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XLIX. On a System of Pruning Fruit Trees. In a Letter to 

 the Secretary. By Mr. Henry Crace. 



Read November 2, 1841. 



Sir, 



Allow me to draw the attention of the Society to a system of 

 pruning fruit trees, which I have adopted for some years ; and as 

 experience has shewn, with, I think, complete success. 



My object was to regenerate a tree, (if I may so express myself) ; 

 that is to say to make the old branches which have become barren, 

 reproduce bloom-buds, even down to within a few inches of the 

 graft ; and I have so far succeeded, as to have fruit at this moment 

 hanging on wood which had ceased bearing at least twenty years. 



I should premise that I have resided for twelve years, on land, 

 the natural soil of which was about nine inches, with a subsoil 

 of an inveterately strong clay. 



My first operation in taking this brick field, (for such it was), 

 was to cut trenches twelve inches deep in the clay, and to fill them 

 up with brick drains, three inches broad ; these I repeated every 

 fifteen feet across my garden ; conducting them into a tank. My 

 next point was to cover the ground with lime rubbish, and street 

 sweepings ; and to trench the whole to the depth of the good soil. 

 (I have subsequently been adding thus to the soil annually with a 

 plentiful supply of stable dung, so that at present I have upwards 

 of two feet of good soil.) I then planted my trees on my ground, 

 not in it, as is customary, by raising small hillocks, and placing 

 the trees upon them. 



I next fastened down the larger roots of the larger trees, with 

 small wooden pegs, to prevent irritation from the action of the 



