1869.] CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 299 



however, is not always necessary, as the man who can use his knife 

 thoroughly will be able to cut so as to form a tree without having 

 recourse to such an unsightly procedure. If it is intended to form 

 trees either for espaliers or walls, let the form intended be selected and 

 worked out upon the principles laid down when treating of the Pear. 

 The directions there given for the w^hole after-management of the Pear 

 will require also to be regularly attended to in the after-management 

 of the Apple in its various stages. Root-pruning must be rigidly 

 attended to every second year, so that the roots may not get rambling 

 at will either downwards or horizontally. If it is done regularly, and 

 some good loam — slightly enriched, if necessary, in such a manner as 

 shall be hereafter directed — be applied at each root-pruning, it will be 

 found that at the end of fifteen or twenty years the trees will be a mass 

 of fibrous roots, with a ball nearly a ton in weight, and so entwined 

 within the grasp of these roots that it would be quite an easy matter 

 to remove the tree to any portion of the garden without the slightest 

 hurt to either the tree itself or the crop of the succeeding year. This, 

 no doubt, is a great consideration; yet, nevertheless, the great object in 

 root-pruning is to obtain a healthy vigorous-constitutioned tree, which 

 shall early come into a good bearing condition, and which shall con- 

 tinue to enjoy good health and remain free from many of the diseases 

 to which the Apple is heir during a protracted and useful existence. 

 In root-pruning it ought always to be borne in mind that the tree re- 

 quires not only to be " dug about and dunged," but that it also requires 

 to be dug beneath and dunged as well ; for it is from the very roots 

 which are often allowed to remain at root-pruning-time that most of 

 the canker gets into the tree which so often proves highly injurious to 

 the future wellbeing thereof. At each operation the plant ought to 

 be turned over from side to side, so that it may be clearly seen that no 

 enemies of this kind are allowed to remain. 



It is not absolutely necessary to prepare the borders for Apples as I 

 have directed for the Pear, yet at the same time, if it were within my 

 power, I would do so. There is far oftener much lost by doing a thing 

 in a medium way than there is by doing it weU. I therefore would in 

 all cases say, " Do a thing well if you do it at all ; " but failing this, 

 or not having the means to do it, let the next best be done within our 

 reach. It is not, however, beyond the reach of any one to have the 

 drainage made as good as possible, and this I believe to be the first 

 step in the right direction. The fact is, nothing can be worse for 

 fruits or vegetables of any sort than to have the cold wet rains of 

 autumn and winter continually lodging about their roots until the 

 whole soil becomes sodden and sour through their continual presence. 

 The Apple is not quite so particular about its soil as the Pear, but stiU 



