There are numbers of our new sorts of pears lately introduced, of a very superior quality, which deserve to be more extensively known and cultivated; many of which, with their time of ripening, exposure required, as quenouilles and otherwise, I will give you in some future Number. I am, Sir, &c. BERNARD SAunders. Nursery, Island of Jersey, April 14. 1829. ART. XIV. Sir, On the Evil Effects of planting Fruit Trees in too rich a Soil. By Mr. ROBERT ERRINGTON. I AM led to make the following remarks from observing the evil effects arising from planting fruit trees in too rich a soil, especially peaches and nectarines, trusting they may be of service in preventing the misapplication of dung by those who are not practical hands in the business. The trees alluded to were planted in the spring of 1827, on a southern aspect; the natural soil of the border is a very light sandy loam, of no tenacity, but containing a trifling degree of a kind of marly principle: this soil is about 20 in. deep, on a stratum of red sand of 4 ft., and the subsoil altogether very dry. The person who planted them (now no more) had a heavy coat of rotten dung put on about 1 ft. thick, and trenched 20 in. deep, which, of course, threw the dung with some soil on the sandy stratum. After this another coat of dung was dug in at top, and the trees planted in rich soil also. The trees the first season were very vigorous, but this year they have surpassed all that I ever witnessed, some shoots being nearly 6 ft. long and thick in proportion, and most of them run to laterals; and now it is difficult to know how to prune them to provide for a regular succession of wood, unless, as Agronome manages his apples, I cut off two feet from three, and so on; which method of pruning, however it may have succeeded with him, I distrust, and would rather follow Mr. Harrison. I find the roots have entered the dung at the bottom, which of course causes the redundance of sap; and when they have exhausted that superficial fund, the reciprocal balance between the root and branches being destroyed, many injurious effects must inevitably follow. Now had the soil in which they were planted been dressed with as much sound loam, with a little dung, they would have grown more steadily and have been incomparably more permanent; for it is that adhesive principle the soil here requires. We have many old trees at this place, still carrying the marks of having been originally treated in the same manner, which are now failing, when they should be in their prime. For my part, I should advise that the soil immediately in contact with the root be slightly inferior in point of richness to the rest, as on the consequent formation of the head for two years after planting, much of the well furnishing of the wall eventually depends. There may be some who are blessed with a soil so well adapted by nature, that they may consider such particular care superfluous; but there are many, also, who, if they do not coincide with the opinions here expressed, know it will not do to let them take their chance without making some provision. With regard to Agronome's opinion, that "trees will never go into bad soil if they have plenty of food," I consider the assertion rather paradoxical; because I know that under certain circumstances they will enter pernicious matter, and at improper depths; and no doubt they extract thence the seeds of disease, as may be frequently seen in the consequent failure of their heads. I am, Sir, &c. Oulton Park, Cheshire, Dec. 1828. ROBERT ERRINGTON, Sir, ART. XV. On the Management of the Peach Tree. I HAVE heard it frequently observed by many gentlemen, that the British gardeners are more deficient in the management of peach and nectarine trees, than in most other parts of their profession. This is not only the complaint of the gentlemen, but the confession of the gardeners themselves, and is equally referable to the trees on the wall and in the forcinghouse. The frequent failure of these crops arises, in my opinion, from the manner in which they prune their trees. It is the endeavour of every cultivator to procure annually a great supply of long and strong wood, sufficiently large to make basket rods, and from these he expects his crop; but nothing can be more unnatural or erroneous than this system of pruning. Whoever has seen these trees in Malta or America, and noticed the very short and small wood from which such large peaches are produced, would immediately contemn the British gardener's practice. Mr. Harrison, the eminent gardener at Wortley, succeeded well with what I consider a bad system of pruning, by shortening his shoots severely; but his garden lay extremely exposed to the winds which are beneficial in moderating the luxuriance of growth of plants, and such situations are not as liable to chilly damps and blights as low and more sheltered places. I hope Mr. Harrison will feel no uneasiness at this disapproval of his system of pruning this kind of fruit trees, as he merits so much praise as an ingenious gardener. I have for many years past pruned my trees in a manner that has offered me uniform success; it is simply by diminishing the vigour of the shoots in summer I shorten back to a few eyes a considerable portion of the young spray, and I retain these in the spring dressing to afford the future crop. The man who has cultivated the peach tree for some time must have observed that the branches which have lost their leading buds never fail to set their fruit well, and often for a long time continue to swell such fruit faster than branches that are crowned with luxuriant leading shoots. This may be accounted for by the ascending sap being carried forward by the luxuriant growth above, and thus depriving or carrying away from the fruit its natural juice; they then wither and fall off. As my borders are not