ISO 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 19, 1860. 
scarcely two- thirds their usual size. The attention of our Society, 
therefore, has been directed to other matters than the qualities of 
fruits aud their periods of perfection; and in two of those we 
seek the co-operation of such as think our inquiries promise to be 
of value. 
Being tenants only of our garden, and all of us having other 
business to attend to, the labour of root-pruning several hundred 
pyramids and bushes is a serious matter in the short days of 
winter, when all the time we can spare for the task are a few 
minutes morning and evening, with an occasional Saturday after¬ 
noon. This has led us to inquire how root-pruning may be 
accomplished effectually with the least labour. As to implements, 
our experiments so far seem to point to some modification of the 
common handsaw as the best suited for the work wherever the 
ground is tolerably free from stones, the blade cutting its way 
through soil and roots surprisingly. For lateral growth we 
cannot conceive anything better. The tap roots, however, were 
our difficulty ; and it was not till our winter work was over that 
we saw our way through them—too late, of course, to prove our 
plans this season. Our idea is to plant each pyramid or bush 
over a large slate, say two feet square, sunk info the ground 
fifteen to eighteen inches deep. This done, our annual root- 
pruning is simplified into laying bare with the spade two diagonally 
opposite corners of the slate, and then passing the saw along the 
four edges, so as to cut through whatever rootlets extend beyond 
them. We anticipate this will, in addition to saving labour, to 
tenants especially, enable us to commence operations on each tree 
us early as the fruit is gathered—or, indeed, earlier on vigorous- 
growing sorts, and so facilitate the ripening of fruit-buds, finish¬ 
ing the work either then or at any later period experience may 
direct. Our Society are but juniors in fruit-growing, and we 
throw out this hint with hesitancy. Will some of your older 
heads give us a word of counsel or caution on the subject ? 
The other direction in which our Society has been moving is 
as to the necessity for some economical and certain protection for 
Pear, Plum, and Cherry blossoms in the months of March aud 
April. Every amateur fruit-grower has shared our grief when, 
in such seasons as 1859, he has sighed over abundant bloom on 
his choicest trees, fruitless for want of protection from a few 
degrees of frost. The practical grower for market confines him¬ 
self properly to the hardy fruits that pay; producing nothing in 
Pears, in this district at least, fit for the table after September. 
Had ten others done as much as Thomas Andrew Knight, this 
need not have been ; and we might to-day be as independent on 
Belgian and French varieties of Pears as our neighbours are on 
ours. But we have to do with things as they are ; and have 
been experimenting this spring with the view of proving that the 
general growth of even the more delicate varieties, as pyramids 
in the open ground, may be made profitable in the majority of 
seasons. Of course, we throw out of the question all those sorts 
which, in our climate, require the aid of a wall or artificial heat 
to ripen either their fruit or fruit-buds, confining ourselves to 
that considerable number in which success depends upon pro¬ 
tection during the critical months of spring. We have to offer 
our experiments with some degree of diffidence ; as, though com¬ 
pletely successful in the setting of the fruit of such trees as were 
protected, the majority of our other pyramids in this peculiarly 
favourable season have been equally so. Premising also that the 
item of cost has entered into our calculations only in a general 
way, and that we should not consider any protective plan success¬ 
ful which did not return its entire outlay in the value of one 
year’s crop, we shall endeavour to explain ourselves as clearly 
as we can without the aid of diagrams. 
Early in March we enlisted the services of a few lady friends, 
whom, for the nonce, we elected honorary members ; and with a 
roll of unbleached calico a yard wide, needles and thread, and 
our President with the scissors in the chair, we had a long 
evening’s meeting. Conceive any quantity of the calico cut into 
pieces right across the web, five inches broad at one end and two 
feet and a quarter at the other, the calico cutting without waste. 
These pieces, distributed to our lady members, four to each, are 
sewed side by side, all the narrow' ends one way, forming when 
complete so many crinoline-shaped things, each with a diameter 
of about six inches at the top and two feet and three-quarters at 
the bottom. The smaller ends are then filled up with pieces of 
calico, aud we have what, for want of a better name, w r c call 
nightcaps. Meanwhile our President has been using his scissors 
vigorously on the rest of the roll of calico, cutting it into like 
pieces as before (again without any waste); but this timo two 
feet at the narrow end, and four feet and a half at the other. 
