October  1,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
335 
water,  when  the  conditioni  are  reversed,  the  deciduous  not  having  leaves 
for  producing  the  matter  that  is  the  foundation  of  all  growth,  whether 
of  roots  or  of  head — namely,  the  assimilated  and  available  matter.  This 
is  the  principle  of  the  formation  of  roots  and  of  growth  in  both  the 
green  and  ripe  wood  catlings,  either  by  means  of  manufacture  by 
chlorophyll  under  the  influence  of  light  steadily  and  persistently,  as  in 
shade,  or  from  stored  matter. 
The  bush  or  tree  with  few  short  and  bare  roots  is  in  degree  only 
different  from  a  cutting.  The  sappy  Osier  will  not  grow,  but  cuttings 
of  most  deciduous  subjects  push  roots  freely  from  the  base  of  ripe  wood 
and  sometimes  the  whole  length  of  the  part  inserted  in  the  soil,  even 
the  stubborn  push  roots  when  inserted  with  a  heel.  The  transplanted  tree 
has  the  stored  matter  in  proportion  to  the  parts  preserved  in  the  opera¬ 
tion,  but  is  available  in  accordance  with  the  soil  water  transmitted  by 
the  roots  correlatively  with  the  extent  of  the  evaporation.  This  accords 
with  the  external  conditions ;  if  damp  weather  prevail  the  roots  may 
absorb  sufficient  moisture  for  the  translocation  of  the  stored  matter,  and 
it  is  seen  in  new  growth  and  leaves  ;  but  if  the  weather  be  dry  the 
•evaporation  from  the  exposed  parts,  especially  the  young  wood,  takes 
all  the  moisture  the  roots  imbibed  from  the  soil  and  there  is  little  or 
no  growth.  In  such  cases  water  is  applied  to  the  soil  freely  in  order  to 
supply  the  plant  with  it  for  evaporation  and  to  prevent  drying  up,  yet 
there  is  no  growth  of  consequence  until  the  weather  changes  or  until 
the  moisture  in  the  plant  itself  is  ample  for  the  full  tension  of  the  cells 
and  the  translocation  of  the  stored  matter.  Hoot  formation  depends 
entirely  on  the  presence  or  manufacture  of  corporate  matter,  and  this 
is  trauslocatable  only  in  the  full  tension  of  the  cells,  whether  upwards 
or  downwards  or  laterally — all  is  a  work  of  diffusion,  not  circulation. 
On  the  last-mentioned  subjects  I  do  not  propose  to  enlarge,  suffice  for 
my  present  object  is  that  the  more  abundant  stored  matter  a  plant  con¬ 
tains  in  the  autumn,  the  more  certain  is  it  to  make  a  vigorous  growth 
after  the  period  of  rest.  If  the  root  system  be  left  intact  and  the  head  is 
much  curtailed  an  exuberant  growth  is  the  consequence.  Where  a 
stunted  Laurel  is  cut  down  to  a  few  inches  of  the  ground  it  pushes 
strong  and  healthy  growths  ;  likewise  the  u-nhealthy  looking  Holly  forms 
a  good  head  after  having  its  branches  cut  hard  back,  and  it  is  the  same 
with  every  plant  when  the  root  system  is  in  excess  of  the  part  above 
ground,  and  made  such  by  manipulaiion.  What,  therefore,  must  be  the 
consequences  when  the  conditions  are  reversed  1  Seedlings  transplant 
readily  ;  the  root  system  is  as  large,  and,  in  some  cases,  such  as  Conifers 
and  evergreens,  larger  than  the  top  growth,  while  young  trees,  especially 
the  frequently  and  recently  transplanted,  move  with  great  safety.  Even 
large  trees  of  most  forest  and  ornamental  species,  are  readily  moved 
because,  in  their  early  years,  they  have  been  frequently  transplanted  so 
as  to  induce  a  near  home  branched  root  formation  ;  consequently,  when 
lifted  the  roots  are  but  little  disproportionate  to  the  heads,  and  when 
these  are  regulated  by  cutting  out  crossed  branches,  thinned  when  too 
crowded,  and  irregularities  oi  straggling  growths  shortened,  there  ia  not 
much  difference  relatively  between  the  roots  and  beads.  Such  receive 
some,  but  no  material  check,  as  they  become  established  in  the  first  year 
aud  make  a  good  growth  in  the  following  season. 
But  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  root  system  of  bushes  and  trees. 
