TRAINING... 61 
himself‘which is'the most ‘appropriate, not only: for every 
‘species, but even for each particular. variety of fruit-tree. 
By attentive observation and rational experiment, more 
knowledge 'in' this department may be attained in a few 
years than by a whole life spent in routine practice. | 
As supplementary to the preceding remarks on training, 
some of the expedients for' inducing a'state of fruitfulness 
in trees'may‘be mentioned: Of these, the most common is 
yoot-pruning, ‘or’ the: cutting back of the roots to within 
‘three or four feet’ of the stem an operation which is gene- 
rally found efficacious when barrenness proceeds from over- 
luxuriance and too copious a supply of sap.. Another is, 
‘the lifting up of the roots carefully, spreading’ them out on 
the surface, and covering them with a layer of fresh soil, 
forming: a slight mound, at the ‘same time all naked or fibre- 
less roots being'cut out. Toattain the same end, recourse 
is sometimes had to ringing the branches or stem, that is, 
removing a narrow portion of: the bark, so as to produce 
the appearance of an annular incision. The trees, it issaid, 
are thereby notonly rendered productive, butthe quality of the 
fruit is at the same time apparently improved. The advan- 
tage is considered as depending on the obstruction given to 
the descent of the sap, and it being thus more copiously 
afforded, in its elaborated state, for the supply of the buds. 
The ring should therefore be made in spring, and of sucha 
width that the bark may remain separated for the season. 
Tt ought to be observed, however, that none of the stoned 
fruit-trees are benefitted by ringing. ‘Analogous to this 
practice is decortication, or the removing of the old cracked 
bark from the stems of apple and pear-trees, a practice 
‘warmly recommended by the late Mr. Lyon of Edinburgh, 
:and: some other cultivators, but which has never been 
‘extensively adopted. Sometimes barrenness proceeds from 
