202 



The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Farmers' Advocate, an article by Mr. Robert Hamilton, of Grenville, P.Q., 

 in which he fully describes this method, using the accompanying sketch as 

 an illustration thereof. It is Mr. Sharp, a fruit grower of Woodstock, 

 N.B., who has been employing this method on a large scale with entire 

 success, even with some of the finer varieties. The tree shown at a in the 

 illustration has been trained for the purpose of laying down by allowing the 

 roots to grow in such directions as will not interfere with 

 it. " The trees," to use Mr. Hamilton's own words, 

 " are bent southwards, and the roots, to allow of this, 

 are directed to the east and west — any large roots on 

 the north and south sides are removed. In the Fall all 

 that is necessary to do is to take a spadeful or two of 

 earth from the south side and gently bend the tree down 

 and fasten it there. This may be done by weighting or, 



n- b. c. 



Fig, 52. — THE POSITION OF MR. SHARPE's TREES IN SUMMER AND WINTER. 



better still, by means of a strong crotched stick driven well into the ground. 

 A plum orchard treated in this manner, where, as in Mr. Sharpe's, the trees 

 are planted rather closely, has the appearance of a brush pile in the Fall. 

 The trees, laid almost flat upon the ground (Figs, b and c), gather the snow 

 and retain it, but from the branches lying with their length parallel to the 

 ground they are not broken, and being perfectly sheltered by the snow their 

 fruit buds remain uninjured, and an abundant crop is the result. And this 

 fruitfulness is not wholly due to the protection given to the fruit buds by 

 the sheltering snow, but in part to the check that is given to the wood growth 

 by the bending down and retaining the trees in their recumbent position 

 till after blossoming. Instead of a vigorous wood growth numerous fruit 

 buds are produced ; these, duly protected, are in turn followed by the fruit. 



The trees treated in this manner are, after blossoming, raised up and 

 fastened to strong stakes driven into the ground beside the trees for that 

 purpose. 



As far as appears at present there are. no special varieties that are better 

 adapted to this treatment than others. All the sorts that are grown in the 

 most favored regions of our country submit to this treatment and thrive 



