12 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  1,  1897. 
seed  was  obtained.  From  the  time  that  the  acorn  of  the  Oak  is  placed 
in  circumstances  favourable  to  its  germination  it  absorbs  moisture  and 
swells,  the  root  or  radicle  is  elongated,  and  the  shell  or  envelope  is 
broken.  The  root  issues  by  the  fissure,  and  directs  itself  downwards  into 
the  earth  ;  the  plumule  erects  itself,  and  becomes  the  stem  ;  while  the 
cotyledons  furnish  food  to  the  young  plant  until  the  first  leaves  develop, 
and  the  spongioles  of  the  roots  are  capable  of  receiving  nourishment 
from  the  earth.  In  plants  with  a  soft  covering,  as  the  Bean,  the  radicle 
is  directed  to  the  outside  of  the  seed  ;  it  is  the  rudiment  of  the  root,  and 
this  is  the  first  part  which  develops  itself  in  germinating.  The  plumule, 
on  the  contrary,  ascends  towards  the  centre  of  the  grain  and  becomes  the 
stem,  while  the  two  cotyledons  remain  in  the  soil  between  the  root  and 
stem,  yielding  nourishment  to  the  young  plant  until  the  root  can 
perform  that  oflBce. 
Much  time  is  lost  by  following  this  mode  of  propagation,  except  in 
the  case  of  annuals.  The  seed  does  not  always  produce  a  plant  iden¬ 
tical  with  the  parent.  No  true  double  flower  produces  seeds,  and 
several  herbaceous  plants  with  which  our  gardens  are  furnished  fail  to 
ripen  their  seeds  in  our  climate.  The  observation  of  this  led  to  other 
methods  of  multiplying,  for  besides  the  roots,  properly  so  called,  which 
attach  themselves  to  the  soil  and  draw  from  it  the  principal  nourishment 
of  the  plant,  each  branch  conceals  under  its  outward  covering  a  bundle 
of  tissue  which,  under  favourable  circumstances,  develops  roots,  and 
becomes  the  basis  of  an  independent  plant  identical  with  that  from 
which  it  sprang.  Many  plants  have  also  a  crown  with  buds  or  eyes, 
each  capable  of  propagating  its  species.  Every  plant  with  roots  of  this 
description  may  be  divided  into  as  many  portions  as  there  are  eyes, 
taking  care  that  a  few  fibres  are  attached  to  the  root,  and  each  bud  thus 
secured  will  become  an  independent  plant. — 0.  W.  M. 
(To  be  continued.) 
Pbactice  with  Science.  '' 
Lovers  of  flowering  plants  in  perusing  treatises  on  their  cultivation 
may  frequently  come  upon  a  caution  to  keep  the  structures  in  which 
newly  potted  plants,  or  freshly  inserted  cuttings  and  offsets,  are  placed 
closed  for  a  period.  Here  we  have  a  subject  for  a  logician.  That 
scientific  principles  are  the  foundation  of  practice  we  shall  try  to  prove. 
Boots  are  organs,  sensitive  to  heat,  cold,  touch,  exposure,  excess  or 
sparseness  of  supply  of  building  matter,  feeling  acutely  the  most  delicate 
help  or  hindrance  to  their  work.  We  are  convinced  of  this  in  considering 
that  by  negligence  in  over  or  under-watering,  feeding,  potting,  or 
thoughtlessness  in  even  one  cultural  item  we  irretrievably  lose  beauty, 
and  retain  only  objects  for  pity. 
The  sensitiveness  to  heat  by  the  renewal  in  spring  of  growth  in  tap 
roots,  tubers,  rhizomes — which  are  virtually  ennobled  roots — demon¬ 
strates  the  fact  with  these  forms.  Does  not  the  balmy  sweet  air  of 
spring,  which  we  then  admit  to  our  houses,  dispel  the  drowsy  artificially 
heated  atmosphere,  and  itself  seethe  around  the  pots  and  throagh  the 
balls  of  soil,  stimulating  with  new  vigour  the  sleepy  plants  ?  When 
solar  heat  becomes  stronger,  growth  gyrates  almost  eagerly,  showing  the 
appreciation  for  heat  by  the  roots  and  co-builders.  Regarding  chills 
and  exposure  to  roots  we  can  comprehend  how  the  functions  are 
hindered,  probably  destroyed.  Robe  a  man  in  cold  wet  garments,  and 
if  not  actively  employed  what  result  do  we  expect?  Debility  of  body. 
The  food  supply  and  circulation  bv  roots  to  the  stems  and  leaves  is 
checked  by  suddenly  giving  cold  water,  causing  languid  and  erratic 
growth.  Dryness  implies  analogous  results. 
