1869.] CROPPING FRUIT-TREE BORDERS. 507 



above picture is bad enough ; and unless it has been dictated by experi- 

 ence of a peculiarly barbarous description, we would be somewhat 

 inclined to think that the author has been " a-piiin' the agony" rather 

 too high. When we first perused his remarks, we were irresistibly dis- 

 posed to exclaim with the Vermonter who, when the Yankee orator 

 turned round after delivering a highly sensational harangue, observed 

 " Yew dew talk." Charitably supposing that the savages who annually 

 attack their trees with their spades, and who tear and cut asunder, are 

 chiefly confined to the neighbourhood of Bedlam and other mad centres, 

 or, what would be better, that they are a creation of the brain, we will 

 proceed to discuss the subject in the language of the craft, looking, as 

 we go along, at both sides of the question as they have been presented 

 by different writers during the last twelve months. And in order 

 that we may do so in a true spirit of humility, allow me, in the first 

 place, to draw the attention of your readers to the following estimates 

 of their intelligence on the great question of " roots, " as entertained 

 by the author of the above sensational paragraph,- which, in fact, neces- 

 sitated the assumption that " root- culture is the weak feature of our 

 practice ;" and he proceeds : " In fact, it is not too much to say that 

 as a science it is all but ignored. The ideas of the best cultivators are, 

 upon this head, of the most elementary description. With many they 

 reach no farther than that the roots belong to the earth, and that they 

 must be covered over. Others go a step beyond this, and add that 

 they must be kept near the surface, and be furnished with suitable 

 food and drink." So much for the pre- Adamite notions of the '' best 

 cultivators." What the ideas of the others must be, I leave your read- 

 ers to guess. This we have learned at least, that they do not delight 

 in the silence and the darkness. But only upon certain wise men in 

 the East has dawned the knowledge that is destined to revolution- 

 ise fruit-tree culture, and there it shines with refulgent brightness. 

 Vf hat a Utopia for fruit-trees ! where not only is all the light of rea- 

 son brought to bear upon their welfare, but where their misfortunes 

 are even regarded with feelings of the deepest sympathy and concern. 

 Now, Mr Editor, to those who, like your correspondent, have to 

 vegetate in an ungenial climate, and who are nevertheless expected to 

 hurry in all sorts of early vegetables with the first bKnk of the summer's 

 sun, and mayhap to put in a regular appearance at Belgrave or Gros- 

 vener Square from the beginning of May, the giving up of their 

 early borders, with no j^rospect of an equivalent, requires serious con- 

 sideration. I have no doubt that the non-cropping system would suc- 

 ceed as far as the fruit-trees are concerned ; but would the extra crops 

 of fruit be equal to the sacrifice we are called upon to make % Or, on 

 the other hand, if it can be proved that healthy trees can be grown 



