310 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



that are of no use for fruit-bearing. Koot-pruning is performed by 

 opening out a trench round the tree at a distance of eighteen inches 

 from the stem. The spade should be thrust under the tree so as to 

 sever every root growing in a perpendicular direction ; and the hori- 

 zontal roots, which can be got at by means of the trench, must be 

 cut back with a pruning-knife. An additional three inches from the 

 stem should be allowed at every operation, until the full extent of 

 ground belonging to each tree is reached. At this stage the culti- 

 vator must content himself with simply opening out the trench, 

 pruning back the roots, and filling in the trench. By these simple 

 means we have trees supplied with an abundance of fibrous roots, 

 capable of taking up any amount of food they can get. Near the 

 surface, and under the influence of the sun and air, I give my trees 

 a mulching of good rotten manure in the summer, and this, with 

 the hoeing necessary to keep down the weeds, and the traffic passing 

 over it to attend to the trees and fruit, gets into fine order for fill- 

 ing in the trenches along with the soil. The goodness which is 

 washed from it by the rains is highly beneficial in assisting the 

 fruit to swell ofi", through the end of the summer. Whether the 

 trees are to be root-pruned annually or biennially must be deter- 

 mined by their degree of vigour. The stronger the growth, the 

 oftener must the root-pruning be performed, so as to keep it within 

 bounds. 



I must now say a few words about the pruning and training, and 

 then pass on to naming a short selection of the best kinds to grow. 

 The most important point to study is the summer pinching, for if 

 that is properly done very little winter pruning will be necessary. I 

 am in doubt as to whether I shall be able to make myself under- 

 stood in describing the pruning, but I \vill be as intelligible as T can. 

 As I have said before, it will be best to procure trees grown into 

 shape, and then there will be little difficulty in dealing with them. 

 In the first place, the leader which was pruned in the winter or 

 spring will produce several side-shoots, which must be pinched back 

 in June to within four or five leaves from the base, one being allowed 

 to grow perpendicular as a leader. This should be shortened back 

 to about sis inches in August. The side or horizontal branches 

 must be treated in much the same way. One of the shoots which 

 has the most horizontal direction should be selected as a leader, and 

 the others pinched back to four leaves, in June. The leaders must 

 be shortened in August, leaving them about six inches in length ; 

 and if any of the June pinched shoots push again, pinch the young 

 growth back to a couple of inches, but with free-growing leaders 

 they will seldom push again the same season, and instead form 

 flower-buds for producing fruit the following season. I have named 

 six inches as an average length for shortening the leading branches 

 back to, but strong-growing trees should be cut to eight inches, 

 medium grower^s to six inches, and slow growers to four inches. A 

 little observation will soon enlighten the cultivator upon all these 

 minor points. Yery little winter pruning w^ill be required beyond 

 thinning out a few of the small branches, and shortening a few of 

 the leading ones, to make the trees symmetrical and the growth 



