JUNE. 
125 
The presence of salt in the soil is also very beneficial to Red Beet, Carrots, 
and 1’arsnips, but in these several cases it should be applied on the surface after 
the ground is trenched in the winter, and either forked in then or else left for 
a time to dissolve, but must be well incorporated with the soil some time before 
sowing the seed. A good-sized handful to the square yard is enough for these 
for one dressing. Always recollect that where the use is doubtful it is best to 
use small quantities. I had almost forgotten Celery, which, as another sea-side 
plant, will bear a liberal application of salt without injury. I generally apply 
it, diluted in the water which is used for it, to the amount of a small handful 
in a pot of water, which is quite enough at a time if the dose is often repeated. 
Salt applied to Potatoes is very beneficial; it should be strewed over the sur¬ 
face of the ground after the sets are planted, and the ground levelled, and a 
proportion of ten bushels to the acre is sufficient when it is done annually. 
The above are most of the culinary crops to which it will be found appli¬ 
cable, but there is another important use for it in the economy of the kitchen 
garden, and that is for all the stone fruits. Peaches, Plums, Cherries, and 
Apricots, are all benefited by the presence of salt in the soil, and in the rota¬ 
tion of cropping fruit tree borders whenever a crop is put on W'hich will, as I 
should term it, take salt, it should never be omitted, as the rains will wash 
down the superabundance to the roots of the trees, and thus act in a similar , 
manner as the application of maiden soil, the great utility of which I have 
often thought may be due to the presence of saline matter in the soils in some 
form or other. In addition to the above, whenever a border is vacant and 
turned up to lie fallow for some time, a dressing of salt may be given with the 
best effects. Some years ago I had a small Brugnon Nectarine, evidently 
dying fast, and, in fact, so far condemned that I thought I would try a kill-or- 
cure experiment upon it, and having a quantity of strong brine in which meat 
had been pickled, I poured it over the branches and soil a short time before 
the bloom expanded. There was enough, as I thought, to kill any tree, but to 
my surprise the tree recovered and grew better than it had ever done before. 
I mention this to show that salt, even in excess, is not hurtful to stone fruits; 
but let me observe that I do not recommend such an extreme mode of proce¬ 
dure, but rather that the inexperienced practitioner should feel his way in small 
doses, which always do good, and never harm. 
John Cox] 
MANAGEMENT OF THE ROOTS OF WALL TREES. 
It is invariably the practice with gardeners to crop over the roots of wall 
trees with vegetables, irrespective of the trees that are growing upon it, 
expressly with the object of getting their crops as early to maturity as possible. 
Although the practice is deprecated by all who have a thorough knowledge of 
its effects, early vegetables are, for the period, as great a consideration as the 
produce of fruit from the walls ; and these warm borders are of such great value 
in our uncertain and trying climate, that under the best considerations the 
roots of trees must be left to take their chance. 
All the wall borders are cropped here with the exception of a Peach- 
border, which has a drainage of 18 inches of stones, and only a depth of 
20 inches of soil. The health and vigour of two trees with the crops they 
bear, give full evidence of the great advantage they derive from having it to 
themselves. Those borders which I have constantly cropped pains are taken 
to obviate the injurious effects upon the roots under them by the operation of 
