;184 
THE FLOniST AND rOJIOLOGIST. 
[ Decembeh, 
The catkins have apiculate scales, hairy on the 
outer surface. The nuts grow in pairs, or more 
rarely in clusters of three ; the husks are as long 
as or longer than the nut, open at the throat, 
strongly ribbed, hairy, slit to the base on one 
side, and parted half-way on the other, the two 
divisions deeply cut into lanceolate, sometimes 
forked segments. The nuts are short, plump, 
nearly square in outline, two and three-quarter 
inches in circumference, flatfish at the base. 
The kernels, which are full and of excellent 
flavour, are enveloped when ripe in a whitey- 
brown skin, enclosed by a somewhat thin and 
light brown shell. 
The new variety seems to come nearest to 
the Oosford nut, in the characters of the short 
husk and somewhat tender shell, but is of 
different shape, being sc^uarish rather than 
oblong, and the husk in some examples is quite 
as long as the nut. Our woodcut has been 
prepared by Mr. W. G. Smith, from specimens 
received from Messrs. Ewing and Co.—T. 
Mooee. 
DWAKF FKUIT - TREES. 
Pruning and Eoot-pedning. 
EUNING is a point of practice of much 
difficulty to be understood by amateurs. 
Judiciously done during the summer, 
it is effectual in preventing the energies 
of the tree running to waste in the pro¬ 
duction of useless growth, by controlling 
and concentrating them in the formation 
of fruit-spurs, and renders winter pruning 
almost needless. Supposing, then, young trees 
from the nursery to have been properly planted, 
and to have begun making their first season’s 
growth, it will bo necessary, as soon as they 
are well in leaf, to commence pruning, which 
is to be done as follows :—Examine any branch 
issuing from the main stem, and it will be seen 
that a number of leaf-buds have started into 
growth all along it, producing branchlets or 
shoots, those nearest the growing end being 
most vigorous. Each of these side shoots 
must have its point pinched off by the finger 
and thumb as soon as five leaves have been de¬ 
veloped, leaving on only three leaves. The 
shoot at the end of the hranch must he left un¬ 
touched. Treat every branch in the same 
manner, it being a good rule to begin with 
the upper branches, as they will first produce 
the requisite number of leaves. The leading 
shoot of the tree must also he left untouched. 
The first pinching of one of these trees will 
extend over odd moments during about three 
weeks. From time to time, all through the 
growing season, the operation must be repeated 
whenever new side shoots appear and have 
made five leaves. About the third week in 
July, or a httle later (not sooner), the terminal 
shoot of each hranch and of the leader must he 
gnnched off. This will cause a plentiful supply 
of sap to be directed towards the pinched-back 
side shoots and the buds which have remained 
dormant. The first season after planting, the 
amount of pinching required will generally be 
very small, as the removal and replanting will 
so check vital action that only moderate 
growth will be made in the majority of cases. 
The second season the growth will be much 
more vigorous, if the trees are in health. 
Aidamn Pruning will be a very trifling pro¬ 
ceeding, if the foregoing directions have been 
followed, for no useless wood will remain to be 
cut away. Indeed, each tree will need merely 
a passing glance to see if any shoots have been 
overlooked, and such shoots only as have 
escaped attention during the summer will need 
cutting back to about the same length as those 
which earlier in the season have been pinched. 
Root-pruning will rarely need be done before 
the autumn of the second season after planting. 
Its object is to encourage fruitfulness by arrest¬ 
ing undue luxuriance of growth. In the month 
of October, as soon as the leaves begin to change 
colour, is the best time for the operation, which 
is to be performed in this way ;—With a steel 
fork dig a trench all round each tree at a dis¬ 
tance of two feet, taking care to avoid injuring 
the roots. After getting down deep enough, 
place the fork underneath the tree and gently 
lift it out of the ground. If any whip-like 
roots are found straggling to a greater distance 
than the bulk of the other roots, shorten them 
back with a sharp knife ; then cut smoothly 
the points of any roots broken or bruised in the 
process of lifting. Next level the station, and re¬ 
plant in the same place as before directed, add¬ 
ing fresh turfy soil next the roots. The second 
lifting need not take place till the fourth year 
after first planting, or if the growth is not 
vigorous in the fourth year, not till the fifth, 
by which time the tree should be in regular 
bearing. When good crops are produced, all 
sorts of pruning will be reduced to a minimum. 
—{Abridged from J. C. Wheeler and Son’s 
Catalogue of Fruit-trees.) 
OLD FUCHSIAS. 
OME of the imported sorts which were 
SinV gi'own in our gardens before hybridizing 
commenced, appear to be considerably 
hardier than those of more recent introduction. 
There are some plants of F. conica and F, 
virgata which have been growing here for 
upwards of thirty years, on some rockwork in 
the open gai'den, without any protection being 
given, and the severest frosts do not seem to 
affect them. They come up every spring, and 
grow healthily and vigorously throughout the 
