386 STATE rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



So far, the treatment of unfruitful trees may be said to be confined to those 

 only recently planted. When trees of more mature years are barren, then more 

 cautious treatment must be resorted to. For example, nothing is more com- 

 mon than for pear or plum trees, of large size, v>hen trained against the wall to 

 he entirely fruitless. To take up such trees and replant them would not gener- 

 ally be the right thing to do, because being of mature growth, the check of com- 

 plete removal might be too great. In such cases the best thing is to commence 

 at the extreme point of the roots, and to lift them, according to the size of 

 the tree, to within two, four, or six feet of the main stem, and then to relay the 

 roots near to the surface of the ground ; or, in case of wall trees, half tlie roots 

 may be taken up one season, following them to the very base of the stem, and 

 the remaining portion, if necessary the following season. Such treatment, cau- 

 tiously carried out, will generally restore the balance of force, and with it fruit- 

 fulness will ensue. Now come we to the ordinary trees, — such as are pre- 

 pared by root pruning before they arc sent out from the nursery, and may be 

 said to be reduced to a moderate and healthy state of growth. These, some- 

 times, if transferred to a rich soil, may start after a time into an over-luxuriant 

 habit. In such a case it is customary to check them by root-jiruning, simply 

 by diggimr around one side of the tree this year, and cutting off some of the 

 stronger and more perpendicular roots, and treating the other portion in the 

 same manner the following year. Early autumn, while there is yet some heat 

 in tlic ground, is the best time for root-pruning, as the warmth enables the 

 wounds to heal quickly, and also to throw out fresh feeders so as to become re- 

 established before the active growth of spring commences. Trees thus man- 

 aged, with bi-annual attention to root-pruning, may be easily kept in a con- 

 stantly fruitful state, and for small gardens nothing looks so neat as a bush or 

 pyramidal tree so managed. — JL, in English Garden. 



A CHAPTER OX PRUNIXG. 



The general principles governing the operations of pruning are not applica- 

 ble to all trees. What would be the correct method to reduce the superabund- 

 ant growth in one of our specimens would probably ruin the form of another. 

 Varieties of fruits have their peculiar idiosyncracics of growth, which must re- 

 ceive at our hands due reflection and study. A few minutes may destroy what 

 years cannot reproduce, hence the necessity of timely forethought. The theory 

 of wood-growth is in itself a delightful study, and not the dry, learned disqui- 

 sition that some would have us believe. In a certain sense, every man who 

 makes a business of growing trees should study the so-called scientific aspect of 

 his })rofcssion as carefully as the modern agriculturist would inquire into the 

 details of the physical life of his animals ; so that in any contingency the owner 

 may be enabled to a})ply the proper remedies and in a proper manner, whenever 

 the necessities of the case require his skill. AVhen pruning is a jierfect system, 

 the outline of the tree is carefully studied, and every branch, yes every bud, is 

 manipulated with a perfect knowledge of the inijiortant part that each is ex- 

 pected to perform in the future. There is not sullicient stress laid uj)on this 

 essential feature by our gardeners when giving their experience. The tendency 

 of every tree is to push its topmost buds more rapidly and strongly than those 

 below, hence the necessity of heading back the long shoots of previous years. 



