330 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



easily procured stock size. No staging whatever is required 

 beyond shelves for such as Strawberries in pots. For the 

 floor either gravel or coal ashes form a good bottom, one 

 object being to exclude worms. 



The Trees. Autumn is the best season of the year for mak- 

 ing a start, by forming, or adding to, a collection of pot trees. 

 The best trees to choose are those of two, three, or four years' 

 growth ; these should have been grown one year at least in 

 pots, such being more amenable to treatment the following 

 season. Peaches and Nectarines are much better if cultivated 

 in pots from the bud stage onwards than when allowed to 

 make one season's growth, and that often a too luxuriant one, 

 in the open quarters of nursery grounds. All pot trees should 

 be bristling with flower buds when purchased in the autumn 

 season of the year, if they are not so the management is at 

 fault rather than any peculiarity of the trees themselves. As 

 a rule the pots of newly-purchased trees should not exceed 

 ten inches in diameter, unless trees of extra size are desired. 



Potting. The question is often asked Is it necessary or 

 expedient to pot the trees annually ? The answer is Yes, by 

 all means do it in every instance. It is a popular delusion, as 

 well as a decided source of failure, to omit this work every 

 autumn. The annual repotting is productive of fine fibrous 

 roots which are the essence of fertility. If not so treated the 

 soil before the second year has expired will become utterly 

 exhausted, whilst the requirements in the way of watering 

 are increased. It must not be inferred from this that 

 larger pots are recommended every autumn. A larger size 

 of pot once in three years is ample, as a rule, for the 

 trees. On no account should the trees be put into larger 

 pots without first having reduced the balls, in a more moderate 

 degree, however, than when similar sizes of pots are again to 

 be used. In the latter instances a sufficient reduction must 

 be made to insure a good amount of fresh soil such, for 

 instance, as will allow of the fingers being passed freely 

 around and between the balls and the pots. Firm potting 

 is absolutely essential both in order to prevent the water per- 

 colating through the new soil rather than the old balls, and in 

 order to foster fibrous root action. In order to do this work 

 well pot rammers must be used. In reducing the balls take 

 away the lower portion as well as the upper, and in repotting 

 allow sufficient room for watering and top-dressing. The 

 best tool with which to reduce the balls is a small claw-like 

 instrument about the length of a wall hammer. This is easily 

 made. If any roots show signs of over-luxuriance, it is advis- 

 able to cut them off clean with a knife rather than break them 



