254 



THE FLOSAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



and will throw water thirty feet." No'.v, 

 the discrepancy between your correspon- 

 dent's statements is so very unaccouufable, 

 that I feel assured you will excuse my 

 asking for some explanation. I had pre- 

 pared the barrel and wheel-barrow frame. 

 How great then was my surprise that, in- 

 stead of 12.S. 6cl., I was to read about 

 three quineas ! 



Brigg. W. T. D. 



["Sib, — The notice that appeared iu 

 your number for June last is quite correct. 

 In ausweriug the Rev. Mr. D.'s letter, we 



stated that £3 3s. would be theprobable cost 

 of an engine fixed to a water-cart complete. 

 It is obvious that there must be a consider- 

 able difference iu fixing the French engine 

 to a water-cart and attaching the same to 

 the frame of a barrow, as noticed iu your 

 June number. We regret that Mr. D. 

 did not call our attention to your sub- 

 scriber's letter, which would have pre 

 vented the error. — Your obedient ser- 

 vants, " D£A>-E & Co. 

 Londoti Bridge."'\ 



OX THE TREATMENT OP UJSTEUITFUL TEEES. 



Gexekally young fruit trees on walls, 

 especially pears and plums, and not xm- 

 frequently peaches and nectarines, after 

 being planted two or three years, get into 

 such a vigorous and gross state of growth 

 that their wood more resembles willows 

 grown for basket-making than the firm and 

 short-jointed wood which we look upon as 

 the precursor of a plentiful supply of fruit. 

 Then to depend on the pruning-knife, as 

 usually applied to the branches of such 

 trees for subduing tlieir unruly luxuriance, 

 is a fallacy ; for whilst their roots riot in 

 the full enjoyment of a fresh-made border, 

 without check or hindrance, so long will 

 they contiiiue to renew their gross and un- 

 fruitful growths, as they penetrate deeper 

 year alter year, getting further from the 

 influence of the suu and air, and if the soil 

 is wet, the cultivator looks in vain for pro- 

 duce other than canes for staking his 

 flowers with, and even on a dry, well- 

 drained soil, they often are several years 

 in outgrowing this over-luxuriance; but 

 apply the kniCe to the root, iu conjunction 

 with the sp:ide and digging-fork, carefully 

 removing the soil from their roots, lifting 

 one by one all the fibrous roots towards 

 the surface, and those that take a decided 

 downward direction into the subsoil, get 

 up if possible, and place them horizon- 

 tally, or, if that cannot be done, cut them 

 entirely through. If, however, the tree be 

 not too large, say not more than four years 

 planted, they will often be benefited by 

 being entirely lifted, placing them again in 

 the hole after the bottom is levellefl, but if 

 the soil is stiff or wet, fill up the hole, 

 mixing a portion of porous soil or charred 

 refuse during the process, and then place 

 the tree on the surface, raising a small 

 hillock of soil over the roots, and u[)un 

 that place a imdchiug of litter, iu order to 

 protect them from winter's cold and sum- 



mer's heat. Now is the very best time of 

 the year for proceeding with the operation, 

 as the trees have yet sufficient vital force 

 left to re-establish themselves before they 

 shed their leaves, and the sap becomes 

 inactive. If performed skilfully, this will 

 generally have the desired effect of throw- 

 ing the tree into a moderate state of growth, 

 which will result in well-ripened, fruit- 

 bearing wood, but if unskilfully or care- 

 lessly done, the result may be the loss of 

 the tree. Remember a tree can no more 

 bear to be ruthlessly torn up than a man 

 can bear to have his feet torn off. AYatering 

 will be required both at root and over the 

 branches, and tliey must not be forgotten 

 iu that respect in the following summer. 

 It is a very common complaint that pear- 

 trees in buddings produce no fruit, save a 

 few at the extremity of their branches ; 

 the cause of this may most generally be 

 traced to the want of sun and air to the 

 root, either theu' roots are paved over, and 

 by that means kept in a damp and cold 

 soil, or they are got deep into a wet sub- 

 soil, from which they draw a too free sup- 

 ply of crude watery sap for the tree to 

 properly digest and assimilate. Much 

 might be done for such trees by raising 

 the pavement, if any, getting up some of 

 the roots towards the surface, cutting 

 through tap-roots, that is, those that pro- 

 \ cecd immediately from the tree in a down- 

 ward direction. Replace the earth re- 

 moved in so doing by fresh, and if it must 

 be so, lay down the pavement again, but 

 such trees are generally badly furnished 

 with small fibrous roots ; care must be 

 taken not to cut too many of the large 

 roots through at one time, lest the balance 

 between demand and supply, being too 

 much iutcrfered with, result iu the loss of 

 the tree. I reiterate this caution, lest the 

 I inexperienced in such matters, being too 



