1852.] THE PHIL ADELPHIA FLORIST. J77 



( s -^ these, especially at their extreme points, are very delicate and easily n, 

 A3 dried up and killed, when subjected to dry air ; therefore there is less c? 

 ' liability of danger from this cause in lifting trees during the latter 

 part of October and the following month, as the air is then in general 

 more highly charged with moisture than in the months of March and 

 April. Spring planted trees require more care in every respect than 

 those planted in the fall; and after all, they can never make so fine a 

 start as those that are furnished with numerous healthy roots. 



A soil free from excessive moisture is of the first importance for 

 fruit trees. They cannot remain healthy and fruitful when the soil is 

 wet. Much has been said and written of late about the chemical and 

 mineralogical constitution of soils, and very little about their physical 

 texture. We will see a reaction one of these days, in this matter. — 

 We are fully convinced that the porosity of the soil, its permeability 

 to air and water, are qualities of more importance in cultivation than 

 the supply of chemical ingredients. They are necessary, absolutely 

 necessary; but it is quite possible, indeed, it has been proved by ex- 

 periment that a soil may have a sufficiency of inorganic matter neces- 

 sary for a given crop, and yet be unproductive, if the decomposing in- 

 fluences of the atmosphere are excluded. The fact that about nine- 

 tenths of the whole bulk of plants is made up of gaseous matters, is 

 sufficiently indicative of the necessity of keeping the soil in a state 

 that will readily admit their access to the roots. 



Another error sometimes committed in planting fruit trees, is that 

 of placing them in a rich, exciting compost. This retards their fruit- 

 fulness, and not unfrequenTy induces disease. If the production of 

 timber was the only desideratum, then the soil may be enriched to 

 the fullest extent consistent with healthiness. But the wood produc- 

 ing and the fruit producing infiences are quite distinct. A young tree 

 does not begin to fruit until its wood producing energies are some- 

 what relaxed — hence the adoption of what has been called the dwarf- 

 ing system — that of engrafting trees upon stocks of a slower growth 

 than themselves, such as the pear on the quince, the peach on the 

 plum, and the cherry on the mahaleb, to induce precocity in fruiting. 

 On this subject, Lindley, in his Theory of Horticulture, observes : — 

 " Whatever produces excessive vigor in plants is favorable to the for- 

 mation of leaf buds ; while on the other hand, such circumstances as 

 tend to diminish luxuriance, and to check rapid vegetation without 

 affecting the health of the individual, are more favorable to the pro- 

 duction of flower buds than of leaf buds. Thus, a plant in a sterile 

 soil and exposed situation flowers sooner and more abundantly than 

 one in a rich and shaded place. Young vigorous plants flower later 

 and less abundantly than old ones." 



It will not be out of place to record the following": In a row of 

 Bartlett pear trees, all planted at the same time and of the same age, 

 one of the number bore two crops of fruit before the others showed 

 symptoms of forming anything like a blossom bud. Much specula- 

 tion was indulged in as to the reason of this exception. An under- 

 ground drain used for carrying off an occasional surplus of water from 



i a tank in the vicinity stopped ; it was found necessary to investigate 

 the causes. The result proved that this fruitful tree was planted im- 



c r, mediately above the drain, its roots had completely monopolized the . 



[+<> whole area, every crevice was matted with fibry roots for a consider- G> 



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