186 TREATMENT OF THE 



planted in large pots or tubs; which is in- 

 deed preferable to having them in the border 

 of a house constructed on purpose. The 

 planting of the trees must be performed 

 in autumn agreeably to the instructions 

 given in the Chapter on planting and 

 pruning, previous to planting, &c. When the 

 trees are to be planted in pots or tubs, the 

 soil must be a strong loam with a little mix- 

 ture of well rotted cow dung. After the tree 

 is planted, let the pot be plunged up to the rim 

 in a border or elsewhere. The tree must be 

 headed down at spring to six buds, and the 

 shoots which push must be allowed to grow 

 at full length during the first season. The 

 second spring, the pots wherein the trees are 

 planted, must be taken up out of the place 

 where they were plunged; and if any roots 

 have extended themselves into the earth 

 through the hole at the bottom of the pot, 

 let such be dressed clean off. This dressing 

 away the roots that have pushed through 

 the hole at the bottom of the pot, must be 

 attended to in every future year, when re- 

 quired. When the tree is come to a bearing 

 condition, it will then generally require to 

 be shifted into a pot or tub two sizes larger 

 than that in which it was previously. After 

 this removal, the tree will by judicious ma- 

 nagement bear fruit for ten or twelve years 

 before it will require to be potted again. 

 At the second winter pruning, all the shoots 



