1873-] WALLS AND WALL TREES. 235 



such can he had, having clue regard to health and the growing condition of the 

 trees, rather than keep on growing and training them for the next generation. 

 What I would suggest for consideration to those who may have an opportunity 

 to put such into practice, is this — where any new gardens are in contemplation, 

 let the garden-walls be built to a good height, as no good, but positive injury, 

 results from walls being low, for other reasons as well as a means to allow the 

 trees planted against them to more fully develop themselves to near their 

 natural extent. It certainly is a very great mistake wherever this is not kept 

 in mind. 



Supposing a good Pear-tree, when growing upon a good sound and healthy 

 stock, would grow when planted as a standard to 24 feet high and some 16 to 

 18 feet diameter ; but supposing the position in which it is planted will not 

 allow of the tree growing to half these dimensions, and then whenever this is 

 the case, unless those who may have the care and management of the trees well 

 understand what they require, so that the roots and top management are made 

 to work, as it were, hand in hand, the results are rarely satisfactory. What we 

 mean by root and top action often not working well together, may be seen 

 where the walls are low, and the soil of a good healthy and productive nature ; 

 in all such cases, unless the manager is well versed in root management, there 

 will in all probability be a great inclination in the trees to produce breast 

 wood all over, and cutting in w^ith the knife (if this is all that is done) 

 seldom brings the desired result ; less breast wood and more fruit-buds is what 

 is desired, but with low walls and a strong soil, how is this desired end to be 

 obtained ? Not so much by continually using the knife, as by attending to the 

 condition of the roots, either by lifting the tree entirely and cutting away all 

 strong bare roots, or, as we have sometimes done, lift only one half of the roots 

 and replant them into some fresh and healthy loamy soil, and if possible let it 

 be from pasture land, where it has been many years under grass ; this may be 

 the safest course to adopt with large trees that may never have had any root- 

 pruning ; but when this is done to young trees and before they have attained 

 to much size, and their roots have not wandered far, the whole of the roots can 

 be lifted with perfect safety. 



I have seen a lot of pyramidal Pear-trees that had been subjected to a 

 regular lifting every second year, for a number of years; under such treat- 

 ment they required scarcely any pruning, and their roots became quite a 

 picture of small and healthy feeders. Of course those that did not incline to 

 grow useless wood were not lifted so frequently as those which continued to 

 do so. When all the ground is well loosened and not a mere hole like a 

 flower-pot, they do not suffer to any great degree from lifting, especially if any 

 short half- rotten straw or long dung is put over their roots in hot wreathe r, 

 thus keeping the soil more uniformly moist, and encouraging the roots to keep 

 near the surface, and of course to derive more benefit from the action of the 

 air than when they are allowed to descend deep into the soil. This should 

 be avoided as far as possible. 



YOUNG WALL TREES. 



Where walls are a good height — say from 14 to 18 feet — instead of planting the 

 trees at from 10 to 15 yards apart, I would recommend to get maiden trees, — 

 that is, one growth from the bud or graft, and plant these at 2 feet aj)art along 

 the wall, then cut them back to two eyes, training one off at right angles on 

 each side for about 6 inches, thus allowing a foot or thereby between every 

 branch whUe being trained up the wall. Strong growing sorts might be allowed 



