FRUIT BORDERS. 



141 



being invited into it. This is not easily done unless 

 the whole bottom be closely paved; no othermaterial will 

 prevent the descentof the roots, if invited by nutritive 

 matter or by humidity. Sufficient drainage, and the 

 top soil made and kept as much like that recom- 

 mended for melons as possible, will go far to keep 

 the roots from running away from the place intended 

 for them. 



When the borders are made, levelled, and all ready 

 for the trees, the aspects and distances between 

 should be well considered. Many mistakes are made 

 in planting too thickly ; better it is to have two 

 supernumeraries between two principals (the former 

 to be cut away as the latter advance) than have a fine 

 thriving principal to remove, just, perhaps, as it has 

 got to a state of full bearing. The spaces required 

 by each kind of tree, being added to each description^ 

 in the previous and following parts of this treatise, 

 will be a safe guide for the planter in disposing his 

 trees at proper distances. Another thing which the 

 author particularly recommends is, shallow planting : 

 nothing is more hurtful to fruit trees than deep 

 planting, inducing canker and many other disor- 

 ders. Allowance must be made for the sinking of 

 the border; and better it Is that additional earth be 

 required to cover the roots higher, than that they be 

 sunk too low. 



With respect to the different modes of training, 

 the author has only to remark, that he approves the 

 horizontal fashion for pears, cherries, and the stronger 

 growing kinds of plums; the fan method for all the more 



