178 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ December, 
duce prolific trees, and to bring fruit of a good 
flavour. Attention must, however, be occasion¬ 
ally paid to the denuding the trees of a few of 
their strong roots, in order to keep them within 
reasonable bounds ; for even in shallow and 
unprepared soils, if the subsoil is not irretriev¬ 
ably bad, trees on the free stock will, when 
they have got thorough hold of the ground, 
break out into a habit of unfruitful, luxuriant 
growth, very unsuitable for wall-culture. This 
tendency can only be checked by the timely 
removal of some of the feeders. The same 
effects as regards an unfruitful luxuriance of 
growth, but in a much greater degree, will 
follow the planting of free stocks on soils of an 
opposite nature, that is, deeper, of stronger 
soil, and in a natural state, probably not so 
well drained—a luxuriance which, though 
thoroughly suitable for standards in an orchard, 
must for wall-culture be checked by a much 
more rigorous application of restrictive mea¬ 
sures. 
But mark the contrast. If, in the deeper, 
stronger soils just referred to, Pears on the 
Quince stock are substituted, the restrictive 
influence of the stock will keep down luxuri¬ 
ance of growth, aud thus prevent the necessity 
for root-pruning ; and instead of being checked, 
the trees will require encouragement, while re¬ 
striction will be more often required as to the 
amount of fruit which the trees are allowed to 
bi ing to perfection. Why is this ? Because 
the Quince is more at home in soils of a deep, 
strong, and retentive character. 
Does not this point to the principles which 
should be our guide in the formation of arti¬ 
ficial borders, wherever they may be considered 
essential to cultural excellence ? Thus, if the 
Pear or free stock is preferred—it being by 
many considered the more durable, although I 
have not found it so—the borders may be 
made more shallow, very well drained with a 
good thickness of rubble, and the bottom 
cemented, to prevent the roots from penetrating 
an uncongenial subsoil. On the contrary, if 
the Quince stock is selected, the borders may 
be made deeper, and of stronger and more re¬ 
tentive soil, but they must be equally well 
drained, though they need not be cemented. 
It should also be borne in mind, in the 
formation of these borders, that porosity of 
soil and a perfect system of drainage are essen¬ 
tial to the successful application of surface¬ 
dressing, which is, indeed, a most important 
item in good cultivation, and when applied to 
ill-drained and close soils is apt to render them - 
sour and waterlogged, thus leading the operator 
to condemn surface-dressing, when, after all, 
the evil lies below, in the want of drainage. 
Before leaving the subject, it is necessary to 
observe that only melting sorts of Pears— 
which, indeed, comprise all the most eligible 
sorts in cultivation—should be worked upon 
the Quince stock, as their quality is thereby 
improved ; while, on the contrary, sorts which 
are naturally gritty at the core have that tend¬ 
ency increased when grafted on the Quince, or 
Thorn, which latter, in strong clay land, is 
sometimes used as a stock, but in my opinion 
is never durable enough to render its use 
desirable. 
The horizontal system of training is by far 
the best adapted for the Pear, and the most 
easily managed ; and, as well-trained trees pre¬ 
pared on that system, on either stock, and cal¬ 
culated to commence bearing at once, may now 
be obtained, I would strongly recommend them. 
However, in selecting such as are on the 
Quince, it is essential to see that they are 
worked close to the ground, so that the stock 
may be well covered with earth. This will 
enable it to enlarge itself proportionately with 
the top development of the tree.— John Cox, 
Redleaf. 
VINES AND VINE CULTURE. 
Chap. XVIII. —The Varieties of Grapes. 
(Continued.) 
HE descriptions of the varieties of Grapes 
included in our Synoptical Table are 
here continued, from page 164:— 
Muscat Escholata. —A synonym of Mus¬ 
cat of Alexandria : which see. 
Muscat Fleur d’Oranger. —A synonym of 
Chasselas Musque : which see. 
Muscat Gris. — A synonym of Grizzly 
Frontignan: which see. 
Muscat Hamburgh (44).—An oval black 
Muscat Grape. Synonyms: Black Muscat of 
Alexandria, Red Muscat of Alexandria, Snow’s 
Muscat Hamburgh, Venn’s Seedling Black 
Muscat. 
Vine.—Growth moderately vigorous, free-fruiting. 
Leaves large, deeply lobed and serrated ; dying off 
yellow. 
