ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT-TBEE BOEDEES. 177 



again examined the roots, when I found them very numerous, 

 and extending to nearly 12 feet distance from the wall, when I 

 again had the border trenched, cutting off every root to within 

 18 inches of the floor, or 4 and a half feet from the wall. As the 

 trees are still growing rather too strongly for bearing well, they 

 having all reached the top of the wall (12 feet high), I expect 

 this second cutting will not only double the number of roots, 

 but will so regulate the growth of the trees as to bring them into 

 a permanent bearing state without any check whatever. 



It will be obvious, from the above statement, that when fruit 

 trees are planted on stone floors, the roots may be increased in 

 number, and their position ascertained with as much facility and 

 certainty as the branches, and the operation performed without 

 any, or at least with very little check to the growth of the tree, 

 and may be repeated at proper intervals for many years ; and 

 this I consider far preferable to taking up the tree bodily for 

 the purpose of pruning its roots, which can only be done once or 

 twice in the first stages of its growth, and which even then will 

 not prevent the. roots, in the course of time, from penetrating 

 deep into the subsoil, producing that luxuriant barrenness of 

 which we see so many instances in old gardens. 



It is certainly a great satisfaction to know nearly the position 

 of the roots of every fruit tree in a garden, especially when a 

 change of gardeners takes place. The new gardener will at 

 once be able to ascertain their state of health, or if their situa- 

 tions do not please liim tliey can be quickly removed without 

 check or loss of much time, if the roots have been previously 

 attended to in the proper way. 



The vine borders here are made on stone floors, extending 

 the whole length and breadth of the borders, the floors sunk 

 only one foot below the surrounding ground ; the borders sloping 

 down from about 2 feet in depth next the houses to a few inches 

 at the outside. The vines have been planted five years, and 

 have borne four good crops, and are, to all appearance, likely 

 to continue in the same prosperous state ; but should tlie borders 

 require at any time a renewal it is easily managed with a bottom 

 of this description, as by keeping close to the stone every root 

 may be carefully raised up and preserved, if necessary, I am 

 so thoroughly convinced of the superiority of the above way 

 of planting fruit trees over all others, that I am particularly 

 anxious to direct the attention of the Society to the subject. 



VOL. I. 



