By Mr. John Mearns, 



89 



or eight inches from the top of my border, not even sparing the 

 small roots ; and also a foot or eighteen inches from the extremity 

 of the border, so as to clear away all the roots matted against the 

 wall, and fill up the trench as at first with fresh turfy soil, and 

 forking a portion in amongst the roots over all the border, so as to 

 raise it a little above its former height ; by this practice the trees 

 are sufficiently renovated for three or four years more, and do not 

 receive such a check as by the Dutch practice. It is astonishing 

 to see the extraordinary accumulation of spongelets which have 

 ramified through every part of the fresh soil by the time the fruit 

 has stoned. 



No tree will thrive, whatever the soil may be, if insects and moss 

 are suffered to harbour upon them ; and the best time to remove 

 them is just when the winter pruning is over ; I then go over every 

 tree about the houses and walls, in the most careful manner; 

 first scraping off all possible extraneous matter, after the trees are 

 taken from the trellis or wall. My composition is as follows : — 



The strongest drainage of the farm-yard one gallon ; soft-soap 

 one lb. ; flowers of brimstone one lb. ; mix ; let all stand for 

 several days, stirring the mixture three or four times a day ; get 

 ready some finely sifted quick-lime, and stir into it, till of the con- 

 sistence of good stiff paint when it is ready to be applied ; its ef- 

 fects are certain and excellent. 



The tools I lay it on with are painters' sash-tools, of different 

 sizes. I coat over, carefully every part of the tree so effectually, 

 that not a bud, chink, or crevice escapes the mixture. I use the 

 whitest lime for my hot-houses, as, when dry I can see any axil 

 of a bud or crevice that may have escaped the first dressing ; and 

 to make sure I go over them two or three times. After such a 

 dressing I find all animalcules so completely destroyed, that neither 

 green fly, thrips, scale, or red spider is to be seen during the season. 



