86 
THE FLOBIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ June, 
appearance of C. barhatum. The scape, which is 
erect, and of a blackish-crimson, densely clothed 
with pinkish pubescence, supports two or three 
flowers, which are larger than those of either 
parent. The dorsal sepal is white, with broad, 
blackish-crimson veins, while the combined 
lower sepals are smaller and whitish. The 
petals are about three inches long, deflexed, 
with a partial twist, and traversed by crimson 
veins. The lip or pouch is nearly as in C. 
barhatum , but lighter in colour.—T. Mooee. 
THE CULTURE OF WALLFRUITS. 
Chaptee XIV.— The Apricot (continued ). 
HATEVER materials with which to 
form the compost for the borders may 
bo available, or which can be selected, 
if there is choice, they should be collected into 
a heap during summer, and turned over once 
or twice, so that they may be in readiness to 
wheel on to the ground early in October, at 
which time the trees should be planted. If these 
latter have to be obtained from a nursery, it 
would be wise to select them personally a month 
or six weeks before the planting time, so as to 
secure a good choice. So far as my experience 
goes, the trees I should recommend are those 
which have been only once headed back from 
the maiden state, and have formed equally- 
balanced heads of nine or seven branches—viz., 
one centre shoot, and three or four on each side, 
as the case may be. The centre-shoot will 
always be the strongest, which will be found an 
advantage in the after-management. In planting, 
tread the border down firmly below the tree, and 
remove just sufficient earth for spreading out the 
roots, so that the collar—that is, the point 
where roots and branches meet—when placed in 
position, may be raised from four to six inches 
above the general level—quite six inches in 
clayey or stiff soil, but in lighter porous soil four 
inches will suffice. Lay out the roots carefully, 
and cover them well over ; fasten the branches 
to the wall lightly, to allow for sinking; and 
mulch the surface over with light litter. 
The importance of planting thus early cannot 
be too strongly enforced, because at that season 
the foliage, having performed its functions, is 
about to decay and fall, thereby leaving the 
branches in a comparative state of rest, to ripen 
off. But although dormant above, there will be 
for the next month or six weeks a strong root- 
action, of which this early planting is intended 
to take advantage, so that there will be almost 
a clear gain of a year’s growth over a tree 
planted, we will say, in March. 
The temperature of the earth at the two 
seasons will sufficiently indicate why this should 
be the case. October, being, as it were, the 
end of summer, and retaining in the earth 
the vivifying influences of the sun’s heat, 
has a ground-temperature which is sufficient to 
induce in a carefully-planted young tree an 
immediate emission of roots, thus placing the 
trees in the most natural condition possible, 
and enabling them in the best manner to resist 
the effects of the violent disruption caused by 
lifting and transplanting. Again, owing to 
the reciprocal action between the roots below 
and the growth above, these roots formed in the 
autumn will supply that vital force which will 
enable the tree to break forth into an equal 
growth in the spring, so that there will be no 
necessity to carry out the common practice of 
heading the tree back severely; while the 
judicious management of the after-growth will 
essentially contribute to the maintenance of 
the balance between the roots and branches, 
by which the commencement of a fruitful 
habit of growth is made, and the tree is cer¬ 
tainly one year, often two or three years, in 
advance, as regards the production of fruit, over 
a tree later planted, and closely headed back. 
This latter operation must, indeed, always be 
performed in the case of late-planted trees, as if 
the shoots are left at their full length they have a 
strong tendency to break only at their extremi¬ 
ties ; and in order to keep the tree “ at home,” as 
is sometimes said, these must be considerably 
shortened, the result of which will very often 
be a series of strong-growing, luxuriant, and 
unfruitful branches, requiring a considerable 
amount of restrictive management, by way of 
pinching-back, to keep them at all within 
bounds. But then, again, if this is carried too 
far, the healthy action of the roots is checked, 
and the foundation of a premature debility 
laid ; whilst, on the contrary, if left unchecked, 
they grow away rampantly for a few years, 
and before fruit-bearing can be induced, they 
must go through the operation of violent dis¬ 
ruption by lifting and replanting. 
All this points to the real economy of early 
planting, by which, with care, the trees can be 
