ORCHARDS. 131 



tree. The shortening of a tap root is of no more injury to a 

 tree than is the shortening of the finger-nails to a man. This 

 mat'^er was settled by Sanebier and others over a hundred 

 years ago. Their experiments we have repeated, and no in- 

 telligent man teaches any other doctrine.) — Crardeners' 

 Monthly. (We are surprised to learn that any one ever sup- 

 posed the tap root to be a feeder. Such parties must' be very 

 "dull of comprehension.") — Editors Southern Farmer. 



Notwithstanding w^hat has just been said by the authorities 

 above quoted, there may be some reason to suspect a use for 

 perpendicular or tap roots — if, for no other purpose, to steady 

 the tree and to enable it, in conjunction with the horizontal 

 roots, to sustain itself in hurricanes and high winds. The 

 Gardeners Monthly forgets that many of the esculent roots 

 of his garden have nothing but tap roots with a few straggling 

 spongioles. Tap roots must be of use in their case, and the 

 nutriment they receive is , almost entirely through the tap 

 roots. But if the tap roots do not travel abroad in search of 

 food as do other roots, yet they may secure and elaborate sub- 

 stances contained in the subsoil, which is not the office of the 

 horizontal roots to supply, and which they cannot reach, such 

 as clay, iron, &c., so very necessary for the health and vigor 

 of many varieties of our fruit trees. 



One reason that nurserymen and others do not save the tap 

 root, is because they cannot well do so in removing the young 

 tree. Unless pains is taken, it is always chopped or torn off; 

 and if it remains to the tree, it is much more difficult to set it 

 steadily and firmly in its new position, and to place the soil 

 closely about this and the crown and horizontal roots above. 

 There is but little doubt that a tree, well planted, with a tap 

 root entire, will stand a better chance to live and thrive and 

 grow oif freely than one without it — the deprivation of this 

 root may even effect the longevity of the tree. The only 

 question is, will it pay for the extra labor and care required 

 to preserve it. 



OVER-BEARING. 



The only practical and safe way to correct over-bearing, in 

 both the apple and pear, is by thinning the fruit; not the 



