FRUIT TREES AND THEIR CULTURE. 
491 
unless blights destroy the blossom or the fruit 
after setting, in which case, there being no fruit 
to take up the nourishment which the tree has 
provided, the germs of leaves and branches 
are excited, and there is a much more rapid 
growth than there would have been had the 
fruit remained on. So also, it may be observed, 
that while excess of sap is provided for the 
rapid growth of branches, the trees will not 
begin to bear fruit, and this is sometimes 
manifested in a curious manner by twenty 
years of growth before a fruit is borne. The 
case we have cited, and the proposed cure, 
demonstrate this. 
In planting fruit trees to form an orchard, 
some regard should be had to the soil, for it 
is better to sacrifice a little convenience in 
the plan of the orchard to secure good loamy 
soil, than to study convenience only, and 
entail the expense of making the ground, 
which must be looked upon as a temporary 
measure, securing present good but not per- 
manent benefit. If the loam be pretty deep 
and tolerably good, plant without any addition 
whatever. If it be shallow, there must be 
holes made, and the soil that is good thrown 
on one side to be used again, while the hun- 
gry or sour stuff may be thrown out on the 
other side to be rejected altogether. These 
holes ought to be four feet across and two 
feet deep, and the good soil should be re- 
turned into them, and they may be filled up 
with the top spit or half spit taken from all 
round about the hole, and, if necessary, all 
over the ground, and the sour or hungry re- 
jected soil should be spread abroad in its 
place. The holes being made at the distances 
intended for the trees, which may be close or 
wide apart according to the wish of the owner, 
should be in straight rows, say twenty to 
twenty-five feet apart in the row, and the 
rows from thirty to forty yards from each 
other. A tree should be planted in the middle 
of each, and they -should be procured^ from 
the nurseries with all their roots about them 
undamaged. It is necessary to examine the 
roots, to cut off all the bruised ends, to shorten 
all vigorous shoots, and especially to remove 
any root that may be growing downwards, as 
it would naturally grow directly downwards, 
and become a tap root ; cut such roots pretty 
close up to the bottom of the tree, remove 
also, or shorten, all straggling or vigorous 
shoots from the head, first to bring it into 
regular and proper shape, and, secondly, to 
lessen the quantity of growth to be sustained; 
cut out also all thin and weak shoots, for they 
are useless, and militate against a good whole- 
some growth. The trees thus prepared may 
be planted in the centre of each hole, always 
premising that the soil has been allowed to 
settle down properly. All planting should be 
shallow ; the nearer the surface the roots 
grow the better, so that they are fairly 
covered, for they will grow downwards fast 
enough. If it be an object to throw the tree 
into bearing early without reference to the 
ultimate growth of the tree, the root may be 
pruned in pretty freely; but a moderate 
pruning is the best, such as shortening any 
of the strong portions which seem inclined to 
ramble, and always cutting off any portions 
inclined to form tap or carrot-looking roots. 
This is sufficient in general. "When the tree is 
planted a hole should be opened larger than 
the root, but very shallow, and shallowest in 
the middle ; in fact, the bottom ought to be 
rising in the middle. The roots then slope 
downwards all round, and the soil may be 
filled in, so as to go between all the roots and 
to cover them, when the earth should be trod- 
den firmly down. In addition to the treading 
the plants in firmly, there should be three 
stakes driven into the ground two feet from 
the tree, and sloping so as to press the trunk ; 
and where these three stakes press the trunk 
they should be tied firmly, placing, however, 
some hay or straw next the trunk, that the 
bark may not be damaged by pressure. These 
will effectually prevent the root from being 
disturbed by the wind, which would other- 
wise blow the trees about and perhaps destroy 
them altogether, for the small roots would be 
broken off and greatly damaged ; even if they 
were placed right again on the ground, the 
slightest wind would again disturb them. 
These trees would make considerable growth 
the first season. It is desirable to watch this 
growth, and if any branch is growing more 
vigorously than the rest, and running away, 
as it were, from a proper growth, remove it 
altogether if it can be spared, or shorten it if 
it cannot be spared. If there is much growth 
of small twig-like shoots, remove some or all ; 
the object is to let the head grow of a goodly 
form, spreading equally all round, and if any 
branches cross each other, or are too close, 
one should be removed to give room. Also, 
if the shoots grow inwards, and would crowd 
the head, let such be cut away, or rubbed off 
while young, for unless trees are open enough 
to let in sun and air the fruit will not come 
fine, and all this applies to every fruit tree. 
The trees will make vigorous growth, as the 
soil cannot fail to agree with them if it all 
consists of the top spit or half spit of even 
ordinary mould. Perhaps the most easy 
method of setting about an orchard, when you 
are obliged to use the surface to fill up holes 
and spread the bad stuff on the surface, is, to 
rob it a little all round each hole : say the hole 
is four feet across and two feet six inches 
deep, first throw back the top spit of the hole 
itself, and then dig the top spit off all round 
