220 ON PLANTING ORCHARDS. 



fructiferous state at the earliest possible period. 

 The practice of cutting back trees, or topping 

 off and shortening the branches, for the purpose 

 of increasing its prolificacy, or of making it more 

 healthy and strong, or of preventing premature 

 exhaustion, is founded on a most egregious 

 error. Whilst the roots grow unchecked, they 

 will continue to collect and supply the same 

 quantity of food, whether a tree be permitted to 

 assume its natural figure, and to extend itself in 

 a proper direction ; or whether the branches be 

 shortened every year, and it be thus compelled 

 to form them in useless, shapeless clusters ; the 

 cutting back, therefore, cannot prevent the tree 

 exhausting itselfj or the soil it grows in. And 

 can it be supposed any one will hesitate which 

 to choose, — whether the food collected by the 

 roots shall be appropriated in the production of 

 fruit ; or that of forming useless branches to be 

 cut off and thrown away j or if suffered to re- 

 main, to overshadow and smother each other ? 



THE END. 



LoNnoN : 



Priuled by A. & R. Sjiottiswoodt, 



New-Strect-Squarc. 



Q 



