I 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, November 25, 1856. 133 
STONE FRUIT-TREE MANAGEMENT. 
Having at various times been asked to give a few bints 
on the management of the young fruit-tree from the 
nursery to maturity, and this being, or, at least, ought to be, 
their only planting season of the whole year, I take the 
present opportunity to do as requested. First of all, I beg 
it to be clearly understood that I am quite aware that a large 
number of our first-class gardeners are fully acquainted with 
the management of the fruit-tree in all its stages of growth. 
Yet there are various opinions existing among good gar¬ 
deners as to such management, differences which would not 
exist if all bore in mind the results aimed at, viz., early 
productiveness, health, good quality of fruit, and neatness 
in training. 
I have found no other method in all my practice that has 
surpassed the one I am about to relate ; but these details 
are more intended for that class of gardeners who know 
everything, but, in fact, know nothing practically. Often, 
on going into gentlemen’s gardens, I have felt ashamed to 
see what were fine young trees once, but now spoiled. I 
will go farther, and say that I have travelled about with 
some of the best nurserymen in London, and have heard 
gentlemen say to them, “ Those were bad trees you sent 
me last year, and very highly charged.” And well they 
might say so, when we saw the once fine trees, but now 
mutilated and stumped, as Fig. 4 shows, and fully three 
times less in size than they were when sent from the 
nursery. 
Again, all practical men must allow that it must be dis¬ 
agreeable to the feelings of any respectable nurseryman to 
see bis good trees sacrificed through bad management; 
but let this be considered another day. I will suppose that 
the borders are well drained, made with good maiden loam, 
well intermixed with old, rotten dung, and the trees planted. 
The following drawings will better show my simple method 
of managing them :— 
Fig. 1 is a tree from the nursery, perfect in leaders, and 
requiring only to bo nailed to the wall, and not to be cut 
down when planted. 
Fig. 2 is an imperfectly trained tree from the nursery, 
and requires the three leaders on each side to be laid lower 
to their proper places, the centre one only being cut back 
in the spring, to obtain the proper number of leaders to 
make the tree perfect. 
Fig. 3 shows Fig. 2 with the side leaders laid to their 
proper places, the centre one only cut back to four or five 
eyes. 
Fig. 4 shows the remains of a perfect tree from the 
nursery last season, but which has been cut in and stumped 
by some one ignorant of the art of wall-fruit training. 
Fig. 5 shows Fig. 1, after two or three years’ good 
management by real, good, practical gardeners, full of fruit. 
These remarks are only applicable to the stone-fruit class. 
My readers may perceive that I am no advocate for the 
knife being used much on these kinds of fruit, and especially 
sparingly when first planted. Those who wish to have 
sound trees must remember, as I do, to use the finger and 
thumb freely at the disbudding season.—D. H. Kidd, Gar¬ 
dener to the Marquis of Breadalbane. 
PROTECTING HIVES IN WINTER. 
Winter being at hand, hives should be well sheltered 
from the weather, especially from damp, which is more in¬ 
jurious to bees than severe dry cold. Some wooden hives 
are so constructed as to keep out the drip both from rain and 
snow; but all sorts of hives are best under some extra cover¬ 
ing in winter. Some apiarians remove them to the north side 
of walls, or into dry sheds ; but, if hives are well protected 
where they stood in summer, there they may stand in winter. 
Common hives are protected in various ways, but, perhaps, 
thatching them with wheat or rye straw is the best. It not 
only makes them to be less influenced by the changes of the 
weather, but gives the hives a snug appearance. We have 
often seen that plan in Scotland, and how well it betokened 
the industrious habits of the owner, when compared with 
his next neighbour’s slovenly plan of covering his hives 
with dry turf. Lately we visited a friend’s garden, and 
could not help admiring his row of bee-hives placed on 
separate pedestals, each one covered with a milk-pan large 
enough to throw the wet or drip beyond the board or floor 
of the hives. Besides the common hives, there were also 
some wooden and glass ones in excellent condition ; their 
dazzling appearance, however, when compared to the lowly 
cottager’s hives, was like that of the splendid mansion in 
contrast with the humble cottage. Some leave the doorways 
of the hives open, others close them in winter. I have tried 
both plans, and found the latter the best, leaving, however, 
a small opening for air. This not only prevents the bees 
from getting out in sunshine, and falling benumbed among 
snow, but it is a bar against the large tomtit, who often 
slyly raps on hives, and picks up the bees as soon as they 
appear.—J. Wighton. 
BEES DYING IN WELL STORED HIVES. 
I shall not attempt to reconcile Mr. Wighton’s conflicting j 
statements regarding pollen, but will content myself by . 
