CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 331 



away. Should there be the slightest tendency towards being 

 dry at the roots the ball should be well soaked in a tub of 

 water. After potting, those trees that are intended for forcing 

 can either be stood again in an open, sunny position if the 

 weather be fine, or taken under glass if there be room to 

 spare. It is certainly advisable to place the earliest forced 

 trees under glass early in October, or, at any rate, before any 

 heavy rainfall takes place. When taken under glass they may 

 be stood almost pot to pot. One thorough soaking of water 

 after potting will last for a long time, but syringing is recom- 

 mended once or twice a day when it is sunny and warm 

 weather. It is better to get the potting under hand before 

 all the leaves have fallen. Guard as much as possible at 

 all times against worms getting into the pots. For the pot- 

 ting the best loam obtainable should be used ; that having a 

 tendency to be calcareous is the most suitable. A tough 

 fibrous loam that will not become close and adhesive should 

 have the preference. In addition some lime rubble, such 

 as that from old buildings, should be added in the propor- 

 tion of about one barrowful to a cartload of loam and twice 

 that amount of manure, such, for instance, as that taken from 

 an old Melon bed; the manure from the stable direct will 

 also answer after repeated turnings. It is hardly desirable to 

 use any artificial manure at this juncture ; if any be used let 

 it be bone-meal, which will supply all that is needed until 

 stoning takes place. 



Pruning, &c. A slight amount of pruning may be done at 

 the time of potting, but it should only be superfluous lateral 

 growth. A better time on the whole is at the starting period, 

 but even then it is not advisable to prune as in the case of 

 trained trees. It is a safer plan to prune after the fruit is set 

 and when one can see what the crop is likely to be, say when 

 the fruits are about the size of nuts. No disbudding what- 

 ever is advised for pot trees, the spring pruning at various 

 periods during growth supplying all that is needful. Pinch- 

 ing the leading shoots where such are seen to monopolise too 

 much sap is quite necessary, and this may have to be done 

 repeatedly. Only sufficient wood need be retained to provide 

 for the following season ; to grow superfluous shoots and then 

 have to cut them away is misdirected energy. Thinning of the 

 fruits follows as in the case of trained trees, for young, newly 

 purchased trees in the pots named ought not to carry more 

 than eight to ten fruits, or a dozen if the trees be extra strong. 

 When the fruit is swelling freely liquid manure, made from 

 stable manure with a small amount of soot, forms a good 

 stimulant alternately with a small pinch of an artificial 



