46 SCIENCE AND FRUIT GROWING 



Cox and Potts grown on the paradise stock, and even the 

 first named, though a strong grower, does not exhibit such 

 rampant growth as is sometimes found with pears and plums, 

 where a severe check rr.ay be economically desirable. In 

 one series the trees were root-pruned every year, in another 

 every other year, and in a third every fourth year ; actual lifting 

 from the ground being adopted, till they became too large for 

 this to be done without excessive injury. The check caused 

 to the growth of the trees was apparent from every point of 

 view (V, 38), and its extent may be gathered from the weights of 

 the trees when they were ultimately removed. Thus with the Cox, 

 which were rerroved after fifteen years, the weights of those trees 

 which had been root-pruned every fourth year were only 43 per 

 cent, of those which had not been root-pruned; where the 

 operation had been performed every other year, the weights 

 were 7 per cent, of the non-treated trees, and with the yearly 

 operation, 3 per cent. ; indeed, in the last case, the trees had 

 scarcely increased in weight since they had been planted, and 

 had been dead for several years before they were removed. 



The effect of root-pruning on the crops may be conveniently 

 mentioned here, though it belongs of rights to another chapter. 

 That increased cropping follows any restriction of growth, is 

 well known, and was duly apparent in these experiments; but 

 it was very noticeable that this increase did not occur till the 

 second season following the root-pruning, the tree having suf- 

 fered too much for recovery in any form to occur during the first 

 season. In the case of Cox and Potts the response in the form 

 of an increased crop was maintained till the root-pruning had 

 been performed twice, and in that of Bramley some slight 

 response was observable after the third performance of it ; but 

 subsequently the trees became too much enfeebled for any 

 response to be made, and the crops dwindled till they became 

 quite insignificant. Under less severe treatment, and with 

 trees of more rampant growth, the results might, perhaps, be 

 economically advantageous, and the response more prompt. 

 Certainly, however, root-pruning is an operation which should 

 be practised with extreme moderation, and only in those cases 

 where excessive branch-growth calls for stringent measures. 



LIFTING NURSERY STOCK 



It seems highly probable that the younger a tree is, the more 

 readily will it send out fresh rootlets, and recover from any 

 injury inflicted on it, though it would be difficult to establish 



