246 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  22,  900. 
The  Renovation  of  Old  Frnit  Trees. 
(Concluded  from  page  196.) 
I  HAVE  given  in  detail  that  part  of  the  process  of  renovation 
which  applies  to  the  stem  and  branches  of  the  tree.  The  work  does 
not,  however,  stop  here.  A  healthy  and  successful  growth  of  the  tree 
above  ground  is  only  to  be  obtained  in  conjunction  with  an  equally 
healthy  life  underground.  The  development  of  a  tree  is  always  limited 
by  the  existing  conditions  of  its  root  development,  and  therefore  the 
nourishment  of  this  portion  of  the  organism,  at  all  times  exceedingly 
important,  becomes  considerably  more  so  in  the  case  of  old  trees 
such  as  I  am  describing.  For  it  is  obvious  that  wilh  aged  trees,  as 
with  aged  persons,  greater 
care  must  be  bestowed  on 
the  channels  of  vitality  if 
energy  is  to  be  preserved. 
The  need  for  special 
attention  to  the  roots  of 
these  old  trees  is  this: — 
A  different  kind  of  growth 
has  to  be  encouraged ;  a 
growth  which  shall  be 
more  fibrous  and  nearer 
the  surface  than  that  which 
already  exists — fibrous,  for 
the  better  reception  of 
plant  food ;  nearer  the  sur¬ 
face,  that  this  food  may  be 
the  more  easily  supplied. 
In  the  case  of  trees  planted 
in  the  kitchen  garden,  fork 
the  surface  soil  over  lightly 
from  time  to  time,  and  in 
the  autumn  put  on  a  good 
top-dressing  of  farmyard 
manure,  which  shall  be 
allowed  to  remain  through¬ 
out  the  wdnter  to  the 
spring,  by  which  time  the 
goodness  will  have  been 
washed  into  the  soil.  Then 
fork  over  lightly  again, 
add  a  sprinkling  of  some 
good  fertiliser,  and  work 
well  into  the  soil.  If  dry 
weather  sets  in,  mulch 
again  with  farmyard 
manure  and  moisten  as 
often  as  is  necessary  with 
plain  water  or  with  what 
is  much  better  if  it  is 
available,  liquid  manure 
from  the  farmyard.  In 
this  way  surface  roots  are 
encouraged. 
It  may  also  be  added 
that  a  top-dressing  of  soot 
has  a  tendency  to  bring 
the  roots  upwards.  Having 
done  this,  never  allow  a 
spade  to  be  used  near  the 
trees.  If  they  are  found 
to  be  making  too  much 
wood  and  leaf  without 
fruit  (which  is  rarely  the 
case  with  old  trees),  withhold  the  manure,  but  continue  the  mulching 
throughout  the  summer  with  any  light  material  that  may  be  avail¬ 
able  to  prevent  the  roots  being  damaged  by  the  heat.  If  the  frees 
are  planted  on  grass,  encourage  the  surface  roots  as  much  as  possible 
by  top-dressing  with  farmyard  manure,  and,  if  the  weather  is  dry, 
use  plenty  of  liquid  manure.  Do  not,  however,  allow  the  trees  to 
get  too  dry  before  the  watering  is  commenced,  as  it  is  very  difficult 
to  get  the  water  to  soak  down  when  the  ground  is  too  dry. 
I  have  only  lightly  touched  on  pruning,  but  this  is  one  of  the  most 
important  points  to  be  observed  in  the  renovation  of  old  fruit  trees. 
This  must  be  done  on  somewhat  similar  lines  to  those  adopted  in 
dealing  with  a  young  newly  planted  bush  tree  until  the  head  is 
formed.  Ihere  is  often  a  large  amount  of  vitality  in  an  old  tree,  and 
when  it  is  cut  back  the  young  growths  are  much  stronger  than  in 
newly  planted  ones,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  there  is  more  leafage, 
l^w,  this  pruning  and  regulating  the  growths  have  a  most  marked 
eflEect  on  the  root  action  of  the  tree.  It  seems  that  there  is  a  large 
store  of  potential  energy  which  is  ready  to  come  into  action  as  soon 
as  the  trees  are  cut  back,  for  the  root  and  top  act  simultaneous! 
