JUNE. 
115 
can be induced to bring their fruit to the stoning point. There are cases in 
which, although covered with bloom, and thus to all appearance well set, the 
vigour of the trees is so great that the woody growth appears to absorb all the 
sap, and the fruit drops off abortive. It is passing strange that there is a 
natural tendency in fruit to fasten itself and fatten, as it were, upon the weaker 
branches. Such is, however, invariably the case, and the knowledge of the 
fact is useful in practice ; for if the strong trees before alluded to can be 
induced to carry fruit, it will operate beneficially by weakening the process of 
the formation of woody growth ; but if not, then the quickest remedy will be 
root-pruning early in October. In anticipation of that operation a more con¬ 
siderable development of woody growth may be allowed, in order that the 
operator may have a good choice of fruit-bearing wood in the next season ; for 
it is not to be understood that the operation of root-pruning is calculated to 
render a tree barren the following season—on the contrary, the check appears 
to be just that threatening of life which induces the strong shoots to carry their 
fruit. Of course, the operation must be performed at the right time, parti¬ 
cularly as in some cases it may be best to lift the tree entirely and replant it— 
a practice which may be followed out with even large full-grown trees with 
very great advantage, whether for the purpose of checking luxuriance by root- 
pruning, or that of renovating the borders by the removal of old compost and 
supplying new. 
The routine of treatment of the young trees during the second year will 
not materially differ from that before advised for the first year. As, however, 
the circumference to which the outer branches extend becomes increased, 
timely provision must be made for keeping it well furnished by training out 
an extra shoot from the under side of the leading branches. They may not 
always be required when the tree is re-trained, but it is always best to have a 
few shoots in reserve, for in this uncertain climate great injury frequently 
results from accidental causes over which we have no control. These extra 
shoots need not be entirely removed if not required, but should be shortened 
to about five or six buds, and one shoot selected and trained from each the fol¬ 
lowing season. They will contribute to preserve the vitality of the central 
part of the tree, and give the operator a chance of thinning out the extremities 
and keeping his trees at home. 
Redleaf. John Cox. 
PLEROMA ELEGANS. 
This splendid Melastomad is chiefly interesting from the fact that it pro¬ 
duces abundance of its deep blue-purple flowers on comparatively small plants, 
and may be managed without a plant-stove, which most of its neighbours 
require. The fact that the large flowers are produced most freely on the 
points of last year’s shoots furnishes the key-note to its culture. The next 
thing essential to success is that it will not thrive if kept in a plant-stove, nor 
yet will it thrive if kept in a cool greenhouse. In the one case it will get 
straggling, and the wood will not ripen well enough to bloom freely ; and in 
the other the plant will assume a starved appearance, and become brown and 
unhealthy. 
In propagating it by cuttings, any time during summer would do ; but, as 
a matter of choice, I would prefer March or April. The points of shoots 
getting firm at their base would answer, but I prefer firmish side-shoots, 
from 2^- to 3 inches long, rather green at the point, but brownish and firmish 
at the base. These are to be cut across at a joint at the bottom, the leaves 
there removed; the pair above either removed or shortened, and, if long, a 