These also are sewed four together, but the holes at the top left 
open, and are known by us as petticoats. We have provided 
ourselves also with a number of iron rods, six feet and a half long, 
as slender as will lean at an angle of 45° without bending mate¬ 
rially, each rod pointed at one end, and with an eye-hole like a 
needle at the other. Add to these a number of disks of wood or 
iron, like the head of a small cask—say six or seven inches in 
diameter, with six small holes drilled round the edge at equal 
distances. And now for their use. 
Our dwarf pyramids are none of them allowed to grow higher 
than five feet and a half, nor will the lowest branches be allowed 
to extend beyond two feet and three-quarters on each side. 
Round each of those we intend to protect we stick six of the iron 
rods at equal distances from each other, and two feet and three- 
quarters from the stem of the tree, the eyelet-hole end down, 
making their points to meet over the tree, and attaching all to¬ 
gether by inserting the points in the holes of the wooden or iron 
disk, which if of iron may be hollow in the centre. The eyelet- 
holes are useful for inserting bits of wood or iron to prevent the 
weight of the rods sinking themselves deeper in the earth than 
need be. Wo have now, then, a framework round each tree, 
upon which, as early as the blossom-buds show.symptoms of ex¬ 
pansion, we slip the petticoat, fixing it permanently for the spring. 
The nightcap reaching from the top of the framework to the 
petticoat is slipped on and off each evening and morning. During 
the past Bpring we have used wooden poles instead of iron rods; 
but the latter are easier fixed and removed, shade the tree less, 
and from the little friction, we are confident fifty of the night¬ 
caps may be slipped off or on in much less than ten minutes. 
An iron wire sewed round the bottom of the nightcap facilitates 
its removal. With the aid of the weathercock, thermometer, and 
barometer, the nightcaps may be dispensed with three nights out 
of four, though, of course, with some risk. The poles, well kept., 
are everlasting ; the nightcaps, with care, will last several years ; 
and the petticoats, at least, a season or two. 
We need scarcely do more than advert to the advantages of 
this or any similar system of protection, provided the first outlay 
is soon returned by the fruit secured. The same apparatus will 
serve the other purposes of retarding the blossom-buds, or, if 
desired, the ripening of the fruit. 
We have to apologise for the somewhat lengthy way in which 
we have explained ourselves. If the foregoing be of practical 
value, Our Family Pomologieal Society, who are all readers of 
The Cottage Gaedener, will be gratified to receive from 
others longer interested in fruit growing than themselves, such 
criticism on their experiments as will further the ends they have 
in view.— Fruit Eatee. 
THE ADVANTAGES OF DRILLING CROPS. 
In the present day, when voluntary drilling is so much in 
fashion as to have become almost a “ household wordand 
when the rule of thumb has so few adherents, and those “ so far 
between j”—when system, order, and method are progressing so 
rapidly and making such great effects in the material world, it is 
important—most important I say—that we gardeners should look 
around us and note all the improved practices of the age. 
We have seen how largely the produce of farms has been 
improved since the introduction of the system of drill husbandry. 
We have seen those magnificent Swedes, each enjoying its separate 
square area of ground ; and we have contrasted this with fields of 
thickly-sown broadcast crops, which, although well hoed out, had 
a one-sided and less equal area to grow in, and were consequently 
much inferior in dimensions. 
We have noticed, too, the rapidity of growth made by such 
crops, as consequent upon the superior facilities for that first 
principle of cultivation—surface-stirring ; and our observations 
confirm us in our estimate of this operation, which, if repeated 
incessantly, would not be too often done. It is, in fact, the very 
life and soul of cultivation in the farm and garden also. 
But we fear that the adoption of the drill is less prevalent in 
garden practice than it deserves to be ; and we think that there 
are very few crops which are not benefited by being thus treated. 
We would strongly urge gardeners to the adoption of the drill 
with such crops as Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, Beet, Salsafy, 
Skirret, and Scorzouera. Summer Lettuces may also bo sown in 
drills, and thinned out advantageously; as also may Parsley, 
Chervill, &c. And by thus sowing them when thinned out, a 
certain space of area is secured to each individual plant, and the 