All  the  weak  spindly  growths  must  be  cut  clean  away,  and  also 
such  of  the  stronger  ones  as  are  not  required  to  form  a  symmetrical 
head.  If  too  much  is  left  a  thicket  of  wood  is  formed  which  is  fit 
only  for  the  birds  to  build  in.  Good,  well-coloured  fruit  can  never  be 
obtained  under  such  circumstances.  Therefore,  regulate  the  young 
growths,  in  order  that  sun  and  air  may  have  full  play  on  every  leaf 
and  bud.  It  will  be  necessary  to  shorten  the  growths,  but  they  must 
be  shortened  back  to  good,  well  ripened  wood.  That  is  absolutely 
necessary,  not  only  to  encourage  more  active  root  action,  but  also 
stronger  wood  and  larger  leaves. 
The  probability  is  that  unless  the  new  growths  are  cut  back  to  well 
matured  wood  the  leaf  will  not  be  more  than  half  the  size  and 
substance  it  should  be. 
The  larger  and  healthier 
the  leaf  the  more  fully 
will  the  fruit  bud  be  de¬ 
veloped,  and  without  a 
well  developed  fruit  bud  it 
is  impossible  to  get  fruit. 
It  is  obvious  that  judicious 
pruning  is  of  the  utmost 
importance,  and  should  go 
on  from  year  to  year.  Thou¬ 
sands  of  trees  are  left 
entirely  to  chance,  or  so 
carelessly  pruned  that  a 
crop  of  presentable  fruit 
becomes  almost  impossible. 
But  with  treatment  such 
as  I  have  described  a  splen¬ 
did  tree  will  be  obtained 
in  three  or  four  years, 
which  will  well  repay  the 
labour  bestowed  upon  it. 
What  has  already  been 
said  concerning  Apple  trees 
applies  equally  to  Pear 
and  other  Iruit  trees.  The 
great  objects  are  to  secure 
fibrous  and  superficial  root 
formation  underground,  and 
clean,  healthy,  vigorous 
growths  from  the  stem. 
We  have  lately  been  pass¬ 
ing  through  a  series  of  very 
diy  summe's,  that  have 
proved  detrimental  to  the 
tree  growths  on  old  trees. 
Hence  the  necessity  of  pay¬ 
ing  a  little  extra  attention 
in  the  way  of  watering, 
mulching,  and  feeding  in 
order  to  assist  the  growths 
as  much  as  possible. 
It  may  not  be  out  of 
place  to  deal  very  briefly 
with  the  insect  pests  as 
they  afifeot  old  trees.  It 
is  of  the  greatest  import¬ 
ance  for  the  well  being  of 
the  trees  that  they  should 
be  kepit  clean.  Scraping 
off  some  of  the  old  dead 
baik  will  do  no  harm,  pro¬ 
vided  it  is  done  with  care, 
so  as  not  to  interfere  vith  the  inner  skin.  As  with  old  Vines,  the 
scraping  must  be  done  judiciously,  and  not  too  hard.  Wash  the  stems 
with  a  rather  strong  sohtion  of  softsoap  and  water ;  this  will  kill  most 
insects  found  lurking  under  the  old  bark ;  then  apply  a  dressing  of 
soot  and  lime  of  the  onsistency  of  thick  paint,  waich  will  to  some 
extent  prevent  the  insects  from  depositing  their  eggs  on  the  stem. 
I  should  like  in  conchsion  to  touch  very  slightly  on  two  other  points. 
The  first  is  with  regard  ti  gathering  the  fruit.  Unless  some  care  is  exer¬ 
cised  a  large  number  of  bids  are  destroyed.  After  trees  have  been  sub¬ 
jected  to  the  renovating  process  for  a  few  years,  they  naturally  have  a 
quantity  of  spurs  which  iring  fruit,  and  it  often  happens  that  through 
careless  gathering,  the  bul  for  the  following  year’s  fruit  is  destroyed. 
The  second  point  is  dso  connected  with  fruit  harvesting;  it  is — 
the  preservation  of  the  leif — for  this  has  an  important  bearing  upon 
the  full  development  of  tie  following  year’s  fruit  bud.  If  we  observe 
the  course  of  Nature,  we  tiall  know  that  the  fall  of  the  leaf  takes  place 
considerably  after  the  time  of  gathering  the  fruit,  and  when  one  sees 
Fig.  66. — Pedestal  Stand  of  Foliage  Plants. 
