THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 5, 1858. 
5 
may be charged on the stock, wo may rest assured 
that, however probable, the case is not proven. 
It may not be amiss here, to examine into the mode 
in which their growth is produced. In this respect, 
they are very different from the Peach and Nectarine: 
they are shorter and firmer jointed, and altogether the 
wood has a very different aspect But they also make 
their growth in a very diflerent way. The Peach, 
when commencing growth in the spring, goes off in a 
most impulsive way, unless aphides, or some other 
hinderance, stands in the way. If the tree is in health, 
it seems inclined to burst almost every bud, collate¬ 
rally as well as terminally ; and these coincidently 
rush forward, with a seeming impatience, until the 
tree is almost choked with its new growth, and the 
whole speedily becomes confusion. This, of course, 
leads at once to the necessity of disbudding, as most 
of the readers of The Cottage Gardener know by 
this time. 
But the Apricot is not in such an impetuous mood 
at the period of germination. Whilst the blossom- 
buds are unfolding, and up to the time when the fruit 
is as large as Peas, there seems little inclination to 
“make wood,” as gardeners term it; indeed, for the 
most part, the trees look in a somewhat pitiful plight; 
nature seems more bent on caring for the old spurs than 
in producing new ones; and for some weeks there is 
litttle inclination for much extension, and Midsummer 
approaches before any great production of shoots 
takes place. I apprehend, therefore, that the sap 
vessels have not that capacity for rapid transmission 
which the Peach may possess; and that, from such 
circumstances, and the indurated character of the 
wood, as compared with the Peach, occasional con¬ 
striction might be expected. 
To this, then, more than to the matter of stocks, I 
refer the dying-off of branches suddenly. Those who 
practically know the habits of the Apricot, must be 
aware that there are certain premonitory symptoms 
attendant on the dying-off of branches. In all cases 
that I have witnessed, a few huge and overfed shoots 
spring the year previous from below the destined por¬ 
tion. How is this P That the constriction, or indu¬ 
ration, of the parts has already commenced, and, in 
consequence thereof, an inducement is held out to 
latent buds to push themselves into existence. I 
believe, too, it will be found that the more luxuriant 
young Apricots start during the first three or four 
years, and with this grossness an inequality in point 
of strength, the more they will be liable to such acci¬ 
dents. It will be found that equality in point of 
strength—or, shall we call it, like our great politicians, 
a proper balance of power—is most essential with the 
Apricot. All unequal grossness should have the finger 
and thumb, a preventive system, and this should begin 
in the nursery ; indeed, the same may be said of many 
other fruit trees. But all this takes time, and the 
nurseryman ought to be permitted to charge more for 
such trees. Until the public can both discern and 
openly recognise these things, the evils we complain 
of must remain. 
To be sure the cultivator has one remedy for gross¬ 
ness—he can root-prune ; and this is right in prin¬ 
ciple, as my worthy coadjutor, Mr. Fish, has observed 
with some point. But the only fault in root-pruning 
is, that the innocent suffer with the guilty : the weak 
shoots suffer as much as the robbers ; and, whilst one 
portion is reduced to obedience, the other is too weak 
to endure such a procedure. However, I say,—Boot- 
pruning, with all thy faults, I love thee still! 
As to soil, I do not think Apricots are over-fastidious: 
any good, sound, yet mellow loam, or really good gar¬ 
den soil,—good, I mean, in natural staple originally, not 
one choked with mere humus,—will satisfy Apricots, 
only let them have it fresh, I would much rather 
plant an Apricot in a station which has been nothing 
but coarse grass and rubbish, than take up a worn-out 
Peach, or other fruit tree, and stick the Apricot there: 
worn-out stations will never do. I have not space 
here to say why, or else I think I could explain it 
easily. It is not, however, a mere question of excre- 
mentitious matter,—a doctrine never fully established, 
—but something else, that requires a short chapter by 
itself. 
Let stagnation, however, be avoided by all means,— 
they will not endure it; and let there be no possibility 
of water lodging in the soil at any time. At the same 
time beware of a soil so incoherent, that when dry the 
wind can do as it pleases with it. Here we have the 
Scylla and Charybdis, and let our good friends beware 
of both. Apricots cannot bear to have their roots 
disturbed by every biped that thinks he can wield a 
spade. Take the country through, they will be found 
more steadily and certainly prosperous with a pave¬ 
ment over their roots, than with a bed of Cabbage or 
Celery ; albeit, in the former case they get no muck, 
while in the latter they feed like hogs. 
Before concluding these remarks, I would acknow¬ 
ledge the civility and justice of Mr. Fish, my worthy 
friend (see page 309, V ol. XX.), in stepping out of his 
way to offer what he doubtless thought a just tribute. 
Such honesty of purpose is, unhappily, now rare. 
Some men are like rooks, they steal sticks from each 
other’s nests, without having the civility to acknow¬ 
ledge from whence they received them. 
I certainly, without fear of egotism, feel assured of 
having been one of the first to insist pertinaciously on 
a due regard being paid to the roots of trees, and to 
show that, whatever the mode of training, it is all in 
vain, if things are wrong under ground. During the 
last twenty-five years, I have not ceased to urge this 
view of this subject. I must, therefore, thank Mr. 
Fish for his kind recognition: from such a quarter a 
little praise does one good. B. Errington, 
MEETING OF THE BBITISH POMOLOGICAL 
SOCIETY. 
A meeting of the British Pomological Society 
was held on Thursday, September, 23rd, at St. James’s 
Hall, Bobert Hogg, Esq., Yice - President, in the 
chair. 
The following were elected ordinary members :— 
Miss Louise Crawshay, Caversliam Park, Beading; 
E. Bosher, Esq., 23, Hamilton Terrace, London ; Wm. 
Headland, Esq., 15, Princes Street, Hanover Square; 
John Lea, Esq., 12, Chesterfield Street, Bing’s Cross ; 
Wm. Henry Gabbett, Esq., Caherline House, Lis- 
nagry, near Limerick; Mr. William Kemp, Albury 
Park, Guildford; Mr. James Holder, Nurseryman, 
Crown Street, Beading. 
In accordance with a resolution of last Meeting, a 
Sub-Committee of five members was appointed to re¬ 
port on the qualities of the Pears to be exhibited at 
the Meeting on the 7th of October, and to report to 
the General Meeting on the qualities of each, the final 
decision to be made by the General Meeting. The Com¬ 
mittee to consist of Mr. Hogg, Mr. Eivers, Mr. G. 
Paul, Mr. Bohn, and Mr. Taylor. 
Grapes. — Messrs. Spary and Campbell, of The 
Queen’s Graperies, Brighton, sent bunches of the 
Marchioness of Hastings Grape. The bunch is nine 
inches long, loose, and shouldered, and the stalk stout, 
fleshy, and brittle. Berries green, covered with a thin 
grey bloom; an inch to an inch and au eighth long, 
and about an inch wide; oval. The flesh is soft, pappy, 
and watery, without any aroma; seeds from two to 
three. 
Mr, Spary stated his belief that this is synonymous 
