58 THE MDSriATUEE FRVIT GARDEN 



of too vigorous fruit trees is, I am aware, an old 

 practice; but the regular and annual or biennial 

 pruning of them, so as to keep a tree full of youth and 

 vigour in a stationary and prolific state, has not, that I 

 am aware of, been recommended by any known author, 

 although it may have been practised. In urging its 

 applicability to trees of twenty or thirty years' growth, 

 I must recommend caution : the circular trench should 

 not be nearer the stem of a standard tree than three 

 feet, or, if it be a wall tree, four feet, and only two- 

 thirds of the roots should be pruned the first season, 

 leaving one-third to support the tree, so that it cannot 

 be blown on one side by the wind, and these of course 

 must be left where they will best give this support. 

 The following season half the remaining roots may be 

 cut, or, if the tree be inclined to vigour, all of them ; 

 but if it gives symptoms of being checked too much, 

 they may, on the contrary, remain undisturbed fpr one, 

 or even two seasons. If, as is often the case in pear 

 trees, the roots are nearly all perpendicular, the tree 

 must be supported with stakes for one or two years 

 after complete root-pruning. 



The following extract from a letter received from the 

 late 0. Roach Smith, Esq., the archffiologist, is interest- 

 ing, as showing the prompt efiects of root-pruning of 

 trees : — ' I have only been a horticulturist for three 

 years ; I took to two very beautiful old pear trees, 

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

 staking. On inquiry, I found that one (a Summer 



