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be adopted witli advantage with trees that do not bear freely, and it is 

 in some measure a substitute for root-pruning. The effect of ringing 

 strong growing 1 trees is to check the flow of sap, lessen the tendency to 

 make wood, and encourage the formation of blossom buds. Ringing may 

 also be useful in the case of trees that flower profusely, but do not set 

 any fruit. This is a very common state of affairs, and more especially 

 with Pears, Apricots and Plums. It 13 no uncommon thing for trees 

 to be covered with blossoms, which drop off without leaving any fruit 

 behind, to the disgust of cultivators. Now this result may be brought 

 about by some soil deficiency, or a sharp frost, but in many cases it is 

 owing to the flow of sap being too strong. An excess of sap when the 

 trees are in blossom has a tendency to clog the reproductive organs in 

 the flowers, and prevents the proper distribution of the pollen from the 

 stamens to the pistils, and, as a consequence, fertilisation does not take 

 place. If this excess of sap can be checked at the right time the 

 fertilising organs can perform their functions more perfectly. The 

 writer, some years ago, had a number of Pear and Apricot trees, which 

 for several years in succession failed to bear crops t>wing to the excess 

 of sap at the blooming period, and after due consideration he decided 

 to try ringing as a remedy. It was very successful, and can be con- 

 fidently recommended as a practice worthy of attention by fruit 

 cultivators. Ringing for this purpose should be done just before the 

 tre,s come, into bloom, as after that stage of growth it is useless. The 

 ring should be made only half-way round the trunk, and on no account 

 must it be carried further. The cut should be quite through the nark, 

 and just wide enough to break the flow of sap, or about a quarter of an 

 inch. It must be borne in mind that it is desirable that the wound 

 should heal quickly, and a narrow cut will close sooner than a broader 

 one. 



Bending down the Branches to Promote Fertility. This is an old 

 method of treating shy-bearing trees, formerly practised to a large 

 extent by gardeners in the United Kingdom. Latterly, however, root- 

 pruning, which serves in a great measure the same purpose, is more 

 generally preferred. The theory of " bending down " is that it retards 

 the circulation of sap, and consequently checks the formation of wood, 

 and encourages the production of fruit buds. The operation should be 

 performed in the autumn or early part of the winter, all that is neces- 

 sary being to bend down and fasten the branches at a lower level than 

 where they spring from the trunks of the trees. They must be securely 

 tied in this position till it becomes natural to them, and no further 

 assistance is required. Trees are often greatly improved in fruitfulness 

 by the adoption of this method, and as it can be easily practised it is 

 worthy of attention from fruit growers. 



Treatment of Wounds. In ihe removal of small branches by 

 pruning, if the cuts are clean the wounds will generally heal quickly 

 without any assistance. When, however, large limbs are removed from 

 trees, either by way of pruning or in heading back old stocks for 

 grafting, the exposed surface of the cut wood is liable to shrivel and 

 crack from the effects of frost, drying winds or heat. Serious injury 



