Gardening for Amateurs 



971 



be performed when the soil is not too wet, 

 and when the weather is fairly mild. Various 

 kinds of fruit trees benefit by this treatment, 

 more especially Apples, Pears and Plums. 



In dealing with old-established trees it is 

 advisable to attend to the roots on one side 

 of the tree at a time, and to finish the other 

 side the following year, so as to avoid giving 

 too great a check to growth. Commence by 

 making a trench some little distance from 

 the stem, 4 or 5 feet according to the size of 

 the tree. Get the soil out about 2 feet deep 

 and the same width. After the trench has 

 been opened out work some of the soil away 

 from the roots with a fork, and shovel this 

 out. After the larger roots have been laid 

 bare cut them through with a sharp pruning 

 knife, inserting it on the underneath side 

 and cutting upwards in an oblique manner. 

 After this fibrous roots will form from the 

 top ; these are the kind that are wanted, 

 and all fibrous roots encountered should be 

 carefully preserved. When thick roots are 

 found and suitably shortened, it is much 

 better to place them nearer the surface if 

 this can be managed. If there is a tap-root, 

 it should be cut off as close to the butt of the 

 tree as possible. 



After all the roots have received attention, 

 commence to fill in again. If the soil is heavy 

 it is an advantage to place some fresh soil 

 immediately over the roots, and then finish 

 off with the best of the other soil. Loam, 

 with some wood ashes intermixed, is best, or 

 any burnt refuse might be used ; but it is 

 important that it be not too wet. Spread out 

 the roots evenly, and avoid burying them too 

 deeply. Tread the soil firmly as it is placed 

 in position around the roots. After trees 

 have been root-pruned it is advisable to 

 stake and tie them for support. 



Young trees very frequently grow with 

 excessive vigour after they have been planted 

 several years, especially on rich heavy 

 ground, though some varieties are far more 

 liable to this than others. The best way to 

 check such exuberant growth is carefully to 

 lift the offending specimens and replant 

 them, which invariably brings them to a 

 state of fruitfuhiess. The trees are lifted 

 by opening a trench around them as previ- 

 ously directed. It will not be necessary to 

 cut back the roots ; the mere fact of lifting 



and replanting provides sufficient check to 

 growth, and only damaged ends will need 

 to be cut off cleanly, while if a tap-root was 

 found to be growing it should be removed 

 entirely. Place some fine soil immediately 

 over the roots when replanting, and give a 

 good treading to complete the work. 



Pruning Fruit Trees. It will be readily 

 recognised that the pruner must have some 

 object in view ; it is presumed most pruners 



Prune to a bud pointing in 

 the direction the new 

 branch is desired to 

 grow. 



The correct method of making the 

 cut is shown in the last sketch : 

 the other three are wrong. 



have even those who yearly clip their Goose- 

 berry bushes with a pair of hedge shears ! 

 Frequent advice given to the pruner is " Cut 

 to an outside bud." Why ? Because the 

 growth from this bud, and the top or upper- 

 most of those remaining will grow away 

 from the centre of the tree and thus tend to 

 keep it open. But sometimes there may be 

 a vacant space on one side or the other of a 

 branch, in which case it is advisable to leave 

 the top bud pointing towards the space we 

 wish to fill, as shown above. The character 



