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JOUENAIi OP HOBTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ December 17, 1871. 



sncoeeded. Anyone, therefore, who may have fruit treea large 

 and weak in growth, productive of abundant bloom and sparse 

 in fruit, and what there is poor, will be doing themselves and 

 the trees a service by at once setting about an alteration. It 

 does not matter how old they are and weak, the change for the 

 better will be all the more marked after the operation's bene- 

 ficial results appear. 



Ascertaining by actual measurement the square feet co- 

 vered by the branches sideways and high, take one-third 

 those as the distance from the stem to open-out a trench, 

 and go down beyond the depth of all roots. This done, all 

 roots being cut off — (if the object be to lift them, as we 

 will presume it is, the trees being in the worst possible con- 

 dition as regards weak old bare wood, and dying parts, and 

 probably low) — remove all soil to the roots with a fork, and 

 freeing them of the loose soil without injury to the fibres, and 

 then working underneath (the roots from the trench to the 

 stem of the tree having been loosened from the wall), may be 

 lifted with the soil adhering to the roots, and having some 

 soil placed under where it was, and so much as will bring 

 the setting-on of its roots level with the surrounding surface, 

 which soil should be turfy loam with a fourth of cow or rotted 

 manure intermixed, or, if the loam be not turfy, one-third 

 manure to be added to it ; and whatever the soil added be, it 

 should be fresh, thoroughly incorporated with the dung, and 

 beneath the tree be rammed as hard as a much-frequented 

 road. The tree, returned to its position, is to have the soil 

 worked-in between the roots where any soil has fallen from 

 them, and should be fresh-manured soil, and trod firmly and 

 the full extent of the space opened out. After planting a good 

 watering to be given, and finally mulched with littery manure. 

 The branches ought to be secured to the wall to prevent injury 

 from winds, or if in the open, as may happen with Plums, 

 staking them securely. Avoid covering the roots near the 

 stem deeply, and not more anywhere than 6 inches — better if 

 only 3 inches, whilst close to the stem they need only be just 

 covered. We leave the subjects until February, for the lifting 

 should be performed so soon as the first leaves have fallen and 

 the others likely in a short time to follow ; and then set about 

 removing the weak, old, and long bare shoots or branches from 

 the Peaches and Nectarines, disposing the main branches at 

 afoot distance apart, and, if they are not present, seek by 

 cutting back to originate them from as low down as possible, 

 and arrange to have the bearing wood at a foot distance apart 

 along them. It may be we cut away half the tree, but the 

 parts only that disappoint if left, as they have done before, 

 and complete by properly securing to the wall. We have to 

 be careful to water during any dry weather after the middle of 

 May up to the same time in August, and use the garden engine 

 frequently to distribute water over the foliage, which is good 

 for keeping the soil moist along the wall, it very often being 

 dry as a desert, and for cleansing the trees of insects, to say 

 nothing of its affording means of moisture being given off by 

 the wall to the benefit of the trees for a long time afterwards, 

 thereby conducing to their health and vigour. In watering, it 

 is no use to water beyond the radius of the trench ; and as the 

 roots will be all there give enough to soak it through, for 

 driblets may do to prolong life and cause necessity for frequent 

 repetition, but are practically valueless for growth. In autumn 

 we may have a tree that has ripened oft a fair crop of fine 

 fruit (considering the lifting), and a promise of an abundant 

 one next season. But we must not rest content, for content- 

 ment means a return in no great length of time to an enfeebled 

 tree and discontent from the imperfections of the growths and 

 fruits. We must follow up what is begun, beginning where 

 leaving off ; and just outside the trench taken out the year 

 before take out another, and 2 feet wide and as deeply as the 

 roots, and joining the other, which will be found filled with 

 roots, and it may be seeking, and perhaps attained, access to 

 the old soil. This trench to be filled-in as the first with fresh 

 and manured soil, and the space from it to the stem mulched 

 with littery manure. Each year we add a width of fresh ground 

 for the trees until the whole is completed, and then manure 

 by the surface. 



