CCXXxii PKOCEEDINGS OF THE EOYAL HOETICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



recommended, and the spraying of the trees with potassium sulphide or 

 ammoniacal copper carbonate. If, however, the trees are sprayed against 

 "scab," that operation will tend to keep the "bitter-rot " in check. 



Fruit-growing Experiments. — The Council awarded a Certificate of 

 Appreciation to His Grace the Duke of Bedford and Mr. Spencer 

 Pickering, F.R.S., for an exhibition of fruit showing the results of 

 experiments in fruit-growing in consideration of its value from an 

 educational point of view. The following account of the exhibit was 

 drawn up by Mr. Pickering : 



The apples exhibited represented, both as regards total weight and 

 size of fruits, the crops obtained during the past fifteen years from dwarf 

 trees on paradise stock under different treatment. The variety shown was 

 Bramley's Seedling ; similar results have been obtained with Cox's Orange 

 Pippin and Potts' Seedling. Three hundred and sixty trees of each of 

 these varieties were planted in 1894 for these experiments. 



The " values " of the crop are obtained by multiplying the total weight 

 of fruit by the average weight of the individual fruits, and these values 

 are in every case compared with that of the crops from similar trees under 

 normal treatment, expressed as one hundred. Normal treatment con- 

 sisted of planting carefully, cutting back at once afterwards, pruning 

 lightly every year, keeping the ground clean, and giving a moderate 

 dressing of a general artificial manure annually. 



Branch Pruning. 



No pruning . . . . Value 131 



Light pruning (normal) „ 100 



Rather harder pruning . . . . „ 71 



Hard pruning ,,28 



Summer pruning ...... 70 



From these results it appears that the less pruning is done, consistent 

 with keeping the trees sturdy and in shape, the better. Similar results 

 have been obtained with over one hundred other varieties ; but weak 

 growing or precocious varieties, naturally, require more pruning. 



It is noticeable that the average size of the fruits has not deteriorated 

 through lack of pruning, whilst the trees are in every respect larger in 

 proportion as pruning has been reduced. 



The summer pruning in the above experiment is actual pruning, not 

 mere stopping or pinching. 



Root Pruning. 



No root pruning (normal) . . Value 100 



Root pruned every fourth year „ 44 



Root pruned every second year . . . „ 7 



Root pruned every year . . „ 1^ 



These results illustrate the severity of the check given to a tree by 

 pruning its roots, and tell strongly against indulging in the practice, 

 unless such a check is required. If severe branch pruning is adopted, 

 root pruning may do good, by re-establishing the balance between 

 branches and roots. 



