26o 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 



the trees become thickly set with fruit spurs, and then as they bear more fruit 

 will not grow so freely. As far as possible the strong shoots should be stopped 

 in August, and the smaller ones pinched earlier, when the wood is green, 

 leaving only such terminal shoots as are required to 

 form the tree. On walls cherries do not need root- 

 pruning so much. 



Plums, Peaches, and Nectarines. — As these form 

 mat-like roots, they can be safely root-pruned, even when 

 of large size; it is not advisable to feed young trees 

 much, or they will make wild growth which robs the 

 fruiting branches, and if not checked will eventually 

 ruin them. Plums especially often grow too fast for a 

 few years, they make more fruitful trees when root- 

 pruned the third year after planting and again in five 

 or six years if the wood growth is excessive and prevents 

 the formation of fruit buds. Peaches and nectarines 

 benefit greatly by root-pruning, and the coarse roots 

 may well be shortened whether the trees are on walls 

 or grown under glass. Should a cold, drying wind 

 prevail after root-pruning has been done, a syringing 

 overhead will be beneficial for ten days or so. Peaches 

 (z) Point of stopping when and nectarines may be pruned at the roots even when 

 rather more than a foot thg foliage is on, if shaded. Syringed, and well watered. 



long; this causes the basal . y-, ° xir "i^i i_ u 



buds to swell, and one or -TIGS ON WALLS.— 1 hese, even when old, require 



more shoots to push from severe root-pruning to make them fruit satisfactorily ; 



most"|r^owth Ts pinched to 01 filling the trench, porous stones, brick ends, with old 



three full - sized leaves ; mortar rubbish should be freely used, and even lime and 



laterals pinched to one ^j^^j,^^ ^^ ^j^^ ^^ luxuriates in calcareous soil. Summer 



mulching and liquid manure greatly benefit the fruits. 

 General Remarks. — Root-pruning is often rendered necessary, because of 

 too heavy manuring or too deep a soil, whereby the best roots are destroyed or 

 become gross feeders. The advantages of root-pruning and root-lifting are briefly 

 as follow : — 



(a) This work induces fertility, (^) cures canker (which is often caused by 

 the roots being too deeply covered), (c) improves the flavour of the fruit, {d) pre- 

 vents the formation of useless roots and shoots, (e) reduces the labour of summer 

 and winter pruning. 



Pinching Leading 

 Growth 



