THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 
311 
state. Make stations ready at once for all trees to be planted. A 
deep bole opened at the time of planting is a mere mockery ; the 
ground should be deeply stirred now, and left in a very rough condi- 
tion ; but the holes should not be made till wanted, as by that time 
they might happen to be full of water. It is a good plan, when 
about to purchase trees, to go to the nursery while they are in leaf, 
and mark all the trees selected with the purchaser’s name. Let 
no fruit hang after this date ; those not ripe must ripen in-doors ; 
it is too much risk to leave them out any longer. Unfruitful 
trees may be improved by commencing at once to root-prune, 
manure, or drain the soil. The nature of the cure must depend 
upon the cause of barrenness. If the trees have attained a bearing 
age, and are over-luxuriant, root-prune by this simple method : — 
Open the soil three parts round each tree, at a distance from the 
stem of from two to four feet, according to the size of the tree. The 
roots must be cut back to a general average of two, or three, or 
four feet, except the part where the soil was not opened, where the 
roots will remain, of course, their original length. The roots cut 
back to be carefully laid out near the surface, and a little fresh soil 
used in tilling in. Jfext season open the soil on the side left undis- 
turbed the year before, and there cut the roots to the same distance as- 
before, and so on annually or biennially, according to the growth 
they make. Old trees that have borne for many years, and are 
getting weak, to have the surface soil thinly pared off, and a layer of 
new sod laid down over the roots, and above that a layer of dung only 
slightly rotted. Where grapes are to hang some time, all decaying 
berries must be cut out from time to time, and the atmosphere kept 
dry. Cut away all the sappy and softer ends of the rods, without 
respect to the system of pruning adopted ; this will cause the 
remaining buds on. the rods to swell nicely, and promote their 
ripening. 
Flower Gaedek. — American plants may be moved now better 
than at any other period of the year. Whoever plants these must 
be sure, in the first instance, that the soil is suitable. Many of the 
natural loams about London suit them admirably ; and, on the other 
hand, there are many otherwise good loams in which they will not 
grow at all. It is only to be determined by experience on the 
spot ; and where there is any doubt, the only safe course is to cart 
in peat from the nearest source of supply in the district. We use a 
mixture of yellow loam and peat from Wanstead — equal parts — and 
prefer it to all other soils for fine-rooted plants. Pontic rhodo- 
dendrons and their varieties are the least particular about soil of any 
of the race. Some of the best hybrids will grow in any leafy mix- 
ture with plenty of sand. Clay or chalk will never do for any of the 
race, but loamy turf and leaf-mould are of great service, either to 
increase the bulk of peat where it is an expensive article, or to take 
its place entirely where it is difiicult to obtain it. In any case, 
American plants must have a soil in which their fine hair-like roots 
can run, and quite free from salts of lime, which poison them ; good 
fibry peat is the only material in which any great variety can be 
grown, and that is abundant in almost every part of the country. 
October. 
