JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
155 
February  22.  190^^. 
When  shall  we  pinch  ?  Not,  in  my  opinion,  as  Mr,  Mitchell  said 
last  week  (page  137),  until  we  form  the  trees — i.e.,  obtain  sufficient 
main  branches  by  shortening  the  few  first  produced.  Some  persons 
shorten  the  growths  more  or  let-s  severely  because  there  are  too  many 
of  them,  as  if  there  w'ould  be  fewer  another  year  !  There  will  be 
more.  Shortening  the  growths  increases  the  number.  We  must 
winter  shorten  till  wo  secure  the  requisite  number,  then  stop  the 
process,  for  an  excess  of  main  branches  is  injurious,  as  being  anta¬ 
gonistic  to  fruitfulness.  IMost  trees  and  bushes  have  far  too  many 
main  branches.  Those  of  the  larger-leaved  kinds  are  better,  on  the 
average,  18  inches  than  a  foot  apart,  this  latter  distance  serving  for 
hush  fruits. 
From  the  main  branches  thus  formed  and  disposed  side  growths 
issue.  These  are  frequently  too  numerous,  and  in  such  case  the 
removal  of  some  when  an  inch  long,  or  before,  is  excellent  practice — 
disbuddinsr.  Now  assuming  all  that  form  are  allowed  to  grow  till  the 
autumn,  and  the  main  branches  are  at  the  same  time  much  too  close 
together.  What  is  the  result  ?  It  can  only  be  a  bundle  of  crowded 
shoots  and  leaves — a  thicket.  In  this  case,  which  is  much  too 
common,  what  is  the  condition  of  the  basal  leaves  of  these  shoots  ? 
Sap  '.is  drawn  from  them  by  the  stronger  parts  above,  while  the 
vitalising  influence  of  the  sun  is  denied  them.  These  lower  leaves  are 
then  of  necessity  structurally  and  chemically  weak.  They  cannot,  or 
only  in  the  slightest  degree,  discharge  their  respiratory  functions, 
which  is  the  first  necessity  for  the  manufacture  of  starch  Irom  carbon 
obtained  from  the  air  and  materials  supplied  by  the  roots.  In  other 
words,  they  cannot  provide  and  store  organised  matter  in  the  stems 
adjacent  to  where  the  blossom  buds  should  be.  The  resources  of  the 
soil  and  air  are  secured  and  used  by  the  better  haves  above  them,  and 
these  very  parts  are  cut  away  in  pruning  and  burned.  What  short¬ 
sighted  practice  it  is  ? 
Let  us  look  at  the  more  rational  way.  This  is  easy,  economical, 
and  effectual.  Prevent  the  elongation  and  crowding  by  pinching  the 
shoots.  As  to  the  “  time”  this  should  be  done,  it  may  be  said  that 
it  cannot  all  be  properly  done  at  any  one  time  ;  nor  at  the  same  time 
everywhere.  It  depends  on  the  growth  of  the  trees.  The  shoots  first 
elongate  from  the  upper  pans  of  the  branches  of  bush  trees,  and 
also  along  the  parts  of  those  near  the  tops  of  walls.  These  strong 
shoots  are  usually  ready  for  pinching  by  the  middle  of  June.  Nip 
or  snap  off  the  tips  above  the  third  or  fourth  full  sized  leaves,  not 
counting  the  small  basal  leaves.  The  knife  ought  not  to  be  required. 
The  sap  is  then  diverted  into  the  lower  and  weaker  shoots,  and 
strengthens  them  for  pinching  a  week  or  sj  later,  and  soon  afterwards 
the  process  should  follow  with  the  weakest  series  at  the  base.  By 
this  simple  and  rational  division  the  strength  of  the  majority  becomes 
equalised. 
