ROOT - PRUNING 231 



inches in length in one season, they may be root-pruned 

 annually with great advantage. 



"The following summary will perhaps convey my ideas 

 respecting the management of pyramids and bushes when 

 cultivated as garden trees. In small gardens with rich 

 soils, either root-prune or remove all the trees annually 

 early in November. In larger gardens, perform the same 

 operation biennially at the same season. For very large 

 gardens with a dry, good subsoil, in which all kinds of 

 fruit trees grow without any tendency to canker, and when 

 large trees are desired, neither remove nor root-prune, 

 but pinch the shoots in summer, thin them in winter when 

 they become crowded, and thus make your trees symmet- 

 rical and fruitful. 



"Pyramidal pear trees on the quince stock, where the 

 fruit garden is small, the soil rich, and when the real 

 gardening artist feels pleasure in keeping them in a 

 healthy and fruitful state by perfect control over the 

 roots, should be annually operated upon as follows : A 

 trench should be dug around the tree, about eighteen 

 inches from its stem, every autumn, just after the fruit is 

 gathered if the soil be sufficiently moist, if not, it will 

 be better to wait till the usual autumnal rains have 

 fallen ; the roots should then be carefully examined, and 

 those inclined to be of perpendicular growth cut with the 

 spade, which must be introduced quite under the tree to 

 meet on all sides, so that no root can possibly escape 

 amputation. All the horizontal roots should be shortened 

 with a knife to within a circle of eighteen inches from 

 the stem, and all brought as near to the surface as possi- 

 ble, filling in the trench with compost for the roots to 

 rest on. The trench may then be filled with the compost 

 (well -rotted dung and the mold from an old hotbed, 

 equal parts, will answer exceedingly well); the surface 

 should then be covered with some half-rotted dung and 

 the roots left till the following autumn brings its annual 



