54 On the Cultivation of French Pears in Scotland, fyc. 



border receives more solar heat, which contributes to accelerate 

 and augment the fertile habit of the tree. 



As to the second error — that of accumulating too much fine mould 

 without a due proportion of stony substance — Mr. D. remarks that, 

 in the natural soils in which trees best grow, we can seldom pene- 

 trate, even in carse lands, above a foot below the surface, without 

 meeting with stones and other substances favourable both to the 

 developement and preservation of fibrous roots. And in local situ- 

 ations, famed for the production of fine fruit or hard-wooded trees, 

 an examination of the soil and sub-soil will shew them to possess the 

 characters above-mentioned, and to be thus favourable to the form- 

 ation and preservation of fibrous roots. In no instance ought we to 

 collect above two feet of fine earth in a border, without, at the same 

 time, mixing with it a due proportion of small stones, or other solid 

 substances. Such an intermixture of stony bodies contributes not 

 only to augment the number of fibrous roots, but to prevent the 

 accumulation of too much moisture in the winter months. 



As the result of his inquiries and experience, Mr. D. recom- 

 mends the following mode of forming a border, as suitable for 

 every variety of fruit-tree which we are in the custom of raising 

 against walls. He would make the border at least twenty feet wide : 

 it should be composed of two and a half feet in depth of good soil, 

 rather light, with one foot of broken whinstones and lime rubbish, 

 and one foot of cow and stable dung. These several ingredients 

 should be thoroughly mixed together, and when the whole has 

 been levelled, another foot of fine mould should be spread over the 

 whole surface. The walks he would lay down on the surface of the 

 border at the distance often or twelve feet from the wall ; and this 

 should be done in such a manner as that the surface of the border 

 may have a gentle slope from the wall to the walk, and the slope 

 then be continued from the walk to the natural surface of the 

 ground. On no account must the sub-soil be disturbed. 



