40 FRUIT TREES IX POTS [ch. 



taken away to the le^el of the top of the pot, as 

 they are only annual roots. It is a mistake to bury 

 all these roots ; they should be cut away, or the 

 trees will soon require A'ery large pots. 



This is a simple, but so important a matter, 

 that it should be strictly attended to. 



The perforated pot. — This is a pot which 

 is sometimes used to ad^'antage. The size is the 

 same as that of an ordinary pot, only it has per- 

 forations in the side, instead of being solid and 

 whole. The perforations should be about 3 or 

 3j ins. below the rim of the pot, and about 2 ins. 

 in diameter. The advantage derived from the use 

 of these pots is economy in potting and watering, 

 and the promotion of additional vigour to the trees ; 

 for the roots of the trees pass through the perfora- 

 tions into the surrounding soil. Of course, where 

 these pots are used, repotting is seldom needful, 

 but it is quite necessary to renew the soil in the 

 border in which the perforated pots are plunged. 

 The trees should be taken out of the border each 

 year, and the large roots cut away, and then the 

 soil in the border should be dug over, and the pots 

 plunged again. The composition of the border 

 should be the same as the soil for trees in pots. 

 The trees should then be plunged up to the rims, 

 and watered whenever necessary. Peaches, nec- 

 tarines, and apricots should be grown in the 



