FEEDING AND THINNING 47 



should be spurred in in September, and the trees kept to 

 a bush form by annual pruning. 



Although this chapter deals with pot orchard trees in 

 cold houses, there may be situations where a little artifi- 

 cial heat can be used to advantage : first, in the flowering 

 season, when the temperature is apt to fall very suddenly 

 and thus affect the set of fruit ; and later on, to finish the 

 fruit in a cold, dull season, and to ripen the wood. 



In many gardens this can be arranged by attaching a 

 3-inch pipe to the existing hot-water apparatus. Such a 

 pipe should flow all round the house if possible, but one 

 flow will do if all-round pipes interfere with the entrance 

 doors, which can be arranged to flow and return on one 

 side only, bringing the flow out to the cinder path, so as 

 not to cross any path. Such partial heating may also be 

 useful to prevent damping in the Chrysanthemums in the 

 later months of the year. 



CHAPTER VIII 

 FEEDING AND THINNING OUTDOOR TREES 



IN respect to feeding, two extremes are possible : first, 

 over-manuring, either by the use of too much dung, or 

 by the roots getting in to the quarters of richly manured 

 vegetables ; and, secondly, such poverty of soil as prevents 

 the trees from fruiting in a satisfactory manner. 



A golden rule is to withhold any stimulant from un- 

 fertile trees and to give it only to such as are bearing good 

 crops. About June it can be seen what fruit has set, and 



