76 



FRUIT GARDEN COMPANION. 



pressed down by the shaking the tree, and, instead 

 of their laying in a regular expanded horizontal man- 

 ner, if examined, will be found to be bent in an ir- 

 regular manner : the over treading also displaces the 

 roots, and the consequence is, that many of the best 

 fibrous roots, being partly injured and out of their 

 natural position, either die or have to make new 

 roots from their leaders, in order to draw a proper 

 nourishment to support the tree. Hence many fruit 

 trees, after planting, remain for several years in an 

 almost dormant state, when fruit-buds are formed 

 instead of icood-buds, which, if allowed to flower and 

 bear fruit, will dwarf the tree so that it never as- 

 sumes the size and habit it would acquire if properly 

 planted at first. 



When a fruit tree is desired to form into a large 

 handsome shape, every exertion should be used to 

 encourage the growth into a strong luxuriant habit, 

 and not to retard it in its infant state by allowing 

 it to bear fruit, which always exhausts the sap that 

 should feed the leaves, branches and like members 

 of growth that are essential to form the habit of the 

 tree. In the practice of planting fruit trees, the 

 operator should make himself well acquainted with 

 the natural growth and habit of both the roots and 

 branches of the tree : for it will be found that dif- 

 ferent kinds of trees, have quite a contrary natural 

 position of their roots ; for instance, as before stated, 

 the cherry and apple tree roots are near the surface 

 of the soil, whilst the pear perforates much deeper 

 into the subsoil. All these positions should be care- 

 fully examined and understood before planting, for 

 it is in vain to reverse the position of roots to any 

 good purpose ; indeed when it is done it is an act 



