48 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



not be stood directly on the ground, but should have some cinders or 

 broken crockery placed underneath them to insure drainage. All 

 fruit trees in pots require to be repotted every year; this may be 

 done as soon as the leaves fall in October. The tree is then taken 

 out of its pot, and the outer soil raked away with a pronged claw till 

 a ball of earth containing the larger roots is left. If the tree is 

 healthy and doing well the soil removed will be full of fibrous root- 

 lets. A clean pot of the same size (or one size larger if necessary) 

 having a sufficiency of broken crockery to secure proper drainage, 

 is partly filled with soil to a height that will bring the tree to the 

 same level with the pot rim, as it was before. The tree is then placed 

 in the pot, held so that the stem is in the middle, and stands vertical, 

 whilst the soil is rammed firmly in all around the ball and the pot 

 filled up to within an inch of the top of the rim. In potting only a 

 little soil should be used at a time and firmly rammed with a stick 

 before adding more. The soil should be of good fibrous turfy loam 

 three-fourths mixed with one-fourth rotten stable manure ; for stone 

 fruits, lime in the shape of old mortar, etc., should be added; mix 

 some little time before using and do not allow it to get sodden or 

 dry. After they have been repotted the trees should be given some 

 water and stood close together in the house. In severe weather 

 straw should be packed, round and over the pots to keep the frost 

 out. Little water need be given the trees in the house during 

 November and December. Early in February the trees may be 

 pruned and at the end of the month the trees set four feet apart. 

 A good smoking with tobacco should be given, and the trunks and 

 larger branches brushed with quassia chips wash. If the trees have 

 been properly summer pinched, pruning consists in shortening the 

 last season's growth to behind the point at which it was first pinched. 

 Dead wood and that not required to furnish the tree must be cut 

 out. In pruning peach and nectarines the sho.ots must always be cut 

 to a wood bud (easily distinguished when the flower buds are round 

 and plump and in a triple eye situate between two of these latter). 

 If there are no bees to do it, the flowers rrtust be fertilized or 

 polenized by hand with a soft brush. Plenty of air must be allowed 

 at the flowering stage. When the fruits are set and the leaves 

 growing the house should be kept closer and the syringe used freely, 

 damping down well at night to obtain a moist growing atmosphere. 

 Peaches and nectarines push too many growths along their shoots; 

 they would be overcrowded if left and must be cut right out, most 



