266 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



the interesting variety of form shown by the varieties of one species, 

 as the Apple and Pear. Keeping to the natural form of each tree, 

 moreover, does not in the least prevent thinning of the branches 

 where overcrowded the best way of pruning. 



Never in the orchard, where the true way is to let the tree take its 



natural and mature form, should the practice of root pruning be 



allowed. Our orchard trees especially the trees 



Root pruning in native of Britain like the Apple and the Pear 



the orchard. are almost forest trees in nature, and take some 

 years first of all to make their growth and then 

 mature it. In gardens for various reasons men try to get in artificial 

 ways the fruit that Nature gives best at the time of maturity, so 

 root pruning was invented, and it may have some use in certain 

 soils and in limited gardens, but one would hardly think it would 

 enter into people's heads to practise root pruning in the orchard ; 

 though the word is a catching one and leads people astray. I have 

 several times had the question seriously put to me as to how to root 

 prune forest trees a case where all pruning is absurd in any proper 

 sense save in the way effected by the forest itself. The trees in the 

 orchard should be allowed to come freely to maturity, and in the way 

 the years fly this is not a long wait. By planting well-chosen young 

 trees every year the whole gradually comes into noble bearing, and 

 the difference between the naturally grown and laden tree and one 

 of the pinched root-pruned ones is great. 



Cider orchards are picturesque in the west of England and in 

 Normandy, and so long as men think any kind of fermented stuff 

 good enough for their blood, cider has on northern 

 Cider orchards, men the first claim from the beauty of the trees 

 in flower and fruit, and indeed throughout the 

 year. The cider orchard also will allow us to grow naturally-grown 

 trees and those raised from seed. Cider orchards are extremely 

 beautiful, and the trees in them take fine natural forms. They have 

 a charm, too, in the brightness of the fruit, and also one in the 

 lateness of the blooms of some, many of the cider Apples flowering 

 later than the orchard Apples. In some cider orchards near Rouen 

 (Lyons-la-Foret) I saw the finest, tallest, and cleanest trees were 

 raised from seed ; the owner, a far-famed cider grower, told me they 

 were his best trees, and raised from seed of good cider Apples. If 

 he found on their fruiting that they were what he wanted as cider 

 Apples he was glad to keep them ; if not, he cut their heads off 

 and regrafted them with good cider sorts. These were free and 

 handsome trees with good grass below them, just like the Cherry 

 orchards in the best parts of Kent, where the lambs pick the early 

 grass. But however beautiful such an orchard, clearly it will not 



