86 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



ing shoots untouched till the middle or end of .Vugust, 

 wlieu they must be shortened, and the pruning for 

 the ,ycar is finihhe<l. 



Tlie Morello and Dul<e cherries — the most eligible 

 for this bush culture — may hiive their leading shoots 

 shortened to eight leaves. If, however, the space be 

 confined in which they are planted, this leii^rth may 

 be reduced, for by biennial root-pruning the trees may 

 be kept exceedingly dwarf. The end is to form the 

 tree into a round bush, not tuo much crowded with 

 shoots. Towards the end of September,' or, in fact, 

 as soon as the autumnal rains have sufficiently pene- 

 trated the soil, a trench may be dug round the tree, 

 exactly the same as recommended for root-pruning of 

 pears, the spade introduced under the tree to cut all 

 perpendicular roots, and all the spreading roots short- 

 ened with the knife, and brought near to the surface, 

 iircvioiislv fillinsr in the trencli with some liffht friable 

 soil tor them to rest on, and spreading them regularly 

 i-Dund the tree, as near to tlic surface as possible; then 

 covering them with the soil that was taken out of the 

 trench. Xo dung or manure of any kind is required. 

 as this stock seems to flourish in the poorest soils. 

 Some slidit litter, or half-decayeil leaves will, how- 

 ever, lie of mucli benefit placed on the smt'ace round 

 the stem. 



I have thus far gi\cii their culture lor small gar- 

 dens; but those who liave more sjiace may dis]iense 

 with root-jiruiiiiig, and allow their cherrv trees to 

 mai<e large l^l^hes, M'hieh may be planted ei<rht foot 



* TblB t'ni-Iy nittuninat ront-pruntog will bo f.mml vi-ry AtlvimtA^^Hiaa. The 

 fluw <if Bni> in cliockiMl, Bo Uiot tho shouts m-.- woU rlpciuHt, ADd (bo pruDod roou 

 ■oun emit ftrsli ia>r<<« to fowl the krvo tlio following sonson. 