By  this  early  pinching  it  may  be  feared  by  some  persons  that  the 
back  buds  will  start  into  growth.  Only  the  two  top  ones  will  do  so, 
rarely  three,  while  the  buds  in  the  axils  of  the  small  basal  leaves 
will  be  strengthened.  When  the  two  secondary  growths  unfold  two 
or  three  leaves  pinch  them  to  one,  and  if  tertiary  shoots  or  sub¬ 
laterals  follow  treat  them  in  the  same  way,  allowing  one  leaf  to 
remain  in  each  instance.  The  effects  of  this  discriminate  pinching  are 
manifold.  1,  By  topping  the  longer  first,  and  the  weaker  shoots  later, 
these  are  strengthened.  2,  By  preventing  the  elongation  of  hundreds 
of  growths  and  the  development  of  thousands  of  leaves,  the  elonga¬ 
tion  of  what  would  be  correspondingly  long  and  strong  roots  is  to  a 
material  degree  checked.  3,  The  mineral  constituents  of  the  soil 
are  economised  instead  of  being  spent  on  shoots  to  be  burnt.  4,  If 
the  soil  be  firm,  yet  porous,  as  it  ought  to  be,  not  very  rich  and  not 
thoughtlessly  dug,  fibrous  roots  will  be  incited.  5,  The  basal  leaves 
on  which  the  sap  is  concentrated,  and  the  sun  can  shine  on  them, 
become  ten  times  better  than  under  the  smothering  system,  and  ten 
times  more  nutrient  matter  is  stored  in  the  portions  of  wood  that 
are  not  cut  off ;  and,  6,  the  general  arrestation  of  roots  so  modifies  the 
sap  pressure  that  all  the  basal  buds  are  not  forced  into  leaf  and  wood 
growth,  but  a  sufficient  number  are  changed  into  floral  organs,  fruit 
following  it  if  weather  permit.  It  is  easy  to  assist  Nature  to  change 
wood  buds  into  blossom  buds,  but  difficult  to  thwart  her  laws  by 
chanoing  fully  developed  blossom  buds  into  wood  buds — at  least  I 
have  not  been  able  to  accomplish  the  feat. 
Some  readers  may  not  unnaturally  think  that  all  the  pinching 
described  involves  a  good  deal  of  trouble,  and  they  may  ask  if  I  would 
do  it  myself?  As  to  the  trouble  it  is  not  so  great  as  it  seems,  and  I 
have  applied  the  process  to  garden  trees  that  had  to  be  kept  within 
nirrow  limits,  and  yet  to  be  laden  with  blossom  in  their  season.  With 
unlimited  space,  and  for  utilitarian  purposes  I  should  adopt  a  different 
method.  If  the  branches  of  Iruit  trees  are  2  feet  asunder,  and  the  side 
growths  only  of  moderate  strength,  the  sun  can  reach  the  basal  leaves 
which  become  stout  and  strong,  quite  sufficient  blossom  buds  forming 
i  for  a  crop  of  fruit  as  heavy  as  the  trees  can  profitably  bear.  This, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  pinching,  is  the  teaching  of  experience.— 
.A  Lincolnshire  Gardener. 
SWEET  TEAS. 
The  Best  White. 
I  AM  often  asked  which  is  the  best  white  Sweet  Pea  in  cultivation. 
For  years  I  invariably  replied  Emily  Henderson,  but  at  last  I  must 
change  my  opinion.  Not  that  this  variety  has  deteriorated  in  any  way, 
but  simply  because  a  better  has  found  its  way  into  commerce.  Mrs. 
Sankey  was  thought  by  some  persons  to  be  the  best  white,  but  any 
variety  that  is  distinctly  tinted  with  pink  cannot  well  lay  claim  to  the 
title.  Eckford’s  Sadie  Burpee  is  now  my  favourite.  The  blossoms  are 
of  such  splendid  substance,  while  their  purity  is  undisputed.  This  is 
what  is  known  as  a  hooded  variety,  which  means  that  both  standard 
and  wings  incline  inward  at  the  edge. 
Cream  of  Br  ickhampton. 
Anything  new  in  what  aie  termed  yellow  Sweet  Peas  is  sure  to  be 
welcomed.  Not  that  I  think  any  variety  has  a  right  to  the  name  of 
Fig.  39. — Epidendrum  bicorxutum. 
yellow  as  yet,  for  no  one  can  say  that  we  have  a  true  yellow-flowered 
variety.  In  Cream  of  Brockhampton  we  have  the  nearest  approach  to 
that  colour.  The  standards  contain  more  cream  colour  than  do  those 
of  Mrs.  Eckford,  which  hitherto  has  been  regarded  as  the  best  variety 
of  that  tint.  The  new  comer  is  one  of  Mr.  Poster’s  seedlings. 
Gorgeous. 
I  should  like  to  supplement  what  “  Practice  ”  says  on  page  99, 
about  this  Pea.  The  colour  is  quite  unique,  and  thoroughly  deserves 
its  name.  On  reference  to  my  notes  of  new  varieties  last  year,  my 
colour  description  is  much  more  elaborate  than  that  given  by 
“Practice;”  it  contained  so  much  variety  of  colour  that  I  noted  it 
carefully.  This  may  not,  however,  be  correct  for  all  that,  as  the  descrip, 
tive  tints  of  colour  are  very  much  a  matter  of  taste.  Here  it  is  a 
standard  orange  red  suffused  with  apricot,  wings  pale  rose  with  a 
purple  suffusion,  keel  pale  lilac.  A  grand  flower  in  every  way,  and 
quite  one  of  the  best  of  Burpee’s  introductions. — E.  Molt.veu.k. 
