November, 1908.J 



4800 



A trench 12 inches to 18 inches wide is 

 next taken out to a depth of one foot 

 or more so as to reach all the large roots, 

 these being severed close to the inner 

 side of the trench. A sharp knife must 

 be employed, and the cut should be 

 made from below in an upward yet slop- 

 ing outward direction. When 12 inches 

 or 18 inches down it is a good plan 

 to tunnel under the mass of soil and 

 roots towards the bole of the tree, sever- 

 ing all large roots encountered in the 

 course of the work. This tunneling is 

 probably of more benefit than anything 

 else, as the roots found thus are usually 

 those which take a straight downward 

 course. 



To fill up the trench will be the next 

 task, and this inquires some care. 

 Where it is easily procured good fibrous 

 loam of a rather heavy character is best, 

 and if Plum, Cherry or other stone fruit 

 trees are being dealt with, the addition 

 of some old mortar, or lime in some 

 other form, will be highly beneficial. 



The tunnel under the ball of soil and 

 roots must be filled in, taking care not 

 to leave any hollow spaces and making 

 the new soil firm, then fill in the trench, 

 and make this firm also, so that the new 

 roots which penetrate shall have an 

 opportunity of becoming fibrous. 



Many amateurs, and even some pro- 

 fessionals, expect to see a good crop of 

 flowers and fruits the spring and sum- 

 mer following the root-pruning and as 

 a result of the work. This is quite 

 impossible, because any flowers to open 

 next spring are already formed in the 

 bud, hence it is obvious that the oper- 

 ation can have no influence over the crop 

 the smnmer following the autumn in 

 which the work was carried out. 

 Growth should, however, be less 

 vigorous, and a tree root-pruned in the 

 autumn of this year should, as a result, 

 produce flowers and fruits in 1910. — 

 The Garden, Vol. LXXIL, No. 1921. 

 September, 1908. 



