272 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
[August 1. 
the hardest and the softest water in making tea ?—I should 
say that whilst with the hard water three cups might be 
made; with the soft water about five might be made. 
“ What extra expenditure of tea then would the use of the 
Thames water incur in making tea ?—Nearly one-third. 
“ That is on all the tea consumed hi the metropolis ?— 
Yes, I have no doubt of it.” 
We must reserve Mr. Holland’s observations and our 
own comments until next week. 
THE ERUIT-GARDEN. 
Root-pruni no. —Jt will appear strange to some persons 
to talk of root-pruning when trees are in full-growth, 
but in all probability a better period cannot be chosen 
than the end of July, for to delay longer with subjects 
requiring the operation, especially if trees of tender 
habit, is to lose a good chance of facilitating the ripen¬ 
ing of the wood. Late growths are antagonistic in all 
cases to the latter process, and if any one doubts it 
let him note his fancy pear-trees at this very period; 
be will find two kinds of shoots—the young ones we 
mean—quite distinct in appearance and in character : 
the one, brown, and peculiarly short in the joints, lias 
ceased growing, or, rather, extending; the other, pale- 
coloured, with the joints or internodes much longer; 
these shoots, probably, growing still, or they have but 
recently ceased. Now, it is tolerably obvious that the 
brown and early ripened shoots here adverted to are 
earlier developments; they are, moreover, in all proba¬ 
bility, the produce of buds which had gained at least 
one step in advance in the previous year towards the 
consummation of nature’s ultimate design—the fruit¬ 
bearing condition. 
Some may ask, “ How is it that this process of nature 
is frequently so indeterminate in character ? ” To this 
it may be answered, that the reproductive principle is 
so dependant on a given amount of light and beat, 
together with an immunity from those sudden impulses 
arising from an undue amount of moisture fitfully 
received at certain periods of high root action, that any 
serious derangement of these great conditions neces 
sarily produces anomalous appearances. Hence the 
embryo blossom-bud—at least that which, through a 
concurrence of the above circumstances, had advanced 
a stage or two in the way of elaboration, and, wo may 
add, concentration—suddenly becomes converted into a 
growing shoot. Who has not seen the common Rho¬ 
dodendron in such an anomalous position? Who has 
not seen a Rose shoot protruding from the centre of a 
blossom ? These, although (it may be) not correctly 
classified in the eyes of our first-class men of science, 
are yet thrown into a position which will aptly enough 
illustrate the matter in hand, and plainly enough show 
that in such cases some of the great ends of nature are 
baffled for awhile, and that “ circumstances (as say the 
lawyers) alter cases.” 
Thus much for the rationale of the affair; come we 
now to the practical application of the principle of root- 
pruning as applied in July or August. 
The first thing to name is this: let every one count 
the cost before be proceeds. By this we mean, that 
because root-pruning is perfectly correct as a last resort, 
let no person root-prune indiscriminately at any period, 
more especially at this. Such a proceeding would be 
what Brother Jonathan terms “ going the whole hog;” 
now this going the wliolo hog is not quito right at all 
times in gardening matters, it is rather too sweeping 
an aflair. Let us put a caso:—One of our worthy 
amateur friends has a favourite Peach or Nectarine, 
a tree which covers many square feet of walling, and 
which nover yet carried a full crop; it is time, how¬ 
ever, says experience and science, that it should do so. i 
Certainly it lias two or three dozen of fine fruit on this i 
year. What, then, should be done? Now this is a 
case which requires a moderate degree of patience; and 
well it is that there exists no act of parliament to compel 
a worthy amateur to crop his roots in the month of 
August. Our advice is, forbear until tho fruit is ga¬ 
thered, and then proceed but by degrees. Throw open 
a trench—a thorough excavation down as low as the 
roots go—but take care even then that you are at a safe 
distance, for we do not wish you so to mutilate the roots 
as that tho leaves shall forthwith bo cast through sheer 
exhaustion. This done a few days, will show whether 
the process has had a strong effect or not on the system 1 
of tho tree. If the leaves actually flag, be assured that 
tho troo has had enough of it for the present; if you see 1 
no difference during a hot sunshine, prepare for auothor 
instalment of punishment, by opening the trench a little 
closer, and by carefully searching for very deep roots, 
on which have no mercy. 
Now, what wo say of the peach and nectarine applies 
to all our other fruits, with some trifling modification of ! 
practico. No tree with which we are acquainted bears 
a moro severe mutilation in this respect than the pear— j 
its vital powers are immense. Under all circumstances 
of dwarfing, however, and early hearing, let no one 
hesitate to root-prune in a judicious way; all fruit¬ 
hearing trees which show signs of that invincible- 
looking coarseness in the young growth, which is the 
certain concomitant, or, as the case may ho, precursor of 
barrenness. 
Nor need the operation he confined to tho fruit-hearing 
trees of the kitehen-garden. The Mulberry , the Walnut, j 
the Chestnut, the Ornamental Thorn, with indeed a host ; 
of other things liable to an amount of luxuriance which 
is inimical to that early fruitfulness which (although not ' 
nature’s way of proceeding) is adapted to the wants of 
man ; all wiU submit to the same operation, provided it 
is applied judiciously. Judicious! Yes. How much 
meaning is comprised within the bounds of this simple 
term. 
Who has not heard of persons famed for certain 
practices, and whoso name lias extended far and wide; 
highly esteemed in a circle capable of appreciating their 
merits ? And, again, who has not heard of projects of 
note from them being either passed over as crotchets, 
or set aside for years after “ a false start” or two ? The 
late lamented Mr. Smith, of Deanston, how frequently 
has he been misunderstood in his groat efforts to 
ameliorate and deepen the thousands of acres in Britain, 
which for generations have thirsted for judicious im¬ 
provements? “ Thorough draining,” said Smith, “ and 
then follow with your subsoiling; thus and thus only 
can the mechanical texture he altered in a permanent 
way.” Many, however, subsoiled first and drained after. 
This indeed made all the difference; still it was called 
“ Smith’s plan.” 
We name these things merely to caution our readers 
as to how they carry out the principles of Mr. A. or Mr. 
B. A mistake, through a non-appreciation of the dic¬ 
tum of the above singularly gifted teachers, wiU mar the 
success of tho whole proceeding. 
By judicious, we not only mean correctness in the 
time of operation, but in the extent of it. This will j 
have been guessed at by our previous digression. It 
will he far better than in the case of trees carrying a 
small crop of fruit, to postpone the root-pruning until 
tho fruit is gathered; for why should the proprietor he 
disappointed in his few jargonelles or his greengages, 
when the process will do as well, or nearly so, in Sep¬ 
tember or October? Still it is possiblo so to open a 
trench at such a distanco from a tree carrying a little 
fruit, as to do little or no injury to the fruit. If such is 
done, wo see no reason to object to it; and the trench 
