82 



THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



of summer is apt to bring on the gnm ; it is a tree, 

 however, with most manageable roots, for they are 

 always near the surface. I must, therefore, again 

 recommend summer pinching to three leaves, as di- 

 rected for pears, p. 8, annual root-pruning, and surface 

 dressing, in preference to any other mode of culture. 

 The annual root-pruning of the plum is performed as 

 follows : — Open a circular trench eighteen inches deep 

 round the tree, eighteen inches from its stem, and cut 

 off every root and fibre with a sharp knife. When the 

 roots are so pruned, introduce a spade under one side 

 of the tree, and heave it over so as not to leave a 

 single tap-root ; fill in your mould, give a top dressing 

 of manure, and it is finished. The diameter of your 

 circular trench must be slowly increased as years roll 

 on ; for you must, each year, prune to within one and 

 a half or two inches of the stumps of the former year. 

 Your circular mass of fibrous roots will thus slowly 

 increase, your tree will make short and well-ripened 

 shoots, and bear abundantly. From very recent ex- 

 perience, I have found that removing trees annually, 

 if the soil be rich — biennially, and adding some rich 

 compost, if it be poor — without root-pruning, will keep 

 plum trees in a healthy and fertile state. For further 

 particulars on this head, see pp. 13 and 14. 



Pyramidal plum trees are most beautiful trees both 

 when in flower and fruit. Their rich purple and 

 golden crop has an admirable effect on a well-managed 

 pyramid. No stock has yet been found to cramp the 

 energies of the plum tree. I have, however, tried 

 experiments on the sloe, which, as it never forms a 

 tree of any bulk, effects this object to a certain extent. 



