FRUIT TREES IN POTS 65 



remedy is obvious. Peach trees at all times need a drier atmosphere towards 

 nightfall than do nectarines or plums, because moisture is retained by their 

 woolly skins much more than by the smooth surfaces of the nectarine and plum. 

 After all the fruits are gathered, it is not possible to use the syringe too freely, 

 especially if trees are infested with injurious insects. 



The Trees after Forcing. — As soon as the foliage has been hardened by 

 means of a lower temperature, the trees are placed outside, plunged to the rims 

 of the pots in the garden border, with two bricks under each pot, and a few 

 cinder ashes around the drainage holes to keep out worms. Two feet space 

 between the pots is allowed ; a little more room should be provided if necessary 

 to enable the watering to be properly attended to. Until the end of September 

 the hose is used freely, but not strongly. This will assist in keeping the foliage 

 fresh and clean. When the trees are lifted for potting it will be frequently 

 noticed that the roots have grown through the holes in the pots. 



Insect Pests. — Pot fruit trees do not suffer so much from the attacks of 

 insects as do trained trees. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves of the 

 pot trees can be reached more readily with the syringe. This is the chief means 

 employed to keep down the red spider pest. To destroy aphides we find nothing 

 equal to the XL-All vaporizer. This same remedy will also kill grubs upon 

 the plums, cherries, pears, or apples, so that hand-picking may be com- 

 pletely dispensed with so far as pot trees are concerned. Scale does not cause 

 any trouble, nor does the mealy bug. We always use XL-All immediately a 

 house is closed for forcing, and again, if necessary, when the buds are about 

 to expand, and later as is required. Thrips are also destroyed by the same 

 remedy. 



Canker. — I think pot-grown trees are almost immune from canker (and, in 

 fact, from other diseases also). It occasionally makes its appearance upon the 

 cherries, but very rarely. The freedom from canker points very clearly, in my 

 opinion, to the good effects of the annual repotting. More often than not, 

 I consider this disease is the outcome of a too luxuriant growth, and the too free 

 use of the pruning knife in consequence. Take cherries, for instance ; where 

 the choice varieties fail in the open or upon walls, I unhesitatingly recommend 

 pot culture, even if carried on under a netting screen only. 



Pruning. — If late growths are seen that will have no chance of ripening, 

 we cut them off when repotting, or in the case of forced trees, when taking 

 them under glass. A slight pruning, merely removing shoots that are not 

 required, and the shortening of others, is attended to at the time of starting 

 the forced trees. In the case of late autumn fruiters, when these are housed 

 in the spring, most of the pruning is done after the fruits are formed, and when 

 they are seen to be growing freely. This pruning takes the place of dis- 

 budding as usually practised with trained trees. By this means, and by cutting 

 back every shoot to the wood-bud next above the fruit, or to a promising young 

 growth, the trees are easily kept within bounds. When the shoots- of the 

 current year are of sufficient length they are stopped, and again, later on, at a 

 few leaves distant if necessary. Great care is taken in pruning not to leave any 

 wood so that it may afterwards die back. We cut close to the growing shoots, 



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