October 3, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
69 
LIFTING THE ROOTS OF PEACH 
TREES. 
Perhaps it is not generally known among our 
amateur readers what beneficial results follow the careful 
lifting of the roots of Peach and Nectarine trees when 
they are not in a very satisfactory state. Trees grown 
either indoors or out, and which bear leaves of a sickly 
colour ; which do not either set nor swell their fruits 
kindly ; or which make gross exuberant wood that never 
ripens and only falls a prey to canker and other diseases, 
should be taken in hand at once. Where either of the 
above symptoms are present, if the trees have been 
planted in prepared borders, in all probability, on 
examination, it will be found that the main roots have 
passed through the drainage beneath and have entered 
the inert soil, and the longer they have been in this 
state the worse condition they will be in, or it may be 
that the soil in the border surrounding the roots may 
not be of a suitable nature, in which case similar results 
will follow. 
In commencing the operation of lifting the roots, it 
is best to commence by opening a good-sized trench far 
enough away from the stem of the tree — 5 ft. or 6 ft. is 
not a bit too far for a large tree—and the trench should 
be opened out to its full depth to commence with. If a 
prepared border, go down to the drainage, and if unpre¬ 
pared, 2 ft. to 3 ft. is not a bit too deep, and in the 
operation all the roots are cut clean through with the 
spade. Then commence to break down the soil from 
among the roots with a five-tined fork, removing all 
the loose soil with a shovel from the bottom of the 
trench. The work is continued in this way until we get 
to within a fev r inches of the bole of the tree. If there 
are many roots it will be necessary to either tie them 
carefully on one side, or have a boy to hold them aside 
as the work of forking between them proceeds. If the 
tree is to remain in its present position, it may now be 
undermined to find out if there are any roots that go 
straight down, as it is best to make a good job of it 
when once taken in hand. 
When this has been completed, it will be necessary 
to look carefully to the drainage, and if the same has 
got filled up with earth it should be taken right out, 
the loose soil removed and the nibble placed back, 
laying the largest pieces at the bottom, and the smaller 
pieces over them, and over the whole place some turf 
grass side downwards, or some litter to keep the finer 
particles of soil from passing among them again. The 
border need not be very deep, one from 18 in. to 2 ft. 
we prefer. After the drainage is complete, we return 
some of the soil over it, and commence to relay the 
roots, covering each layer with a few shovels of maiden 
loam, with a little mortar rubble mixed with it, 
shaking the soil well amongst the roots. This alternate 
layer of roots and soil is continued until the whole are 
replaced, keeping the majority near the surface of the 
border. 
The onlv pruning or shortening back that is done 
is, cutting the ends with a sharp knife where they 
had been cut with the spade, and shortening back a few 
of the long thong-like roots that are destitute of 
fibres. The soil should be made moderately firm as it 
is placed over the roots. The loose soil remaining, 
should be made to form a basin a yard across about the 
bole of the tree, and in this should be poured a good 
quantity of water, in fact, filling it^to the brim and 
allowing it to soak away gradually, which it will do 
and carry the fine particles of soil down among the 
roots, and settle the whole in a manner impossible to do 
otherwise. 
This work should be performed as soon after the 
fruit is gathered in the late house, and out of doors as 
circumstances will permit, and in bright weather the 
trees should be syringed frequently to keep them fresh, 
but little water will be required at the roots for a time 
if a thorough soaking has been given at first. Treated 
in this way I have known trees to be thoroughly 
restored, and in the next season to flower, set well, 
make good wood, and ripen a fair crop of fruit far 
better than they did the season they were taken in 
hand. Some might think it almost hopeless to expect 
a crop of fruit from trees treated to such a severe 
ordeal, but some trees we took in hand here some 
three years ago, bore a thoroughly good crop the next 
season, and have gone on improving ever since. We 
have noted another tree or two which will be taken in 
hand in the course of a few days, in a similar manner 
to those above described. — C. Warden. 
THE VICAR’S GARDEN. 
A most powerful argument in favour of the more 
extensive cultivation of hardy herbaceous plants, may 
be found in noting the striking contrast in the display 
between those gardens in which the ordinary bedding 
plants are mainly depended upon, and those in which 
the hardy plants are the mostprominentfeature. Astroll 
through the Vicar’s Garden any time lately after the 
drenching rains of the past few weeks, would be enough 
to convince the most sceptical on the point. The beds 
of Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, &c., present a most 
forlorn appearance, while the Sunflowers, Rudbeckias, 
Liliums, Galtonias, Phloxes, Eryngiums, Anemone ja- 
pouica, Golden rod and Tritomas proudly hold aloft their 
heads of flowers in defiance of wind and rain, forming 
a picture which an artist would delight to paint, and 
which the most skilful floral decorator would hardly 
excel. Where under the bedding system a paucity of 
Tkitoma Uvahia. 
flowers would be the complaint, here an almost super¬ 
abundance of them is found, and that an endless variety 
for many of those enumerated in past notices are still 
in bloom. 
