Defects in the Management of Fruit Trees. 265 



mon expression among us, that " leaves make roots, and roots 

 make leaves," is either not sufficiently understood, or not allowed 

 to regulate practice. It is difficult to say whether the ill success of 

 most gardeners, as to producing permanency and productiveness 

 in fruit trees, arises from the mismanagement of the top or of the 

 root. In one instance, we see borders, as they are called, made 

 by an excavation deep enough for the bed of a river, which is 

 filled with materials containing richness more than sufficient to 

 grow the bloated tree to the size of an immense standard. Here, 

 while the soil is new, and possessing some strength, the ill-fated 

 gardener may ply his nippers all the year round in removing 

 robbers and superfluities of his own creation ; and in two or three 

 years may rival the globe for willow twigs. By degrees, the 

 immediate proportion of manures contained in the soil becomes 

 entirely decomposed, and, by the villanous spade culture on the 

 top, the soil comes to as fine tilth as though it were riddled. 

 Thence, in wet seasons, ensues entire stagnation, and, in very 

 dry ones, mildew and other baneful diseases. These evils arise 

 in consequence of the soil's losing nearly all assistance from the 

 purifying and invigorating efforts of the atmosphere ; for it is 

 either swamped or baked, and in both cases it is, at it were, her- 

 metically sealed. In another case, borders are made by trenching 

 abundance of manures into loose sandy soils on a hot gravelly 

 bottom ; better adapted for barley and turnip culture than for a 

 class of trees of which sound loams are the " life and soul." 

 Here, at first, while the dung lasts, together with moderately 

 moist seasons, the trees appear to flourish in grand style, and 

 the proprietor chuckles over them, well pleased that he did not 

 follow the advice of those who (knowing the unstable character 

 of such soils) suggested to him the necessity of strengthening 

 the staple : all this, he now perceives (or thinks he does, at least), 

 would have been unnecessary expense. The manures in such 

 soils, once exhausted in producing the mere framework of a 

 tree, which the soil can never long maintain, nothing more is 

 needed than a heavy crop of fruit for a season or two, a burning 

 hot summer, and some spade culture over the surface roots, to 

 complete the career of this tree, and then the sooner it is set fire 

 to the better. Certainly top-dressing will do much in such a 

 case (especially if the spade is unknown to such a border), but 

 can never give that stability and endurance to the tree, and that 

 flavour, quality, and weight to the fruit, which are the constant 

 effects of a good loamy soil. Then, as to top management, 

 which may be said to comprehend, mode of training, summer 

 disbudding, summer stopping, thinning the fruit, winter pruning, 

 &c. : assuming (what, I presume, will be readily granted) that, in 

 a cool damp climate like that of Britain, light, heat, and a cir- 

 culation of air are of immense importance, in regard of the 



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