370 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



Fig. 130. 



cheaper rate than those mutilated and expen- 

 sive deformities nurtured in pots." 



Fig. 129 shows the state of the roots of a tree 

 that has never been confined to the circum- 

 scribed limits of pot cul- 

 ture, fig. 130 that of one 

 which has. In the former, 

 the roots are extending 

 in all directions near the 

 surface in search of food ; 

 in the latter, their free 

 produce has a direct ten- 

 dency downwards, where 

 they neither can derive 

 food, nor, from their posi- 

 tion, have the same effect 

 as the former in maintain- 

 ing the perpendicular po- 

 sition of the tree. 



In such a condition, and 

 much worse, will be found 

 the roots of camellias, and 

 other plants grown in 

 pots, where care has not 

 been taken at shifting to 

 disentangle them, and af- 

 ford them more space for 

 their horizontal exten- 

 Fig. 131 shows 

 the state of a fruit or 

 forest tree subjected in early life to pot cul- 

 ture ; and the same effect will be produced on 

 the roots of many trees when planted in pits 



Fig. 131. 



EFFliCTS OF POT CULTURE 



on roots. sion 



EFFECTS OF COMPRESSED ROOTS ON WOOD, ETC. 



with their sides walled round with undisturbed 

 soil, as referred to page 358, when speaking of 

 the necessity of preparing the soil previous to 

 planting. In fig. 1 31 it will be seen that, where 

 the roots have been most confined and con- 

 torted, the supply of sap thrown into the side 

 of the tree immediately above them has been 

 limited and irregular, as seen by the smaller and 

 irregular portions of the annular rings in the 

 transverse section of the trunk ; whereas, 

 again, where the root a has had the means of 

 penetrating deeper into the soil, and conse- 

 quently been enabled to collect a greater amount 



of sap food, the annular rings above it are larger 

 and more uniform in size. 



Transplanting fruit trees with a view to correct 

 over-luxuriancy of growth, and to induce them to 

 form blossom-buds.— This operation may be re- 

 garded as a species of root-pruning, and the 

 effects will be found to be similar. Taking up 

 a tree entirely enables the operator not only to 

 regulate the state of the roots better than 

 merely root-pruning, as usually performed, but 

 it also enables him to bring the roots nearer to 

 the surface, should they have been over-deep 

 before, and also affords an excellent opportunity 

 of removing the exhausted or bad subsoil, re- 

 placing it with better, or of draining or vault- 

 ing under it, if deemed necessary. Root-prun- 

 ing and taking up and replanting are the very 

 opposites to severe branch-pruning. All fruit 

 trees may be thus treated with much advantage, 

 and those which, by reason of their great age, 

 have ceased to bear fruit, and even make little 

 or no wood, in consequence of the flow of the 

 sap becoming sluggish, will, when root-pruned 

 and replanted in fresh soil, assume a renewed 

 vigour, become fruitful and healthy. We lately 

 saw two apricot trees which had been planted 

 thirty years, and had ceased to produce fruit, 

 and appeared to be in the last stage of decay ; 

 by being taken up and replanted in fresh soil, 

 they became as vigorous and productive as they 

 were when only twelve years old. — (Vide Root- 

 pruning.) 



Taking up and replanting fruit trees, without 

 any curtailment of their roots beyond those 

 that may be broken or injured during the ope- 

 ration, is somewhat different from mere root- 

 pruning, both in the operation and in its effects. 

 The intention in the latter case is a curtailment 

 of the stronger roots, which are known to be 

 the chief collectors of ciude and superabundant 

 food, which for the most part goes to the forma- 

 tion of coarse watery shoots, themselves the 

 very emblems of sterility. The lifting and re- 

 planting process affects this also, and besides, 

 if performed every two or three years, accord- 

 ing to the state of the trees, brings about a 

 state of productiveness in them, by transforming 

 the coarse, watery, barren shoots into short, 

 firm, well-matured wood, fully set with flower- 

 buds. Another advantage attends the lifting 

 process, which root-pruning does not so com- 

 pletely effect : the trees are prevented in spring 

 from pushing too early, as the food is longer of 

 being collected, and hence the ascent of the sap 

 is proportionably delayed. We all know that 

 the later in spring vegetation is excited, the 

 greater chance there is of the blossoms escaping 

 our destructive late spring frosts, and the greater 

 will be the chance of a good set of fruit. Mr 

 Marnock, in referring to this process, observes : 

 " But this is not all ; for just as the greatest 

 demand is being made upon the tree by the 

 swelling and ripening of the fruit, the roots are 

 becoming stronger and more numerous, and 

 entering into the recently disturbed, and it may 

 be new earth. They are in this way enabled to 

 swell off and ripen the fruit in a manner supe- 

 rior to what they would if merely root-pruned 

 or not lifted at all. It is not difficult," he 



