COMMON MISTAKES IX FKUIT CULTUEE. 
317 
COMMON MISTAKES IN FRUIT CULTURE. 
By Mr. George Bunyaed, V.M.H. 
[Kead November 20, 1900.] 
Biography teaches us that ultimate success is often the offspring of 
repeated failures, carefully looked into, and strenuously wrestled with; and 
it is allowed that we often learn more from our downright failures than 
when all goes smoothly, and I therefore trust these few negative remarks 
may be of service to some of the Fellows of this Society. 
One of the most widespread errors in Fruit culture is that of 
planting too deeply in the first instance, and thus the useful and fruit - 
supporting roots are situated beyond the influence of sun and air, and 
naturally perish, the result being manifested in the trees making strong 
unripened growth, leading to canker and unfertile spurs, with inferior 
fruit, specked and cracked by fungoid growths. 
As a general rule, all Apples on the Paradise stock, and Pears on the 
Quince stock, should be planted in such a manner that the junction of 
scion and stock shall be one inch beneath the level of the soil. One of 
our best gardeners tells me that some trees he had did not progress, and 
he found they were planted wrongly, but on earthing them up with rich 
old potting soil they at once recovered. The new soil in this case pro- 
bably induced the formation of new surface roots, which would account 
for the recovery of the trees. 
Trees upon Free stocks (Crab, Pear, and Plum) should be planted 
with their roots as close to the surface as possible, so that the upper 
fibres are just covered by the soil, and in no case deeper than they have 
been growing in the nursery. The earth mark will be a safe guide for 
planting. It will sometimes happen in newiy formed gardens that fresh soil, 
manure, &c., are added to the borders after the trees are planted. This is 
fatal to success ; and where this is noticed the trees should be lifted, 
root- pruned, and replanted. We frequently see wall trees buried almost 
up to the branches. Newly planted wall trees should not be nailed to 
the walls until April, as, if the ground where they are planted sinks, 
they become " hung up," and the newly formed root fibres are destroyed. 
Where vine borders are often heavily top-dressed, the roots become 
buried too deeply to get the benefit of needful sun, warmth, and air. 
In this case the surface should be removed until healthy roots are 
discovered, when they should be carefully fed with a thin layer of fresh 
loamy soil. For, as is well known, " shank " and mildew are produced by 
want of root power, as well as by half-ripened wood. 
In orchards, trees are far too often planted by inexperienced hands, 
and a large hole may be dug, which acts as a water trap in winter ; and 
in heavy land the soil cracks in summer, and the trees have a hard 
struggle to live. They should be planted, at first, rather above the 
general level, as they are sure to sink a httle ; and the surface soil 
should be kept open by hoeing, which will keep it from cracking, nor will 
