106 BRITISH MODES OF CULTIVATING 



deep, " turning each singly out of its present pot, 

 with a ball of earth entire around its roots, unless 

 any appear unhealthy or any ways defective, when 

 it is eligible to shake the earth from the roots, and 

 trim off all the parts that appear not alive. He 

 plunges them in the bark (refreshed as at each 

 shifting) eighteen inches from plant to plant in the 

 row, and twenty inches distance row from row." 



Mr. Griffin shifts for the last time in the October 

 of the year preceding them in which the fruit is ex- 

 pected ; the pots he uses are twelve inches in 

 diameter, and ten inches deep. He plunges them 

 in the bark-bed, about twenty inches plant from 

 plant, and two feet distance from row to row. He 

 says, " place the first row eighteen inches from the 

 kirb, angling them in the rows as you go on." 



It is of some consequence to remark, that Grif- 

 fin's practice in not divesting the plants at any one 

 shifting of their balls of earth, differs from that of 

 Speechly, Nicol, and most other practitioners, ex- 

 cepting Baldwin. It appears highly probable, that 

 by not disturbing the balls of healthy plants, they 

 will produce their fruit both earlier and of a larger 

 size ; for the cutting off the roots must produce a 

 check in the growth of the plant, and their renewal 

 must occupy its chief energies for some time, and 

 thus lessen the vigour of the leaves; since the 

 leaves and roots of all plants assist each other al- 

 ternately as occasion requires. 



Those who advocate the practice of shaking off 

 the balls of earth, and cutting off the roots of 