manured, nor made deep, the trees therefore never create unwholesome or too much sap; and without much artificial aid produce the kind of wood I require; my crops, in consequence are uniformly good, and the fruit large and well flavoured. As I live near London, I never find it necessary to cover my trees in spring, when in blossom. The flowers of well ripened wood, such as my plants produce, are more hardy than those of more spongy growths. Insects will be always found to do more harm in this part of the kingdom than bad weather. In exceedingly early seasons it may be necessary to cover the trees, and old netting, discarded by fishermen, is the best protection, and this can be bought for 21. per cwt., and will last many years. It is a sure mark of a bad cultivator to see the borders cropped with potatoes and other gross vegetables, though it may be good, in conformity with nature, to shade the ground with a slight crop, such as weak-growing flowers, small herbs, or mignonette. Much of what you have stated respecting the Dutch forcing at Hylands is in unison with my practice; the trees there being frequently removed are never luxuriant, but produce the kind of wood already described. I have seen that garden, and am, perhaps, from the extent of my practice, a more efficient judge than youself. From what I noticed at that place, I would recommend to the British gardener a structure something between the Dutch frame and the English forcing-house, as the most certain and economical for forcing these and most other fruits. I am now erecting an extensive range of glass of this description, and I entertain sanguine hopes of superior success; but of this you shall hear more hereafter. In training my trees, I pursue the fan manner recommended by your correspondents Kendall and Hiver. The old crooked mode I find to be particularly injurious to peach trees, by forming obstructions to the ascending and descending sap. Thus at the curvatures luxuriant excrescences are generated, which in time destroy the regular balance of the tree, and subsequently bring on its death. If you find the contents of this communication to merit your notice, I shall feel pleasure in having contributed my mite to the Magazine. I have many particulars to send you relating to the important parts of horticulture, and the difficulties and enemies incident to gardeners, amongst the most insidious of the last may be numbered stewards, house-keepers, ladies' maids, grubs, and spiders. I am, Sir, &c. September, 1829. H. JOHN NEWINGTON. ART. XVI. Recipe for a Composition for destroying and guarding against Insects on Wall Trees. By Mr. JAMES BURGE, Gardener to the Rev. Richard Lane of Coffleet, Devonshire. Sir, WHEN insects are on fruit trees in leaf, it costs much expense and labour to subdue them; oftentimes they will make their reappearance, and frequently the trees will, in the ensuing spring have great numbers of the same species of insects on them; and the remedy that is made use of to destroy them often hurts their foliage. If the following composition be laid on the trees in the spring after pruning annually, it will be an incitement to the foliage, and a preservative for the trees from insects; and I hope that none will attempt to use it without giving it a fair and candid trial. Take sulphur vivum, slaked lime sifted fine, and Scotch snuff, of each an equal quantity, of lampblack half the quantity, and let them be well blended: add to them soap suds and urine, until it gets the consistence of thick paint. Before you prune your trees, let them be all unnailed from the wall; and after pruning, let the composition be laid on the trees with a painter's brush carefully; paint every pore of the branches gorates the trees. If any of the composition be left for a future occasion, it should be kept in a tub, or other vessel, and urine poured on it, so as to cover the surface. I am, Sir, &c. Coffleet, near Plympton, Nov. 5. 1826. JAMES BURGE. 1 ART. XVII. On the Culture of the Potato, both in the Field and Sir, THE production of a good potato, whether early or late, must at all times be a subject of importance, both to the farmer and gardener: and although its cultivation is very easy and simple, and no doubt appears so, even to the veriest tyro in either calling; yet the potatoes sold in and about London are generally so very inferior in quality, that we must suppose the soil either to be very unfavourable, or the cultivation defective; which latter supposition is rather hazardous, when we consider the wealth, skill, and competition of such a host of marketgardeners as supply the metropolis with this useful vegetable. However, be the cause what it may, the article is not creditable to the grower, nor can such waxy watery things be very nutritious to the consumer. If you think the following hints would have a tendency to remedy the evil complained of, I should be happy to see them inserted in the Gardener's Magazine. For a late Crop of Potatoes. Whether the ground is light or heavy, dig it well before planting, which may be done about the middle or latter end of May; and if the ground is heavy, draw the drills 2 ft. apart, or more if it is rich as well as heavy; room being essentially necessary in such ground, to perfect the growth of a crop of good mealy potatoes; and I rather think that it is thick planting in some measure which so greatly deteriorates the produce about London. Then plant sets with single eyes, 5 or 6 in. deep, and 15 to 20 in. asunder in the rows, according to the nature of the soil, or potato to be planted; cover with light muck, and afterwards with a very little earth. In light soils the process is the same, only let the sets be planted thicker and deeper, and cover with as much muck as you please; but in either case, as soon as the plants are 2 or 3 in. high, take a mattock (for I |