824 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
November 1, 1913 
are injure<l, and decay, in the form of 
canker, not infrequently sets in. 
To avoid all the evils of this kind, keeping 
the trees strong and vigorous^ and always 
in a fruiting condition, should be the aim 
of every grower. The evil of rank growth 
is sometimes aggravated by inclement 
weather destroying all the bloom. Trees, 
therefore, without a crop of fruit to deve¬ 
lop and perfect, especially if growing in a 
soil rich in organic matter, quickly i*un to 
soft wood when thus unbridled. It is with 
trees of this description that root prun¬ 
ing becomes imperative if they are once 
more to be brought back to fruitfulness. 
The operation of root pruning is both a 
check and a stimulus to the trees, as it 
is the means of cutting off, to a certain 
extent, the supply of nitrogenous food, 
and creating fibrous roots, which increases 
the trees’ ability to obtain a larger supply 
these (or, if the soil is heavy and rich in 
humus, basic slag) should be mixed with 
it. The quantity, pro\uded there is plenty, 
does not matter, as these valuable plant 
foods do not go to waste, but remain till 
taken up by the roots. Where there is a 
deficiency of lime in the soil there should 
be a surface dressing of from four to eight 
ounces to the square yard of slaked lime 
in March. In cases where the potash is 
limited in the soil two ounces of kainit to 
the square yard at the time the lime is 
applie<l will have beneficial effects. 
Hibernia. 
PYRAMIDAL FRUIT TREES AT 
POWIS CASTLE. 
The illustration of the kitchen garden at 
Powds Castle that we have the pleasui e of 
course, deiiends upon whether the trm 
have the advantage of skilful management 
or otherwise, for skill of the highest class 
is of greater importance in the case of 
trees that have to be severely pruned to 
m.aintain them of the desired form than 
when the trees can be allowed to grow 
more or less naturally. The gardens at 
Powis Castle have been under the manage¬ 
ment of gardeners of the highest eminence, 
and, as the result, the formally-traiiud 
pyramids, while a constant source of at¬ 
traction, have yielded an abundance of 
fruit of the highest quality. Special at¬ 
tention may with advantiige be diiCcUd to 
the fact that the trees are arranged far 
enough apart to enable them to l>e fully 
exposed to the rays of the sun on all sides, 
and to allow the air to circulate freely 
through and around them. It will lie 
noticed also that the spaces between them 
m 
PYRAMIDAL FRUIT TREES IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN AT POWIS CASTLE. 
of mineral matter. Knowing this, our 
method of root pruning is to work round 
a tree at a certain radius from its stem, 
according to its size, but, as a rule, from 
two and a-half to five feet, with a trench 
two feet wide, and work down the same 
depth. In the process all the roots of a 
fleshy nature met with are cut, and all the 
fibrous ones that can be saved are retained. 
In most instances it is advisable to get 
right under the tree from one side to cut 
away any tap roots. 
At this stage much can be done to 
ensure a plentiful display of fruit buds 
twelve months hence, i.e., by providing an 
ample supply of fruit-producing plant food 
constituents within the reach of the yovng 
rootlets tliat will be formed the following 
year. The best fertilisei for this purpose 
is finely-ground bonemeal, or equal quanti¬ 
ties of bonemeal and superphosphate. In 
returning the soil to the trench either of 
giving herewith is of much interest as 
evidence of the success achieved at this 
famous Welsh seat in the cultivation of 
pyramidal fruit trees. It is of interest 
also as a proof that the importance of 
fully exposing all parts of the tr^ to both 
solar light and a free circulation of air 
is recognised as essential to the production 
of abundant ci'ops of finely-flavoured fruits. 
At the present time the pyramidal style 
of training is not regarded with so much 
favour as it was by the past generation of 
fruit growers. A"et one cannot repress a 
feeling of admiration for the skill of those 
by whom these tree.s wei'e planted, and have 
been brought to their present high degree 
of development. Shapely trees of pyra¬ 
midal form, such as those at Powis Castle, 
have lost some degree of their popularity 
owing to the style of training necessitat¬ 
ing severe pruning, which is not conducive 
to abundant fruit production. Much, of 
are kept free from vegetation of all 
thus rendering it possible to maintain t 
surface soil in a loose state, so hujKirta ^ 
as an aid in the prevention of an 
rate of evaporation. In addition to 
advantage of lieing able to use the 
freely, the cultivator is able to " 
apply rich top-dressings as may he 
sidered desirable. 
:alpha hispida.—Grown 
ffect, the acalphas now dev 
tassels, and water must not 
ne into contact with the tli 
luickly damp; at the same 
sphere must not be be ex* 
or an attack of red spider y 
a. A careful lookout sho^^'LX an^ 
bis pest, and also for white 
d either be detected ftl- 
an insecticide should be resorted 
