Retrospective Criticism. 525 



shoots should be laid in, and they should be left longer at pruning-time, in 

 the strongest-growing sorts. In weak-growing sorts apt to fruit they should 

 be encouraged with manure, or we may have dry mealy, in place of large suc- 

 culent, fruit. 



" 772. Disleafing." It is not clear how disleafing will assist a tree to throw 

 off superabundant sap. Disleafing should rather prevent elaboration of the 

 sap, and keep the tree fuller of crude juices. It will, however, by lessening 

 evaporation, stop the rapidity of ascent, and cause less food to be absorbed by 

 the roots, not more to be thrown off by the tree. In luxuriant trees, it may be 

 apt to occasion disease from too much crude sap. The safest plan, I should 

 think, to overcome superabundant growth, would be to give little food, by 

 making the border poor and dry, giving plenty of room to extend, and leaving 

 the young wood long. If all these will not do, the next best would be to 

 curtail the roots. 



" 776. Root-pruning" Root-pruning, by curtailing a few of the largest roots, 

 lessens the quantity of spongioles for a few years, and so curtails the quantity 

 of absorbed and ascending sap. This, being more easily elaborated and brought 

 into the highly organised condition required for fruitfulness, causes the pro- 

 duction of blossoms and fruit. It is the tendency, however, of cutting roots 

 to increase roots ; and in a few years the greater number of small roots and 

 the increased quantity of spongioles should, especially if heavy dressings of 

 rotted manure are added, as recommended by some, and which should make 

 up for the want of extension of the roots in quest of food, aggravate, in place 

 of remedying, the luxuriance of growth. Pruning back all the roots of a 

 fruit tree may bring the plant to something of the nature of a paradise stock, 

 which abounds in roots, yet these being matted close round the stem, and 

 not extending in quest of food, die off, and stint the growth, from the spon- 

 gioles not falling in with nutriment. If the root-pruning is renewed at short 

 periods, it may render this state more permanent ; but if great doses of 

 manure are given, it will lessen the effect; and if the trees are neglected to be 

 cut back periodically, they will ultimately get much more luxuriant than under 

 the ordinary process of management. To keep the borders poor, but healthy, 

 sweet, and well pulverised, and dry by draining and elevating the plants on 

 hillocks where necessary, is best. A moderate degree of extension will suffice 

 for the plants coming to a fruitful condition, and there will be less need to 

 resort to the trouble of root-pruning. 



" 832. Stirring the soil." Much of the benefit of stirring ground depends 

 on its being stirred in proper weather. Dry weather, when the soil is between 

 the wet and dry, and this weather likely to continue a day or two, is the best 

 time; and the mechanical texture of the soil should be such as to allow it to 

 break pretty freely into small pieces, and retain that form when dried, so as 

 not to fall down too easily into a powdery mass. 



" 833. Manuring." Liquid manures and top-dressings should be applied in 

 showery weather. It is a loss to have them on the surface, but they do most 

 good, especially the volatile kinds, to growing crops ; when they are applied 

 before the crop is put in, they should be pointed in with the spade or rake, 

 or harrowed into the soil in the fields. 



" 863. Selection of seedlings," fyc. When it is wished to see the fruit of 

 young seedlings, without waiting till the plant comes to maturity, it may be 

 effected by inserting a bud into the extremity of one of the branches of a 

 wall-tree of the same species, in full bearing, and clearing away most of the 

 other blossoms around to give it a fair trial. 



" 868. The production of double flowers." The common single daisy, 

 when brought from the fields, and planted in a rich soil in the garden, becomes 

 double. I have seen even the diminutive Sagina procumbens become double 

 by cultivation. The improvement on single dahlias from cultivation in rich 

 soil is of recent date. When any of these is neglected, as when the double-daisy 

 edging is allowed to stand long and exhaust the soil, it gets single ; and the 

 want of cultivation causing double dahlias and other flowers to assume the 



