17 



wall. We think there is little occasion for the latter, 

 more especially if a much shallower border is made. 

 Mr. H. advises three feet deep at back ; we say two. 

 There is no real necessity for all this expensive body 

 of soil. It is well known that the solar rays are great 

 ameliorators of the soil, and that, somehow or other, 

 they conduce to the fructifying principle in fruits. 

 Upon what grounds, then, can three feet of soil be 

 advocated ? Deep roots have frequently been found 

 to induce disease, more especially canker. Besides, 

 if the tree be furnished with so much good soil, it 

 must, if healthy, rapidly penetrate to the bottom ; 

 and one sure consequence will be the production of 

 much useless summer spray, and the entailment of 

 much extra labour and attention. As to the pruning 

 course suggested by Mr. Harrison, it appears very 

 good ; indeed, scarcely any other course can be fol- 

 lowed. TVe feel much gratified with his remarks on 

 summer pruning ; too little attention is given to this 

 point, and this is the besetting sin of modern train- 

 ing. Expensive walls are built, costly borders pre- 

 pared, good trees sought out, and a most scientific 

 mode of winter pruning carried out ; and yet the 

 trees are barren — and why ? The reasons are obvi- 

 ous. It requires much light, as well as a free circu- 

 lation of air, to elaborate perfect blossom buds ; and 

 at the very period, the -mid die of summer, when this 

 process is in full course, one-half the light, and much 



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