82 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



of summer is apt to bring on the gum ; it is a tree, 

 however, ^\itli most manageable roots, for they are 

 always near the surface. I must, therefore, again 

 recommend summer jjiiiehing to three leaves, as di- 

 rected for }>ears, p. 8, annual nx it-pruning, and surface 

 ih'essing, in preference to any oIIk.t mode of culture. 

 The annual root-pruning of the plum is performed as 

 follows : — Open a circular trench eighteen inches deep 

 round the tree, eii^hteen inches from its stem, and cut 

 off every root and fibre with a sharp knife. When the 

 roots are so primed, introduce a spade under one side 

 of the tree, and heave it over so as not to leave a 

 single tap-root; fill in your mould, give a top dressing 

 of manure, and it is finished. The diameter of your 

 circular trench must be slowly increased as years roll 

 on ; for you must, each year, prune to within one and 

 a half (ir two inches of the stumps of the former year. 

 Your circular mass of fibrous roots will thus slowly 

 increase, your tree will make short and well-ripened 

 shoots, and bear abundantly. From very recent ex- 

 perience, I liave found that removing trees annually, 

 if the soil he rich — biennial] v, and addin? some rich 

 compost, if it be poor — ui'ithout root-prunin<j, will keep 

 plum trees in a healtliy and fertile state. For further 

 particulars on this head, see pp. 13 and 1-t. 



Pyramidal jiliim trees are most beautiful trees both 

 when in flower and fruit. Their rich purple and 

 j^olden crop has an admirable elfect on a well-managed 

 pyramid. A'o stoek hun yet been found to cramp the 

 cneri^ie.s of the jdum tre(\ 1 have, however, tried 

 experiments on the sloe, whieb, as it never forms a 

 tree of any imlk, cll'eels this object to a certain exteBt. 



