FRUIT GARDEN. [MAR. 



or cankered. They should also be considerably 

 shortened, and the tap-roots in particular should be 

 cut, or such as are pushing downwards into bad soil. 

 Observe to make clean wounds, and to dress the 

 ends of the larger roots with a little tar or paint. 



If the soil be wet, and if the bottom be a till or 

 cankering gravel, proper measures must be taken to 

 drain it ; and a healthy floor or sole should be form- 

 ed for the roots, as directed in Section II. If the 

 soil be naturally poor, and if the border be too shal- 

 low, let them be improved, as also there particular- 

 ly noticed ; being careful to dress the new pruned 

 roots with fine compost, which will make them push 

 many young fibres, and of course shoots, that will 

 suddenly fill the wall again. 



Standard-trees of all kinds that are stinted may be 

 treated in like manner, after being headed down, 

 as above directed. If not altogether old or worn 

 out, it is astonishing how soon they will recover, 

 how well they will bear fruit, and how long conti- 

 nue to flourish. 



Of grafting the branches of Fruit-Trees, 

 It often happens that fruit-trees turn out to be of 

 other sorts than those they were planted for ; which 

 in some kinds, particularly pears, cannot be disco- 

 vered for many years, until they begin to bear fruit. 

 This is a misfortune ; and it is often with regret 

 that the tree is rooted out, and another planted in 

 its place. On the branches and stems of such, how- 

 ever, proper kinds may be engrafted with success. 

 No doubt, the younger the tree or branches to be 



