80 THE FLORIST. 
abundance of useless wood: to obviate this, the branches are divested of 
all wood-producing spurs, and thickly side grafted with short fruitful 
wood, well furnished with incipient fruit-buds ; these scions, if properly 
selected, instead of growing to wood, generally produce fruit, and thus 
the entire branch may be laden. The plan thus ensures fruitfulness, 
other conditions being favourable, and admits of superior varieties bemg 
introduced.” : 
The branch was heavily laden with fruit of large size, several being 
produced frorh each graft, inserted at short intervals along the branch. 
These proofs of the success of this practice were highly satisfactory ; 
and where wall-trees do not bear, or bear only at the extremities of the 
branches, the plan may be advantageously adopted. 
NOTES ON THE MONTH. 
We are now in the middle of the third winter for the season 1859-60, 
which will be long remembered as the most destructive to garden pro- 
duce that has visited us for many years. The frost of October, ’59, 
caused great damage to vegetation, following close, as it did, on the 
warmest autumn probably recorded. After the frosts of October came 
a lull—a season of wet and mild weather—until the middle of 
December, when the frost, for about a fortnight, was most intense, the 
thermometer having fallen to zero in many places, and below it in 
others. This was followed by another lull; and now, in the middle of 
February, we are having our third touch of frost—sharp for the season, 
and accompanied by a downright north-easter. The effect of this 
present weather, on the whole, will be beneficial; it will retard the 
opening bloom of the Apricot and Peach—indeed, of fruit-trees gene- 
rally—and so increase the chances of our having a good season for them 
when they do bloom. It also has made the land dry, and will so far 
help to pulverise rough dug or ploughed land, and enable manure more 
easily to be wheeled and carted, which the rains of January had sadly 
hindered. : 
The frosts have made a tolerably clean sweep of garden and field 
stuff. Broccoli of all kinds, and even Borecole and Coleworts, in places, 
are gone, while Spinach, Celery, and salad plants are on est, while 
field produce is in the same plight, Those amongst us who are wise 
have taken care of their autumn Cauliflowers, Lettuce, Cabbage, &Xc., 
and have already frames full of spring-sown plants of the above ready 
for pricking out, to transfer to the naked quarters of the kitchen 
garden, when the season arrives. 
We hear of great losses among nursery stock, with newly-budded — 
Roses particularly, as also with dormant Apricot and Peach buds. 
While many kinds of young stuff, including American plants aud Coni- 
fers, have suffered, Wellingtonia has proved itself as hardy as its great 
namesake, the Iron Duke ; but we see Pinus insignis injured in places, 
and the tops of young plants of Cupressus Lawsoniana and Goveniana 
slightly so. 
The discussion in the House of Commons on the ornamental planting © 
in Hyde Park, we hope, will have the desired effect of making those in 
