246 THE GARDENER. [June 



which for years did no good at all in the way of fruit-bearing, although 

 the annual growth was strong and healthy; and after these trees were 

 carefully lifted, root-pruned, and planted again with their roots placed 

 near the surface among open soil raised a little above the surrounding 

 level, and mulched with manure, they produced splendid crops for years 

 afterwards. The reader will understand by this that what may be proper 

 on one soil and in one locality, may be highly improper on another soil 

 and in another locality. When trees which are planted on a strong 

 soil of average fertility, with a dry wholesome bottom, make a fairly 

 good annual growth, and after three or four years begin to bear fruit 

 of a good quality freely, it will be wise to let the roots alone. On 

 such soils, especially if poor, it is just possible that fruit may be too 

 freely produced, at the expense of the annual growth — so much so, that 

 the trees make no headway. We have found that a good mulching 

 of manure over the roots, coupled with a soaking of manure-water 

 once in May, and again in June or July, had a very good effect in 

 producing free growth and fine fruit. An indispensable factor in 

 the production of good fruit and healthy growth are fibry roots near 

 the surface. The Paradise stock and, in a lesser but still fairly good 

 degree, the Crab produce good fibry roots naturally on dry stony soils, 

 and mulching draws them towards the surface and keeps them there. 

 The roots go where the sap and the food are, and it is a good thing to 

 keep the food and moisture at the surface. Digging in manure is not 

 a good way to secure this, because rank manure, when the roots can 

 reach it, causes the formation of strong sappy roots ; and such roots 

 produce strong sappy wood which is not fruitful, but the reverse. 

 Moreover, every drop of rain that passes through manure so placed, 

 carries its essence deep down, and the roots follow. Again, manure 

 dug in does not promote moisture at the surface in dry weather ', and 

 so there is nothing to attract the roots thither. Mulching, on the 

 other hand, promotes moisture at the surface ; and as the rain carries 

 the strength of the manure into the soil, the roots get the benefit of 

 it, just as much as if it were dug in. Practical men thoroughly under- 

 stand all this ; beginners seem not to do so, — at least in many in- 

 stances which have come under our notice. The untidy appearance is 

 sometimes objected to, especially when the garden adjoins the house. 

 An inch of fine soil placed over the mulch makes everything tidy. 



On deep, damp, rich soils, such trees generally grow very strongly, 

 but do not fruit well. It is these trees which require the systematic 

 root and top pruning to which we referred. Trees on the Paradise or 

 Crab stock which produce a profusion of shoots a foot and a half or 

 two feet long, and few flower-buds, which results in puny fruit, need 

 root-pruning. While the trees are young this is an easy job; and on 

 such soils as we have just named, the roots of the trees should be 

 taken in hand and kept right from the first. The roots produced in 

 rich soils are generally anything but fibry and near the surface, but by 



