TO HIS GARDENER 45 



the Yew Tree ^ thin out many of the fruit trees now, for their 

 thickness hinders their bearing, gives no room for undergrowth 

 and spoils all that you sow or plant. I '11 put in Dwarfs by 

 degrees for fruit. Ridge up what was dunged last year in the 

 Nursery till it is time to plant it with other Nursery. Take 

 out a great many of the trees upon the Stable Wall in the 

 little Garden^ and spread upon it the trees you keep and prune 

 them right for Bearing. Open all their roots well and cut 

 them off that run too far forward beyond the broad border. 

 Take away or lay in heaps the earth you take out after being 

 exposed for all Winter it will do well for other uses. But get 

 a good stock of good fresh earth to put round and next the 

 roots against spring and you may make up the borders with 

 what has been most exposed of what shall be taken out now. 

 By this method you will do great service to the fruit, and you 

 may have good salading upon the Borders next Summer. 

 Trace the roots of the trees you leave and cut away any go 

 down as well as all come near to the Water table for their 

 roots to run into. You may remember I did so by the Wall 

 trees at Tottinham, and I have been assured they produce 

 vast quantities of excellent fruit. Pull out all the roots of the 

 trees you cut out and leave the ground open a good way down, 

 and in the Spring fill it up with fresh mixt with what has been 

 most exposed of the old and has been well turned in the high 

 heaps you lay it in now. I told you about Archichokes. 

 Make three rows. Trench them deep and don't spare dung — 

 Cows dung is not the worst for this. Fill up with good, well 

 wrought strong earth, and plant about middle Ocf^ Strong 

 plants. Dung each round presently to keep out frost and that 

 the rains may wash the substance of the dung down about the 

 roots. Against the spring dung between the rows for Colli- 

 flowers or some such stufl' for the Kitchen. Make 3 rows more 

 in March in the same manner. Leave as much ground out in 

 the East end of the little Garden pulling out the deepest of 

 the artichoke roots now, when you trench, ridge and dung it, 

 which will make it good for Kitchen Stuff of any kind. Your 



^ See Introduction, p. xx. 



^ Now the Old Garden, immediately behind the present stable and court. 

 Introduction p. xx. 



