued for four or 
five years, or even for a longer period, to train the roots near 
the surface in the way they should grow, which would retain 
them within the beneficial reach of atmospheric influences. 
As we now cannot tell the night nor the hour when a 
severe frost may set in, it is advisable to take advantage of the 
present fine weather to cover the roots of any choice plants 
in the beds or borders intended to be protected for the winter 
with old tan, coal-ashes, or decayed leaves. Where dry fern is 
to be had, it is an excellent material for covering the stems of 
plants that require a slight protection in winter. Any choice 
sorts of Hollyhocks, Heartsease, or any other such herbaceous 
plants that cannot be trusted with safety to the uncertainties 
of the few following months (if there is not already a suffi¬ 
cient stock of youug plants in pots), should be taken up, 
potted, and protected ; they will be useful to supply cuttings 
in spring, and to make fine plants for flowering next season. 
For Roses the ground (a good, stiff’, loamy soil is the best), 
requires to be dug two feet or deeper, and a quantity of half- 
rotted horse-dung mixed with the soil before planting. 
Every tree, shrub, or plant that is transplanted now, and 
in danger of being disturbed, and the roots displaced and 
injured by the winds, should be properly staked and fastened. 
Dahlias that have done blooming may be taken out of the 
ground, and, as many are still in their prime, by thrusting 
a spade into the ground around the roots ten days or a fort¬ 
night before they are taken up, will allow the sap to descend 
more gradually, when they become sounder for preserving, 
and to be thoroughly dried before placing them in their 
winter quarters. 
To protect the plants in the greenhouse and frames 
from frost, give them but very little water until the ball is 
thoroughly dry, and when it cannot be withheld any longer 
with safety, give sufficient to moisten the whole of the 
soil, and as much air as possible in mild, dry weather. 
The first two or three nights’ frost is generally severe, when 
plants are sometimes slightly caught by it; when such is 
the case they should be immediately sprinkled over the 
foliage with cold water, and carefully shaded from the sun 
the following day; then the shade may be withdrawn, and 
precautions taken to prevent a recurrence for the future. 
Accidents will sometimes happen to the most careful; but 
winter is the season more particularly requiring our most 
persevering attention, when the neglect of anight, and some¬ 
times of an hour, will destroy the labour of months. The 
climbing plants that adorned the greenhouse with their 
wreaths or festoons of flowers during the summer and 
autumn, when their shade was of advantage to Fuchsias, 
Balsams, and other such plants, should now be pruned 
in closely to admit all the light possible. The buds of 
Chrysanthemums to be thinned, and the plants supplied 
occasionally with liquid-manure. A gentle lire-lieat, some¬ 
times, applied during the day, will expel damp, and retain 
sufficient heat about the flues or hot-water pipes to keep out 
a few degrees of frost during the night. The destruction of 
the green fly by tobacco-smoke or by tobacco-water, wherever 
it appears, must be the order of the day; for they now 
very frequently cripple a collection of soft-wooded plants, in 
which the vegetative principle is reduced to as dormant a 
state as can be consistent with their safety, when they are 
most liable to suffer from their attacks. 
As the preservation of Turnips is a subject of importance 
to many, we would advise to take two hurdles or sheep-pens, 
and to stick their feet in the ground at an angle of about 
25°, one against the other; a little brushwood to be placed 
over each, to prevent any small Turnips from falling through 
the spaces between the bars, and then the Turnips, to the 
thickness of two feet, to be covered with stubble, dry fern, or 
any dry litter, and banked up with soil six inches thick. The 
great object is to guard against an excess of heat, which 
would cause fermentation in the whole mass. By leaving 
an opening in the ends of the hurdles a circulation of air is 
produced through the centre of the mass. Such banks may 
•be extended to any length; but the shorter they are the 
better will be the circulation of air. Another great object is 
to preserve the saccharine properties of the Turnip un¬ 
tainted throughout the winter, and, if required, to a late 
period in the spring.— William Keane. 
HOW TO STRIKE APPLE AND PEAR 
CUTTINGS. 
In a recent number of Tiie Cottage Gardener a 
correspondent, Mr. M'Gowan, informs the readers of his 
intentions of entering on some experiments in trying to 
strike slips of Pears and Apples. I think I am able to 
save this gentleman unnecessary disappointment and loss 
of time, which so many before him have experienced, if 
be will he pleased to hear in what way nurserymen in 
my country (Germany) have perfectly succeeded. 
First of all choose, if possible, a border with a north 
aspect early in spring, before the buds of the fruit-trees 
begin to swell; then draw a couple of drills not further 
than nine inches apart, and so many more for the following 
rows, and of the depth as if you thought of sowing Peas. 
When done, go to the fruit-trees, and cut any quantity of 
last year’s shoots to the length of two feet, or, if not to be 
had, one foot long, the same as for grafts; and if you have 
taken care that the cut at the base is smooth, and in a 
slanting direction, press the thick end or bottom of the 
shoot into one of the furrows, bend it over the ridge, 
and stick the top into the opposite one. Be very particular 
to have a good, plump eye where the shoot bends highest, 
and let the ridge be on an equal level with the original 
ground, not higher. 
The drills must now be filled up with additional soil, 
both sides of the cutting gently pressed firm, leaving the 
middle untouched, and give the bed a sort of finish by 
levelling the whole, so that you see nothing but just the 
central bud peeping out. If there is a prospect of dry 
weather it would be well to retain the moisture of the soil 
by a slight covering of fern, hay, or similar material. 
Within a very short time you will see the buds swell, and, 
as if by the agency of hothouse temperature, the whole will 
appear to be on the move, and you will soon observe leaves 
and little twigs make their appearance. Frequently but 
one eye breaks, viz., the topmost; but this is not the j 
general rule, for very often the two buds next to the centre, | 
and even as many as six, will strike root and push up ' 
shoots, so that at the end of the season one can part them 
