Cropping Borders in which Fruit Trees gro*w. 321 



Art. XV. On the evil Effects of cropping the Borders in ivhich 

 Fruit Trees grotv. By R. T. 



Sir, 

 Having foi- some yeai's been an advocate for not cropping 

 tiie borders of fruit trees, 1 have noticed, with pleasure, that 

 you have several times called the attention of your readers to 

 the subject. I beg leave, therefore, on the present occasion, 

 to make a few observations for the consideration of those 

 who are of a different opinioh ; as I think that, before long, 

 it is very likely that, instead of having a border of 10 or 12 ft. 

 wide close to the wall to be constantly dug and cropped, and 

 a gravel walk 4 or 5 ft. wide beyond it, we shall see a wide 

 gravel walk close to the wall, over a previously prepared 

 border; for I am persuaded it is owing more to the digging 

 and manuring the border, than to any other circumstances, 

 that there are so many failures of fruit trees. I have seen 

 the above method (of gravelling the borders to walk upon) 

 practised on a small scale, and I am not aware of a single 

 failure. I have often noticed that, in the formation of borders 

 to vineries, or green-houses where vines were to be planted, 

 after much expense and labour bestowed, it has ended in 

 disappointment ; the cause of which I consider to be the plant- 

 ing of the borders with vegetables, if in the kitchen-garden, 

 and with flowers, if in the flower-garden. Perhaps it may 

 not be amiss to mention here, that many persons who are 

 very particular about pruning their vines in the autumn, to 

 prevent their bleeding, will nevertheless delay digging the 

 borders till February or March, when all the roots within 

 the reach of the spade are sure to be cut and made to bleed, 

 without being observed. In many cases where prepared 

 borders have failed to produce fruitful vines or other trees, 

 it is very often to be seen that a tree or vine, planted against 

 a building, merely for the sake of hiding it, seldom fails to 

 produce a crop of fruit, although it has nothing below but 

 the natural soil, and this covered over with gravel, or other 

 materials, to form a walk. I could mention several instances 

 of this kind, some of which are within a few yards of where 

 I am writing, and many others in the neighbourhood ; and I 

 have no doubt that many of your readers will be able to see 

 the same, after it has thus been pointed out to them. One 

 of the instances which have come under my observation is 

 within a short distance of my cottage. It is an extensive 

 range of glass, used chiefly for stove and green-house plants, 

 with a vine trained up each rafter, not one of which is worth 

 the trouble bestowed on it annually in tying, &c. The roots 

 Vol. IX. — No. 44. Y 



