HABDY PBUIT GARDEN 



1031 



time and exposed to the action of the 

 atmosphere, especially during frosty 

 weather. In the event of disagreeable 

 odours arising it is a good plan to mix dry 

 soil with the heap. When reduced to a 

 well-decomposed and fertile mass, the 

 manure is available for use on the soU. 



At p. 1047 a receipt for canker is given 

 consisting of superphosphate of lime, 

 nitrate of potash, nitrate of soda, and 

 sulphate of lime, and these mixed in the 

 proportions recommended make an ex- 

 cellent all-round manure for fruit crops. 

 Manures in general are dealt with at 

 pp. 69-76. 



Pruning Fkuit Trees 



This is an essential and important 

 operation, and to be performed with 

 advantage requires a certain amount of 

 knowledge of the nature of the plants. 

 Cutting fruit trees and bushes with no 

 particular object in view can scarcely be 

 called pruning. The objects to be arrived 

 at by proper pruning are : (1) to keep the 

 trees or bushes in regular shape, the 

 branches fully exposed to the light and 

 air so that the sap will flow as equally as 

 possible to each of them ; (2) to induce 

 fruitfulness and to keep the plants in a 

 good state of annual productiveness ; (3) 

 to obtain larger fruits of better quality ; 

 and (4) to prolong the lite of the indi- 

 vidual plant. 



Anyone who has observed well-pruned 

 fruit trees and compared them with 

 neglected ones will have noticed the vast 

 difference in the number, size, and 

 flavour of the fruits. By thinning out 

 useless twigs, and cutting back leading 

 shoots, the sap is not diffused over a large 

 area. It is thus confined with good 

 results to fewer branches. The sun and 

 air having free access tend to ripen the 

 wood and enable it to stand the rigours of 

 winter. The time for pruning varies 

 somewhat with different plants, and 

 according to circumstances. As it will be 

 indicated under each group, it need not be 

 further referred to here. 



Root-Pruning. — It often happens that 

 fruit trees produce enormous quantities 

 of wood and leaves, but comparatively 

 little or no fruit. This Tindesirable state 

 of affairs is usually brought about by the 

 rampant growth of the roots beneath the 

 surface. If unchecked they will sooner 

 or later strike downwards into the un- 

 congenial depths of the subsoil, where 



available food is scarce ; canker will set 

 in, and the fruit wiU become deformed, 

 mildewed, and spotted with fungus 



The object of pruning the roots is to 

 remedy and prevent this happening. 

 When properly performed it induces 

 fertility, cures canker and spot on the 

 fruit, improves the flavour, and reduces 

 the labour of pruning the branches. 



About the end of October, while the 

 leaves are still on the tree, is considered 

 the most favourable time for root pruning. 

 It is best to perform only half the opera- 

 tion at one time — leaving the other half 

 until the following year. A trench 3-4 

 feet from the trunk of the tree is opened. 

 By carefully digging down with a fork to 

 a depth of 18 in. or 2 ft. the main roots 

 will be exposed. Tap roots which strike 

 dovmwards into the soil must be searched 

 for beneath the trunk and it present re- 

 moved with a sharp knife or saw, or cut 

 away vidth a mallet and chisel. The main 

 roots should also be shortened back with 

 a sharp knite. But where only a few 

 exist the pruning should not be so severe 

 as when there are several. All outs should 

 be made leaving the cut surface facing 

 downwards. In this way it will not form 

 a seat for the wet, which may possibly 

 in some soils cause decay. Many good 

 gardeners, however, object to this practice 

 on the basis that the new roots formed 

 near the cut surface (when underneath) 

 are likely to take a downward instead of 

 a horizontal position, and thus feooner or 

 later result in the same trouble. If the 

 cut is facing upwards they contend it 

 induces the new roots to keep nearer the 

 surface of the soil. The operation of cut- 

 ting the roots having been performed 

 with the cuts showing either upwards or 

 downwards, the trenches may then be 

 filled in with fresh soil, and this will 

 induce new rootlets to develop before the 

 winter sets in. Should the weather be 

 warm at the time, it is a good plan to 

 trim the branches at the same time, as 

 the mutilated plant caimot stand the 

 strain of too much evaporation from all 

 the foUage. 



' Eoot-pruning may be practised on 

 most kinds of fruit trees, whether grown 

 as bushes, pyramids, standards, cordons, 

 espaliers, or against walls. The same 

 principles apply to them all. When the 

 operation has been severe, a mulching of 

 well-rotted manure on the surface of the 



