1869.] THE QUINCE STOCK. 233 



Most assuredly tlie roots of the Pear stock will penetrate deeply 

 into the subsoil if allowed, as we have had experience, and results will 

 be canker, cracking, and other evils ; but this is simply a question of 

 attention and labour, without which, it is admitted, we cannot succeed 

 with the Quince. It is surprising how, by pinching and regular root- 

 pruning, trees on the Pear stock can be dwarfed. In the end a kind 

 of balance between the roots and branches is obtained, and there is 

 little difficulty afterwards in keeping them in that condition, while a 

 skilful use of the pruning-knife is all that is required to keep the trees 

 in form. 



Some years ago we found a lot of young pyramid Pear-trees here, 

 about ten or a dozen years of age, that had run riot with their roots 

 in the deep loamy subsoil beneath, and were making growths every 

 year from 3 to 5 feet in length. One-half of them we root-pruned on 

 one side only ; the others we did all round, chopping the long, bare, 

 fibrous roots through about 4 feet from the stem, and cutting a tongue 

 on them with the knife about every 9 inches. Those which had been 

 half done showed very little appearance of having been meddled with 

 the following season, saving a slight decrease in the vigour of the 

 shoots on the side which had been root-pruned. The others of course 

 sustained a severe check, and made nothing but leaves the following 

 summer. Since then they have been once or twice root-pruned, or 

 lifted altogether in making some rearrangements among the trees ; 

 and most of them have borne excellent fruit every year. Some 

 varieties do not finish as well as could be desired, but the situation is 

 high and cold, and unfavourable to Pears generally as standards. 



By these means, and mulching with manure as much as we can 

 afford, we keep the roots within a few inches of the surface ; and when 

 lifted, they are a mass of fibres, and more like the roots of a Box-tree 

 than anything else. In this condition the trees are easily moved. Four 

 men can lift a dozen of them in a short day with very little injury to 

 the roots ; and we have had excellent fruit off trees that had been 

 transplanted the preceding winter. The trees in question are now 

 covered with a perfect spray of flower-buds, which look, in their half- 

 expanded condition, like a swarm of bees on the branches. We con- 

 trive, if possible, to lift about a third of the trees every autumn, and 

 in this way we are always sure of a crop on some of them. 



J. Simpson. 



