COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



601 



pots during the voyage they must necessarily take up a great deal of 

 room, and the watering would have to be very carefully attended to, or 

 all the buds would be "thrown." If, on the other hand, they were stored 

 in the hold of the ship, they would probably be very warm and would in 

 consequence rush out into growth, which would become bleached in the 

 darkness, and would be more than useless when brought up into the light. 

 Notwithstanding, it would be an interesting experiment to try. 



Roots and Manures. 



Here are some questions we have been asked, and the answers given 

 to the best of our ability. They may interest others besides those first 

 concerned. 



1. "Is it not the case that the fibrous roots of an Apple tree nourish 

 the fruit, and have to do with it generally, rather than the larger roots ?" 



Such is generally considered to be the case, but it would be a very 

 difficult thing to prove. In any case the object of the cultivator should 

 be to encourage fibrous roots near the surface of the soil, where they will 

 receive all the benefits of light and warmth and air, and promote sturdy 

 short-jointed fruitful wood. The long, large, deep roots are usually 

 associated with superabundant growth and long, gross, sappy shoots. 



2 " \Yhere a tree is making wood sufficiently, and therefore in no 

 special need of nitrogenous manuring, is it a matter of any consequence 

 to apply manure only so fa?' as the root area extends and not beyond it, 

 thereby discouraging root extension and consequently wood-growth? " 



A good and generally safe rule to follow is to give no nitrogenous 

 manure at all unless the growth of the trees is weakly, or unless they are 

 bearing a very heavy crop of fruit. In the latter case it is better to 

 spread the manure all over the root circle, but in the former to spread it 

 slightly beyond it, so as to encourage the roots both to extend and also to 

 keep near the surface. 



3. " I have always understood that farmyard manure applied in winter 

 favours wood growth in fruit trees, and therefore may cause a lessened 

 1 setting ' of the fruit, owing to the manure being over-rich in nitrogen. 

 Is this mischievous tendency (if the suggestion be correct) properly 

 counteracted by extra applications of phosphatic and potassic manures, 

 artificial of course?" 



Xo doubt it would — but wood growth may possibly be needed. As a 

 matter of fact, all manuring should be done with the most careful judg- 

 ment. If, for example, the trees are comparatively barren and are making 

 satisfactory growth, no manure at all of any sort or at any time should be 

 given ; whereas if the trees are exactly the opposite, crowded with bloom- 

 buds and making hardly any growth, farmyard manure in winter (i.e. 

 February) might do them good. As a general rule, winter is not a good 

 time for manuring fruit trees ; for, supposing frost to come during the 

 blooming time, little if any fruit will set, and the manure in that case will 

 probably cause strong long- jointed wood, comparatively devoid of fruit 

 buds for the following year, whereas if the manure be withheld until the 

 fruit is set, a very little consideration will decide whether to give manure 

 or not, according to the heaviness of the crop set. Moreover, at this later 



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