wilh a Treatise on the subject. 217 



and vigor in a stationary and prolific state, has not, that I am 

 aware of, been recommendec! by any known author, ahhough 

 it may have been practised. In urging its apphcabihty to trees 

 of twenty or thirty years' growth, 1 must recommend cau- 

 tion; tlie circular trench should not be nearer the stem than 

 three feet, and only two thirds of the roots should be pruned 

 the first season, leaving one third as support to the tree, so 

 that it is not blown on one side by the wind; and these, of 

 course, must be left where they will best give this support. 

 The following season half of the remaining roots may be cut, 

 or, if the tree is inclined to vigorous growth, all of them, but, 

 if it gives symptoms of being checked too much, they may, on 

 the contrary, remain undisturbed for one or even two seasons. 

 If as is often the case in pear trees, the roots are nearly all 

 perpendicular, the tree must be supported with stakes for one 

 or two years after complete amputation. 



"I may, perhaps, be allowed to conclude this too long paper 

 by stating, that, as the end of all gardening operations ought to 

 be to give much in little space, root-pruning of trees, car- 

 ried on systematically and regularly, seems to approach that 

 desirable object, and I cannot help flattering myself, that 

 by its means complete collections of pears, and other fiuits, 

 may be grown advantageously, in comparatively small gar- 

 dens. 



"In addition to the foregoing, and in answer to numerous in- 

 quiries, I can now (February, 1S41) state, that for root-prun- 

 ing I prefer the pear to be grafted on the pear stock, as the 

 quince, unless in very rich soils and moist situations, will not 

 give vigor enough; in saying this, I allude to the quince stock 

 in common use, but I am inclined to think that the Portugal 

 or orange quince, at present very scarce, will prove, from its 

 luxuriant growth and abundance of sap, the very best stock 

 that can be used for all such pears as will grow upon the 

 quince; for it ought to be generally known, that many varie- 

 ties of pears will not exist more than a year or two, when 

 grafted on this stock; a little more expeiience is required 

 before a correct list can be given of such sorts as will not 

 flourish on the quince. 



"As regards the space required for each tree, when sub- 

 jected to root-pruning, planted in squares or in rows by the 

 sides of garden walks, six feet, tree from tree, will be found 



VOL. VIII. NO. VI. 28 



