FRUIT-TREES. 



195 



FRUIT-TREES. 



as orchards in miniature. Certainly they 

 are more manageable, doubly interesting, 

 and equally productive with orchards. To 

 make good dwarf trees, work apples on the 

 Paradise or Doucin, otherwise French, 

 stock from layers, pears on the quince, and 

 cherries and plums on the smallest stocks 

 that can be procured. Careful summer 

 stopping, root-pruning, and the pyramidal 

 form will enunciate the main features of 

 their treatment and training ; and abun- 

 dance of good fruit will be the result. The 

 trees may be planted in rows from 7 tc IO 

 feet apart, and the same distance between 

 each plant. On good soils they succeed 

 well on the level of the ground ; on heavy 

 clays, or other unfavourable bottoms, the 

 ground can be thrown into ridges or 

 mounds. The space between these mounds 

 may be occupied with standard gooseberry 

 or currant these bear admirably trained 

 with a single stem in this manner ; and the 

 sides of the mounds can be cropped with 

 salading. A fruit -garden thus formed is 

 quite a scene of beauty when the trees are 

 in flower, and very enjoyable at all times. 



Fruit-Trees, Planting of. 



Time. The time for planting may be in 

 any month from October to February 

 inclusive, but many arguments may be 

 brought forward in favour of the month of 

 November, if the weather be open and 

 free from frosts. Spring is always a busy 

 season in the garden, and digging, sowing, 

 grafting, and pruning are then in full opera- 

 tion. Planting, without doubt, is best per- 

 formed in November, for every kind of 

 deciduous tree and shrub, and for most 

 evergreens, although it is possible, with 

 care, to plant and transplant evergreens in 

 almost every month in the year. What- 

 ever -variety of opinion may exist in refer- 

 ence to evergreens, there is no doubt 

 whatever that the planting of all deciduous 

 trees, fruit-tr#es included, and shrubs, 



should cease by the middle of December. 

 This work should therefore be pushed for- 

 ward in mild weather. One great point 

 of success is to keep the roots of the plants 

 as little exposed as possible : a dry wind, 

 or a cutting, frosty air, is fatal to them. 

 The tops of plants are endowed, even 

 when in a dormant state, with a wonderful 

 power of resisting cold. As Nature never 

 intended the roots to be exposed, and does 

 not needlessly squander her resources, it is 

 obvious that this power of resisting cold is 

 not extended to them. Therefore, all 

 newly-planted shrubs and trees should also 

 have their roots protected during the first 

 winter with long litter, to prevent their 

 being injured. When placed close to- 

 gether in nursery lines, plants shelter and 

 protect each other, and the massiveness of 

 their tops, and possibly their summer 

 leaves, shield their roots from the frost. 

 Their condition is widely different when 

 placed thinly in newly-formed shrubberies. 

 Hence the propriety, and in many instances 

 the necessity, if their lives are to be saved 

 and their health preserved, of what is 

 termed mulching that is, covering the 

 surface with some good non-conducting 

 material. The next point of most import- 

 ance in planting trees or shrubs, especially 

 of large size, is to firmly secure the top to 

 a strong stake, or by any other method, so 

 as to keep it immovable in one spot. 

 When it is otherwise, the trees, both top 

 and root, are the sport of every fresh 

 breeze ; and the probability is, that after 

 the roots have made a feeble effort to grow, 

 and been forcibly wrenched from the soil, 

 they will perish. 



Soils liked by Trees. The pear loves a 

 silicious earth of considerable depth ; plums 

 flourish in calcareous soils, and the roots 

 seek the surface ; the cherry prefers a light, 

 silicious soil ; and all cease to be produc- 

 tive in moist, humid soils. The apple ac' 

 commodates itself more to clayey soils, bui 