Plums and Apricots, bearing for the main part on spurs, are 

 not to have the branches thinned, but the spurs may be 

 shortened and thinned in February, and in other respects 

 treated the same as the Peaches, only for them the soil need 

 not be made so firm. The trees not being bad in branches, 

 but producing poor fruit, or none, but with abundant bloom, 

 and having many branches or a multiplicity of spurs, lifting 

 will be unnecessary, as it is evident all that is wanted is more 



vigour. This may be accomplished in two ways: First, by 

 manuring at the surface, which is of little use if the border be 

 heavily cropped with vegetables, the trees being made second- 

 ary to them, and thinning-out the old, bare, and weak wood of 

 Peaches, and the spurs and even branches, if they be crowded, 

 of Apricots and Plums. This enriching of the soil without 

 disturbing the border much should begin at the stem, for the 

 Plum stock is never short of ramifications there ; therefore 

 loosen and remove the soil there and add fresh soil enriched 

 with manure, manuring the border and just pointing-in. The 

 border, if the soil be light, should be firmed, and it is likely 

 the roots will be attracted upward, as they will certainly be 

 multiplied and extended from the stem outward by the manure 

 and fresh soil, to which we may attribute any benefit that may 

 arise. The treatment must be followed up each year, and 

 may effect a change for the better, as each year the cultivation 

 is continued, instead of that niggardly policy which expends 

 nothing upon the trees, and those that are so unfortunate as 

 attend their pruning, tte.,but grumbling over disappointments 

 of which they are the originators. Secondly, by adopting a 

 more radical change in the conditions of the trees' roots, or 

 the means from which they derive support for and fashion the 

 head. At the stem commence operations by removing the soil 

 with a fork, and clear away the soil down to the roots, and 

 work outward, continuing the fork until it is safe from the 

 depth of the roots to employ a spade, and clearing all away 

 either as far as the roots extend, or at least half the extent of 

 root-surface or the extent of branches, and then commence 

 lifting the roots if they are deeper than a foot from the surface, 

 and by removing the soil between them they may be raised 

 tolerably easy, and as each root is raised pack under fresh and 

 manured soil, bringing the roots as near 6 inches of the sur- 

 face as can be done without damaging them, and consolidate 

 the soil under, around, and over them; and as those near the 

 stem may not be raised, remove the soil between them and re- 

 place by fresh, and make firm, completing by a mulching of 

 littery manure after giving a good watering if the weather be 

 dry and the trees are not devoid of leaves. If the roots are 

 near the surface, the surface being cleared of the soU down to 

 the roots, remove from between them and under them as much 

 as possible, and replace it by fresh compost and ram firmly, 

 taking care that there are no vacuums, but all alike made solid 

 under, between, and over the roots, not covering deeper than 

 6 inches, and at the stem not more than 3 inches, finishing 

 with a firm surface and a mulching not more than 3 inches 

 thick of lictery manure. The thinning of the branches, short- 

 ening of long bare ones, thinning the spurs as before stated, 

 and otherwise attending to watering, syringing, and seeking & 

 good and healthful growth, and afterwards manuring annually 

 more or less as the growth and crop prompt, giving it liber- 

 ally if they grow but weakly and fruit heavily, and less pro- 

 portionately as they make strong growths and tend to barren- 

 ness. A return to barrenness from overcropping, overstunted 

 growth, and overproduction of bloom buds without correspond- 

 ing wood ones, is as much to be shunned as gross and sappy 

 growths. Thinning the fruiting parts will remove the first 

 evil, whilst over-vigour is only to be subdued by curtailing the 

 feeding medium by operating upon the roots in a manner en- 

 suring of slow growth, close-jointed, well-ripened wood. Old 

 trees, however, rarely need any haggling at their roots, but, as 

 a rule, need its opposite, amply repaying any " dunging " the 

 cultivator may bestow. Many old trees^not from age, but. 

 hard usage and ill fare — now enabled only to give a return for 

 it in blossom, would do so in fine and abundant fruit were 

 they kindly treated, their wants for fruit-production suitably 

 considered and given. — Gr. Abbey. 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



I WISH to draw attention to the magnificent display of Chry- 

 santhemums to be seen at Berkswell Hall, the seat of T. 

 Walker, Esq., near Coventry. Happening to call there a few 

 days ago I was very much struck with the display in the fine 

 conservatory of that flower when cultivated as Mr. Downs the 

 gardener there does, both as regards size of flower, form, and 

 quantity on each plant, many both of large and small-flower- 

 ing sorts having from 100 to 150 finely-developed flowers open 

 on a plant at one time, of all the most approved varieties. 

 The plants are well trained, but not stiffly, many of them as 

 standards on stems from 2 feet to 5 feet high, and with heads 

 from 4 feet to G feet through, which has a grand effect among 

 a host of other autumn-flowering plants. It never has been 



