160 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



end of the operation it may be found that the mass of earth 

 round the roots is rather deeper in the ground than before. To 

 avoid this we may, in the case of smallish trees, before remov- 

 ing the soil from under the centre, lay a stout pole across the 

 circle and fasten the tree to it with a rope. This will prevent 

 sinking. 



THE PEAR 



The Pear is propagated by grafting scions on Quince stocks 

 in the same manner as in the case of the Apple. The Quince, as 

 regards depth of rooting, is intermediate between the Paradise 

 and the Crab stocks. Hence the Pear, for this reason, requires 

 a somewhat deeper soil than is required for dwarf apple trees. 

 For school gardens, and indeed for all small gardens, cordon 

 pears are the most suitable. They may be trained either against 

 a wall or to a stake, or on wires stretched between fence posts. 



PLUMS AND CHERRIES 



The fruit is a drupe, consisting of a hard endocarp enclosing 

 the seed, a juicy mesocarp, and a thin epicarp. Both Plums 

 and Cherries thrive best on a rather light soil well stocked with 

 available plant food and containing lime. Propagation is effected 

 by budding or by grafting. The stock for Plums is either the 

 Mussel Plum or the St. Julien Plum. For Cherries, two species 

 of the Wild Cherry (Prunus Cerasus), are used, namely: Prunus 

 Cerasus for the Morello and Duke type, and Prunus Avium (the 

 Gean) for the Heart and Bigarreau varieties. 



THE RASPBERRY 



This fruit is indigenous to the British Isles, and may often 

 be found growing luxuriantly and fruiting abundantly in low-lying 

 moist plantations. The brownish stems (the " canes ") arise 

 from buds on an underground root-stock ; they mature in the first 

 year, produce the leafy fruiting shoots in the second year, and 

 then die in the autumn. Hence at that season all dead canes 

 should be cut out. The fruit is a collection of small one-seeded 



