308 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Oxford clay. The elevation is 270 feet above sea-level. Pre- 

 viously, the land had formed a portion of an arable farm. The 

 soil is of average, though somewhat variable, fertility. It was 

 prepared for planting by trenching two ' spits ' deep, and breaking 

 up the subsoil, each spit being replaced in its original position. 

 The ground was not manured." 



The farm is owned by the Duke of Bedford, and is under the 

 direction of Mr Spencer Pickering, F.R.S., who met the party and 

 explained to them the nature of some of the experiments. Un- 

 fortunately a violent thunderstorm and heavy rainfall interfered 

 very much with the proceedings. The object of the experiments 

 is to ascertain the effects of growing fruit trees under different 

 conditions as to surface cultivation, root and branch pruning, 

 loanimng, aeration of the soil, etc. Mr Pickering explained 

 what had been done in some of the plots, and although there 

 seemed to be much doubt in the minds of some of the practical 

 horticulturists present as to the value of some of the results, all 

 were impressed with the painstaking care with which the experi- 

 ments were being conducted, even to the minutest detail. Some 

 of the results obtained, however, seemed very puzzling. For 

 example, the application of 12 tons of dung per acre, or of 

 artificial manure corresponding in nutritive value to a 

 dressing of 12 tons of dung per acre, to a plot of apple 

 trees produced no appreciable result on their growth; but it 

 was considered by some of the party that the clay subsoil might 

 account for this result, and that a similar experiment on a more 

 porous subsoil might give a different result, such as was afterwards 

 observed at Tring. Again, a covering of grass or weeds on the 

 surface of the soil over the roots produced bad effects, while in 

 some cases trees carelessly planted and unattended grew even 

 better than some that were carefully planted and received every 

 attention. The evil effects of frequent root-pruning, which was 

 performed at intervals ranging from one to four years, were to be 

 expected ; but when it is taken into account that most orchards 

 are under grass, the bad effects which result from a covering of 

 grass at Woburn are surprising. It may be, however, that the 

 youth of the trees there, and the consequent nearness of their 

 roots to the surface, have something to do with these bad 

 effects. Before leaving, a vote of thanks was cordially given to 

 Mr Pickering for his great kindness in meeting the members at 

 great personal inconvenience, and for the explanations he had 



