Culture of Wall-Fruit Trees. 143 



the soil, and diligently scrape or pare, if the case be such as to 

 require it, every part, even to the extremity of each branch. 

 Afterwards wash the whole of the wall most completely with the 

 following preparation: — Take strong lime-water, after it has 

 settled into a perfectly clear state (so that none of the lime re- 

 mains, farther than what it holds in solution), and mix in it about 

 a fourth part of strong tobacco liquor ; some soft soap, 1 lb. to 

 a gallon ; and about 1 lb. of flower of brimstone, or of sulphur 

 vivum, either will answer : if some black pepper, ground very 

 fine, be added, it will be an improvement. This preparation 

 will clear the wall most completely from every kind of insect. 

 After the trees are again dry, have a mixture ready, composed 

 of the above ingredients, but in stronger proportions; and, 

 instead of the lime-water, use chamber-lie, or the strong drain- 

 age of a farmyard ; and, lastly, thicken it to the consistence of 

 good thick paint, with quicklime dissolved in it. Take painters' 

 brushes of different sizes, and coat the trees completely over 

 with the mixture, not leaving a chink, or the axil of a bud, 

 without working the mixture well into it. Use the whitest lime 

 you can get for the purpose, that, when dry, you may readily see 

 where the brush has missed. It is best to coat every part com- 

 pletely over two or three times, and it will kill everything that is 

 not concealed in the bark. In pear trees, the insects of the last 

 class are our greatest pest. I wish some one would be kind 

 enough to inform us how to get rid of the warty pest, which does 

 not, I believe, commit its greatest ravages in that state. Will 

 Rusticus of Godalming be so kind as to give us the history of 

 this destructive insect ? I think we have no enemy so resistless 

 as this ; all others fall beneath the above dressing. [See IX. 

 328. 332. and 498.] 



On limiting the Extension of the Roots of Wall Trees. — I am a 

 strong advocate for confining the roots of wall trees, as well 

 as those of grape vines ; and I assure you that, if it is judi- 

 ciously executed, it is a most excellent practice. I only allow 

 18 in. for the depth of soil in my borders, upon a well-laid paved 

 bottom, hollow underneath ; with a flue, or hot-water pipes, if 

 either of these can be had, in the hollow; the joints being 

 securely cemented, to prevent the roots from striking through 

 into the chambering. I wall in my roots at 6 or 8 ft. from the 

 main wall, although less will be sufficient ; and place plugs in 

 shafts, through the paved bottom, at suitable distances, to enable 

 me to drain it perfectly in very rainy weather, heavy falls of 

 snow, or rapid thaws. Let the soil in which the trees are 

 planted be used as soon as it can be got together, by paring it 

 off a fine pasture field, or a fine sheepwalk, taking the turf only 

 about 3 in. thick ; if not very good, 1 to 2 in. will suffice, and the 

 fresher it is used the better. 