For a front row plant to coverithe ground where 
some of the early bulbous plants stood, a somewhat 
free use has been made of Tagetes signata pumila, and 
it gives the front of the borders a very gay appearance, 
forming besides a good set off to the more massive 
Rudheekias, Coreopsis, Helianthus, &e. Judicious use 
is made of single and Pompon Dahlias, which add much 
to the general effect that at the present time would not 
be so good without them ; summer-flowering Chry¬ 
santhemums are introduced here and there, Madame 
Desgrange being a long way the best, a plant that 
ought to be considered indispensable in every garden. 
To insure an effective display throughout the season a 
fair knowledge of the plants and their requirements is 
indispensable, for a careless arrangement can only be 
productive of the most indescribable j umble. Careful 
forethought as to the height, colour, and habit of the 
plants is a prime necessity in order to bring about 
satisfactory results. 
The cultivation of hardy herbaceous plants entails a 
considerable amount of labour, if well done, and unless 
they are the garden will have a more or less weedy 
appearance. All dead flowers and leaves should be 
constantly removed, and a sharp look out be kept to 
see that the stronger growers are not allowed to 
smother their weaker neighbours. To a lover of flowers 
for their own sake, the cultivation of these must always 
offer immense attractions above the ordinary bedding 
plants, from early spring till winter a very kaleidoscope 
of floral beauty may be kept up by those who have the 
means at their disposal. 
Since our last notice the principal fresh things that 
have come into flower are Statice latifolia, a plant 
which should find a place in every garden, as its flowers 
last a long time, and are most useful in a bouquet ; 
Galtonia (Hvacintlius)jcandicans, excellent for dotting 
about the borders, its tall spikes of lily white flowers 
borne aloft among dwarfer things, producing an unique 
effect; Tigridia pavonia (T. pavonia alba has not 
flowered this season), and Eucomis punctata, this has 
been planted out without the least protection, and has 
flowered well during the last four seasons ; it is a very 
distinct and beautiful thing, and delightfully fragrant. 
Here also now are fine spikes of Lilium Fortunei 
flore pleno, which are very effective and last longer in 
bloom than the single form. Eryngium amethystiniun 
and E. maritimum, showy, blue, thistle-like plants. 
Large plants of TritomaUvariawitli their fine spikes of 
brilliant red flowers among other plants and shrubs are 
very telling, and seen at long distances. Zauschneria 
californiea is in fine form ; and among Sunflowers, 
Helianthus multiflorus maximus is the giant, being 
quite 10 ft. in height and very good. — JF. B. G. 
-->X<-- 
CROXBY HOUSE GARDENS. 
We referred to these gardens, planted originally by 
the late Mr. Charles Lee, and now in the hands of 
Messrs. W. and E. Wells, market gardeners, some two 
or three months since (see p. 756, vol. i.), mentioning 
that the orchard trees there growing and fruiting so 
finely rendered a later visit desirable. Perhaps a little 
too late, we looked in upon Mr. Thompson very recently, 
and found that not a few of the finest Apples and many 
of the earliest Pears had been gathered, for the seasons 
wait for no man. Hence, when fruits are ready they 
must be gathered and sold or be spoilt. But of one 
kind of Pear, that very fine early variety Souvenir du 
Congres, there were some thirty bushels lying in a 
fruit loft, the greater part very fine samples indeed, 
and almost all taken from free-growing standards some 
eight to ten years planted, of which in the orchard there 
are large numbers ; indeed, almost throughout a standard 
tree of some kind alternates with a pyramid on free 
stock or on the quince. 
In addition to this thirty bushels of the Souvenir du 
Congres in the lofts, there yet remained on trees some 
twenty bushels more, generally a fine sample, but as 
one side of the orchard is evidently on gravel, whilst 
on the opposite side the soil is more holding, the growth 
of the trees, and superior quality of the fruit in the 
latter case was very apparent. Souvenir du Congres 
has a stiff erect habit of growth, but the fruit very 
nearly resembles that of Williams’s Bon Chretien, whilst 
it has the merit of being later in ripening, and makes 
a good suceessional market variety. On the point of 
quality, perhaps, it is not superior to the renowned 
“Williams’,” but certainly it is abetter keeper, and 
that is something. On the other hand, it can hardly 
be held that Souvenir du Congres is so good an average 
cropper ; indeed, we learn that the large number of 
trees which have so finely fruited this season are prac¬ 
tically fruiting at all respectably for the first time. But 
then Mr. Thompson holds, with regard to standard 
trees, that once the ice is broken, as it were, fruiting 
will continue with fair regularity. Of course it is 
notorious that standards are always much longer in 
producing their first crops of fruit than are dwaif trees, 
especially those on dwarfing stocks ; but whilst this fact 
sometimes leads to the sneer that planting standards is 
for posterity, we must not forget that our progenitors 
in their planting did not forget our requirements, and it 
would be selfish were we to forget the needs of our 
children. 
But of Pears the piece dc resistance of this orchard is 
without doubt Louise Bonne of Jersey, of which there 
are, especially on quince-rooted pyramids, marvellous 
crops of beautiful fruit. When we mention pyramid 