Overfeeding  or  loading  a  soil  too  heavily  with  nutritive  material 
“sickens  ”  it.  It  would  little  matter  if  indeed  it  were  gorged,  provided 
no  roots  were  there  to  be  “  killed  by  kindness.”  This  is  the  great  evil 
in  overpotting  or  manuring.  The  absorption  of  matter  takes  place  by 
the  process  of  “  osmosis  ” — viz.,  the  watery  fluid  with  its  elements  by 
affinity  for  the  thicker  cell  contents  permeates  the  outer  membrane  and 
cell  walls  of  the  radicle  or  root  tip,  to  act  with  this  cell  matter.  Now, 
according  to  this  hypothesis,  the  roots  are  unable  to  stop  the  supply, 
even  though  it  be  in  excess.  The  flow  continues  and  the  cells  flush  full, 
are,  in  fact,  choked. 
The  whole  system  of  the  plant  is  overloaded,  like  a  person  who  has 
eaten  too  well,  and  whose  heart  flags  under  the  pressure  it  must  bear. 
So  likewise  the  plant  becomes  insipid  and  flaccid.  It  can  neither  exhale 
or  inhale  freely,  if  at  all,  because  of  turgidity  in  the  cells,  and  becomes 
disagreeably  burdened.  The  chlorophyll  and  other  necessary  matter 
seems  rarified,  possibly  kept  too  diluted,  and  being  supplied  with  too 
acidulous  “sap,”  through  the  soil  being  purely  acidulous  and  non- 
alkaline,  it  may  be  poisoned  ;  and  so  the  plant  if  uncorrected  dies  an 
unnatural  death.  Summing  up,  then,  like  any  jury,  the  conclusions 
we  have  drawn,  we  see  how  very  careful  we  must  be  in  growing  plants 
artificially  to  grow  them  well. 
It  is  to  save  the  strain  of  a  severe  check  to  growth  that  we  keep  our 
structures  closed  after  potting.  We  allow  the  leaves  and  their  helpers 
to  work  easier  while  working  harder  than  ordinarily.  In  the  warm  air, 
kept  comparatively  stationary,  the  stomates  open  wide,  and  breathe 
deeper  and  quicker,  absorbing  liquid  and  gaseous  aids,  and  freeing  the 
unneeded  elements.  Rapid  evaporation,  too,  is  stopped  ;  a  quiet  tone 
of  vitality  is  insured,  and  time  for  the  roots  to  recover  and  penetrate 
anew.  This  with  cuttings  and  offsets  is  principally  applicable,  though 
the  other  detrimental  causes  reach  them  likewise.  This  article  Ws  been 
written  for  criticism  by  “  Domain  ”  writers,  it  having  occurred  to  me 
how  often  we  do  things  in  practice  without  reasoning  why,  or  whether 
it  may  be  proper.  If  my  reasoning  be  correct  itj  proves  the  value  of 
science  in  our  practice. — A  Young  Scot. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Summer  Pruning  Fruit  Trees.  —  The  summer  pruning  of 
restricted  trees  and  bushes  ought  to  be  commenced,  carrying  on  the 
operation  at  intervals.  This  method  of  gradual  removal  is  rational, 
and  guards  against  the  possibility  of  serious  checks  being  given.  Any 
undesirable  shoots,  such  as  those  ill  placed  or  weakly,  may  be  cut  out 
entirely,  leaving  the  best  and  most  foreright  in  position.  If  the  shoots 
are  crowded  thin  them  out.  A  rank  growth  of  shoots,  crowding  one 
into  the  other,  compete  for  the  light  available,  with  the  result  that  many 
of  them  grow  to  an  inordinate  length  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  the 
light.  Likewise,  when  undue  shade  predominates,  it  proves  inimical  to 
those  shorter  growths  originating  from  the  base,  and  showing  a  tendency 
to  become  fruit  buds.  Also,  a  fair  share  of  light  and  air  is  prevented 
reaching  the  fruit,  which  retards  its  development. 
Judicious  summer  pruning,  or  shortening  the  longest  shoots  to  a 
limited  number  of  fully  formed  leaves  at  the  base,  gives  at  once  a  check 
to  exuberance  of  growth,  and  directs  the  energies  of  the  trees  into  the 
buds  and  leaves  remaining. 
Plums  and  Sweet  Cherries. — These  fruits  are  chiefly  confined  to  the 
restricted  form  when  grown  on  walls.  It  is  then  that-  summer  pruning 
is  most  required,  so  that  growths  which  cannot  be  laid  in  are  prevented 
extending  and  robbing  the  buds  at  the  base  of  needful  support.  The 
summer  shoots  are  usually  pinched  when  the  third  largest  leaf  from  the 
base  is  fully  developed  in  size.  Crowded  shoots  may  be  cut  out  entirely. 
