444 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



in the other. The lessons here taught by nature are very simple. 

 They are — first, a deep well-drained soil ; and second, means taken to 

 keep the roots in it, instead of allowing them to go into the subsoil, 

 as they are very apt to do; for Pears on the free stock are very apt to 

 form tap-roots which go straight downwards. If the subsoil is good, 

 large crops of not bad fruit may be expected in time from hardy 

 kinds ; but keeping the roots up to the surface improves even hardy 

 kinds past recognition almost, as we have repeatedly seen demonstrated ; 

 while for fine kinds it becomes an absolute necessity, especially in an 

 unfavourable climate. We have seen fine kinds which produced only 

 small useless fruit while the roots were deep in the cold subsoil, pro- 

 duce, after the roots were carefully lifted and laid in near the surface, 

 fruit of the very best description. 



The amateur cultivator will understand from this that we wish to 

 make a strong point of looking after and training the roots in their 

 proper places, just as much or even more than carefully jjruning and 

 training the shoots ; and will also understand that it is a good plan to 

 begin this at the very first. When young orchard-trees are planted 

 with this object in view, and at intervals of a year or two carefully 

 examined and put right in this respect, and then trained in the way 

 they should go while young, there is good reason for saying that in 

 their old age they will not depart from it. 



Of course the above remarks apply principally to orchard and other 

 trees which are to be allowed to grow their full size ; but such trees 

 are by no means suitable for small plots of ground — they are for 

 orchardists who want quantities of fruit for sale, and who have a suf- 

 ficient amount of land to devote to the purpose. For ordinary gardens 

 we decidedly prefer medium-sized trees, and these, to keep them as 

 they should be, require regular attention in the way of lifting and 

 pruning the roots, as described for Apples. For good loamy soils 

 such trees are best when grafted on the Quince stock, for it natur- 

 ally spreads its roots near the surface, and promotes a shorter, 

 dwarf er, but more fruitful grow^th than the free stock. At the same 

 time, it needs to be regulated by root-pruning too, especially in rich 

 garden soils. Indeed, Pear-trees on the Quince should be treated just 

 in the same way as Apples on the Paradise stock. 



But for light poor soils the Quince is not good, even for small trees 

 — at least that is our experience. Trees on the free stock are sure to 

 do better, and dwarfness and fruitfulness are easily induced by root- 

 pruning. When Pears on the Quince stock are planted on poor, sandy, 

 or gravelly soils, they, sometimes at least, get stunted, even wdth careful 

 feeding; and as root-pruning, when it is necessary, produces all the 

 good results ever claimed for the Quince, we certainly advise amateurs 

 not to use it except on good, heavy, loamy soil. We have inspected 

 handsome healthy trees on it in such soils. 



As Pear-trees grow larger than Apple-trees, it is right to allow them 



