186 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, December 16, 185G. 
i 
I 
I 
J 
! 
Pruning the Filbert the First Year. —We will 
suppose the tree plauted in autumn, having been reared 
in the accustomed way, and undergone some little pre¬ 
paration while in the nursery, which, in fact, determines 
certain important points of its general appearance. 
The natural habit of the plant being to form a close, 
upright bush, the central shoots of every little tree are 
cut away, or rather, pulled out, but, in the young 
specimen, more often cut, leaving those which are dis¬ 
posed to spread out in a half-horizontal direction to do 
so, but cutting off the points of these in order to check 
all luxuriant growth. The number of such lateral shoots 
as are left may be from four to six the first year, and 
about one foot is all that is left on at the winter pruning, 
and this, too, selected from the healthiest small shoots, 
not the coarsest large ones; for, like the Peach and other 
fine fruits, it is not the strong, coarse shoots that produce 
fruit, but the medium, or, very often, the small ones; 
besides which, there is a tendency for strong shoots, 
when cut in, to produce a like growth the next year, 
and this continues the improperly gross habit of the 
tree, while a medium or small shoot is not so likely to 
do so. It is proper here to observe, that the length of 
stem need not be more than one foot, and is often some- 4 
thing less, before the branches radiate out as proposed, 
the object being simply to have a clear collar when the 
growth of some thirty years or more has swelled the 
stem and principal limbs so as often to approach nearer 
the ground than they were at first. The tree, in fact, 
when pruned the first year, may present the resem¬ 
blance of a Gooseberry-bush of the same age, although 
few people cut out the centre of their Gooseberry-trees 
so effectually as is done in the Filbert; but in other 
respects they are much alike, and the tree by this time 
will be somewhat like Fig. 1. 
on checking the undue growth of useless wood, and 
encouraging the production of useful small wood, which 
alone furnishes the nut-bearing buds so much wanted ; 
and a few of these shoots must be left at the winter 
pruning, so as to increase the size of the tree in the 
shape described; but few lateral shoots need be left, as 
the tree must not by any means be crowded. It is 
represented by Fig. 2. 
Third Year. —The growth of the tree the third year 
will have been vigorous, shoots four feet long, and as 
straight as an arrow, being quite common, and some¬ 
times such shoots are six feet or more; but the judi¬ 
cious pruning of the last two years will probably have 
tended to produce a quantity of useful bearing shoots, 
from which those wanted for the use of the tree ought 
to be selected and left at the general pruning ; and, as 
some fruit may reasonably be expected the ensuing 
year, it is proper here to say a few words on the botanical 
structure of the flower. Before doing so, however, it is 
as well to observe that the pruning ought to be done on the 
same principle as that of last year, only, as the tree 
increases laterally, a few more shoots may be allowed to 
occupy places nearer the outer edges of the main shoots; 
but still avoid crowding if possible, and aim at the 
whole forming, as it were, the framework of a basin or 
inverted umbrella, the centre being perfectly open, and 
the spreading to be such as to embrace the greatest 
space it can, without comiug in contact with another 
tree of the same kind. The appearance the third year 
would somewhat resemble Fig. 3, thus— 
Second Year. —Presuming the ground to be good, 
and other things favourable, the growth the second 
year will be vigorous, and will require to be checked 
accordingly; and in so doing the ordinary stereotyped 
rules of garden-books, “ which insist on all pruning 
being done with a sharp knife,” are widely departed 
from; for, instead of a knife being used, the strong¬ 
est shoots are shortened with a small saw, the teeth 
of which are anything but fine, the smaller shoots 
being cut with the knife. The object in using tbe 
saw is to have that rough, haggled cut, which is less 
likely to promote another rapid growth from that place. 
This system might, with advantage, be copied into some 
of our garden operations on gross Pear and other trees. 
Certain it is that the Kentish Filbert primer has found 
it advantageous to adopt the plan, which is universal. 
Observe, it is only the gross shoots that are treated 
thus, and generally they are cut in to about one inch of 
their base, unless they arise from tbe centre of tbe tree, 
in which case they are pulled out altogether by a sharp 
and peculiar twitch. But they are not pulled out so 
much while the trees are young as they are afterwards, 
as the permanent branches will not have become firm 
enough to allow this to be done; in fact, the whole 
mystery of Filbert pruning and management depends 
Character of the Tree and its Blossoming. — The 
Filbert differs from most other fruits in tho male and fe- j 
male organs being on separate florets, though on tbe same 
plant. The male flowers, a sort of graceful yellowish- 
green catkin or drupe, show themselves long before the 
