48 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



supported with stakes for one or two years after com 

 l)lete root-pruning. 



The follo^ving extract from a letter recently re- 

 ceived from C. Koach Smith, Esq., the archaeologist, 

 is interesting, as showing the prompt eifects of root- 

 pruning of trees : — " I have only been a horticulturist 

 for three years ; I toolc to two very ?jeautiful (Ad pear 

 trees, which must have cost no end of nailing, cutting, 

 and stakin;;. On inquiry, I found tliat one (a Sum- 

 mer Bon Chretien) had never produced more than 

 one pear annually ; the other, upon a north wall, had 

 never given a single pear. I could get no aid from 

 any one what to do with these trees, and no book 

 then accessible helped me. I reflected on the natural 

 habit of the pear tree, and, coming to the conclusion 

 that the cause of barrenness was exuberance of roots, 

 I resolved to cut them. Before the leaves had fallen, 

 a friend sent me ' The Eetired Gardener,' an old book, 

 translated from the French. In it I found an account 

 of some experiments made in England, which fortified 

 me in the resolution T had taken. The first year the 

 Summer Bon Chretien ' produced nine fruit. I 

 pruned the roots more closely, and this year U"-"''^\ 

 in sjiite of the ungenial spring, I saved filYy-nine 

 peal's. The otlicr tree yielded tliirty-six, but of so vile 

 a quality that I have re-prat'ted tlio tree. A lai^e 

 plum, treated in the same way, produced, the sea-ou 

 after being root-pruned, L'OOO fruit." 



It will not, iierlui])Si, be out of place liere to enimie- 

 ratc a 'i^iw of tlie advantages of systematic root-imiii- 

 ing and removing or lifting of jiear, apple, and plum 



' This ts ono uf our uKK'st vnrloUoft, aud romarkubld for boing a very shy 

 btfOTL-r 