Further  pinching  becomes  necessary,  and  should  be  carried  out,  when 
fresh  growths  have  started  from  the  upper  bud  or  buds  of  the  shortened 
shoots.  This  ought  not  to  be  done,  however,  before  the  first  formed  leaf 
has  attained  to  a  fair  size.  Subsequent  sub-lateral  growths  treat  in  the 
same  manner — that  is,  pinching  to  one  leaf  as  formed. 
Some  modification  of  this  system  of  close  pinching  can  be  adopted, 
chiefly  in  cases  where  there  are  vacant  places  that  require  to  be 
furnished.  For  this  purpose  select  well-placed  shoots  of  vigorous,  but 
not  sappy  development.  Train  them  in  at  full  length.  In  the  course 
of  the  season  they,  with  the  exposure  to  light  and  air,  ripen  thoroughly. 
The  following  season  fruit  buds  are  formed,  and  probably  some  of  them 
may  be  sufficiently  matured  this  season  to  fruit  next.  In  any  case, 
however,  they  ought  to  fruit  freely  the  third  season.  This  method  of 
management  is  mainly  supplemental  to  a  supply  of  main  branches 
furnished  with  spurs.  The  chief  object  should  be  to  avoid  overcrowding, 
or  the  bearing  capacity  of  the  trees  may  be  jeopardised. 
Morello  Cherries. — The  treatment  accorded  to  these  is  different. 
The  trees  bear  the  best  crops  on  the  one-year-old  wood  ;  therefore,  it  is 
best  to  train  in  a  fair  number  situated  in  good  positions  all  over  the 
trees.  These  shoots  require  no  shortening,  simply  securing  them  in  the 
direction  wanted.  The  superfluous  shoots-^useless,  weak,  or  exhausted 
portions — must  be  pruned  out  as  occasion  offers.  Finally  the  bearing 
shoots  of  the  present  season  should  be  removed,  and  the  reserved 
growths  for  the  following  year  secured  in  their  place. 
In  some  cases  Morello  Cherries  are  grown  on  more  restricted  forms, 
the  trees  having  main  branches  about  a  foot  apart.  Spurs  have  been 
formed  by  pinching  and  stopping  foreright  and  side  shoots.  Summer 
pruning  must  be  resorted  to  with  these,  stopping  the  growths  it  is 
necessary  to  restrict  at  the  third  leaf,  subsequent  extensions  from  the 
shortened  shoot  at  the  first  leaf.  The  buds  below  will  become  well 
nourished,  and  from  them  the  fiuit  is  produced  the  next  season. 
Prolific  results,  however,  do  not  follow  this  method  to  the  same  extent 
as  the  former. 
Gooseberries, — When  Gooseberry  bushes  are  confined  to  several  main 
branches,  and  these  only  allowed  to  bear  the  fruit,  summer  pruning  of 
the  side  shoots  is  essential  in  order  to  admit  light  and  air  to  the  basal 
leaves,  which  perform  the  functions  of  nourishing  the  buds.  Shorten 
these  shoots  to  two  pairs  of  leaves.  The  leading  shoot  on  each  branch 
may  remain  without  stopping,  especa'ally  if  extension  is  required. 
The  more  general  system  of  treatment  adopted  with  Gooseberries  is 
simply  to  thin  out  the  bushes,  allowing  them  to  carry  plenty  of  young, 
well-ripened  shoots,  which  bear  freely.  This  thinning  and  regulating 
may  be  carried  out  during  summer  immediately  the  bushes  are  cleared  of 
fruit.  Attend  well  to  the  lower  parts  and  the  centres  of  the  bushes, 
also  clear  away  sappy  growths  and  suckers  from  the  base.  The  free 
admission  of  light  and  air  for  the  ripening  of  the  wood  must  be  the  main 
point,  pruning  more  fully  in  winter. 
Bed  and  White  Currants. — Shorten  the  side  growths  from  the  main 
branches  to  the  second  pair  of  leaves  from  the  base.  The  summer 
pruning  of  Currants  effects  two  purposes.  The  fruit  is  assisted  in 
ripening  by  the  free  circulation  of  air  and  more  exposure  to  light,  and 
the  concentraticn  of  vigour  in  the  basal  buds. 
Blach  Currants.  —  Beaiing  almost  exclusively  on  young  wood, 
summer  pruning  is  only  necessary  in  so  far  as  thinning  out  crowded 
shoots  and  old  growths  to  make  room  for  strong  and  young  wood. 
