52 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



a piece of broken flower-pot or slate. Several of these 

 tongues may be made, and by the end of the first 

 year after planting every incision will have emitted 

 roots ; the stock, owing to its being kept constantly 

 moist, will swell and keep pace with the graft, and 

 the tree will flourish and remain healthy. As the 

 mound will subside by the heavy rains of winter, pre- 

 suming that the trees have been planted in autumn, 

 fresh compost of the same nature must be added in 

 spring, and every succeeding autumn. A quarter of 

 a peck of soot, strewed on the surface in a circle three 

 feet in diameter round each tree in March, is an ex- 

 cellent stimulant. The great object in the culture of 

 the pear on the quince stock is to encourage the 

 growth of its very fibrous roots at the surface, so that 

 they may feel the full influence of the sun and air. 

 The slight mounds recommended may be made orna- 

 mental if required, by placing pieces of rock or flint 

 on them, which will also prevent the birds scratching 

 at them for worms; but the stones selected must not be 

 very large and heavy they should be about the size 

 and weight of a brick. In light friable soils, the 

 mounds may be from three to four inches above the sur- 

 face of the surrounding soil ; in heavy retentive wet 

 soils, from six to eight inches will not be found too 

 high. 



In soils of a light dry nature the pear on the quince 

 requires careful culture. I therefore recommend the 

 surface round the tree to be covered, during June, 

 July, and August with short litter, or manure, and to 

 give the trees once a week, in dry weather, a drench- 

 ing with guano water (about one pound to ten gal- 