"Some,  as  the  Thorn  or  Quick,  has  long,  sparingly  fibrous  roots,  and  in 
the  case  of  strong  plants  much  more  top  than  root  when  lifted.  There 
are  two  ways  of  preparing  such  Quicks  for  planting — 1,  Shortening  the 
1  mg  roots  for  facility  of  setting,  and  cutting  back  bruised  to  sound 
ptrts,  the  top  being  retained,  which  gives  considerable  trouble  in  windy 
situations,  as  the  top  is  moved  considerably  and  a  sockel-like  hole  formed 
around  the  stem.  This  has  to  be  closed  or  the  plants  will  not  grow,  and 
under  the  best  of  circumstances  there  is  a  bare  keeping  alive  during  the 
fi-st  season.  If  they  survive,  for  there  are  frequently  great  gaps  in  the 
ranks  of  such  plants,  and  become  well  established,  the  tops  may  be  cut 
off  in  the  winter  close  to  or  near  the  ground,  or  sometimes  they  may  be 
left  another  year  or  longer  before  cutting  down,  for  this  is  an  absolute 
necessity  sooner  or  later  in  order  to  secure  a  hedge  with  a  strong  and 
thick  bottom.  2,  Cutting  the  tops  of  the  Quicks  to  within  '6  inches  of 
the  line  they  have  previously  occupied  in  the  ground,  and  trimming  the 
dam^ged  roots  to  sound  parts,  with  the  shortening  of  any  straggling  ones. 
The  root  system  in  this  case  is  larger  than  the  tops,  and  the  consequence 
is  every  plant  pushes  a  number  of  shoots  close  *0  the  ground.  These 
make  growth  during  the  season  according  to  soil  and  other  circumstances, 
becoming,  as  a  rule,  well  established  and  prepared  for  making  a  vigorous 
growth  the  following  year.  If  all  goes  well,  keeping  clean  being  one  of 
the  chief  matters  following  a  thorough  preparation  of  the  soil  by  trenching 
a  fence  of  about  3  feet  height  may  be  had  by  the  fourth  year,  and  thickset 
from  the  bottom  to  the  top.  By  the  other  plan  five  or  six  years  are 
necessary  to  effect  a  similar  kind  of  hedge. 
Frnit  trees  on  free  stocks  are  like  Quicks — their  roots  are  few,  long, 
and  bare,  for  they  strike  down  and  extend  wide  inquest  of  nourishment 
and  to  obtain  a  powerful  grip  on  the  soil.  They  mean  business — that  is, 
to  grow  first  and  fruit  afterwards,  hence  make  provision  accordingly  for 
attaining  preponderance  in  fruits,  ju>t  as  the  Oak  grasps  the  sustaining 
■clay,  reazaits  majestic  head,  and  becomes  predominant  in  Britain  among 
trees.  Frequent  lifting  is  hateful  to  fruit  trees  on  free  stocks,  hence 
transplanting  is  bat  little  practised,  if  at  all,  from  the  time  they  are  set 
as  stocks  until  their  removal  for  planting  in  their  permanent  quarters. 
This  may  be  at  three  or  four  years  from  the  bud  or  graft,  and  it  means 
-so  long  and  few  roots  near  the  stem  that  not  more  than  one-half,  and 
frequently  not  above  one-third,  of  the  root  system  can  be  retained  on 
the  tree.  There  is,  however,  a  considerable  difference  in  soils  as  regards 
the  root  formation,  and  the  younger  the  tree  the  nearer  its  roots  are  to 
4;be  stem,  the  more  of  them  retained  in  lifting  and  the  better  and 
sooner  it  becomes  established.  This  makes  just  all  the  difference  as' 
regards  the  matter  of  pruning  at  the  time  of  planting.  If  the  tree  has  a 
poor  root  and  a  big  head  the  more  need  of  reducing  the  latter,  but  when 
there  is  little  difference  between  the  amount  of  head  and  extent  of  roots 
lessened  need  arises  for  reducing  the  top. 
The  latter  is  a  happy  state  of  things,  at  which  all  the  great  fruit 
nurserymen  strive  and  in  most  cases  attain,  so  that  the  trees  they  supply 
have  roots  corresponding  to  the  headsi  Such  trees  require  very  little 
pruning,  but  the  straggling  roots  may  be  shortened,  and  the  bruised  or 
j^gged  ends  should  always  be  cut  transversely  to  sound  parts.  As  for 
the  heads,  they  should  have  all  superfluous  shoots  removed,  leaving  only 
the  branches  or  growths  necessary  for  the  foundation  of  a  symmetrical 
and  open  head,  and  shortening  the  long  and  straggling  in  order  to 
preserve  an  even  balance,  and  secure  growths  at  the  right  places  for 
extension.  In  most  cases  of  good  root  formation,  and  not  old  trees  or 
long  untransplanted,  snch  manipulation  is  all  that  is  required  to  bring 
the  head  into  accordance  with  the  roots,  and  secure  a  certain 
establishment  with  some  growth  in  the  following  season. 
But  when  the  roots  are  few  and  the  head  large,  then  knife  or  saw 
should  be  requisitioned,  reducing  the  head  so  that  it  may  bear  some 
corresponding  relation  in  size  to  the  roots  which  are  to  cater  for  its 
support,  and  remember  that  the  stored  matter  is  not  in  the  twigs  or 
fibrelet»,  but  in  the  cells  of  the  inner  bark  and  outer  layers  of  wood  of 
the  branches,  stem,  and  stout  roots  that  are  thoroughly  matured.  Eh  I 
Sap-wood  always  pushes  soonest  and  strongest,  some  may  say,  bat  where 
does  the  matter  come  from  that  sustains  it  in  develppment  1  Unripe 
wood  is  useless  for  grafts,  because  it  contains  very  little  of  the  essential 
cambium  for  knitting.  Besides,  what  we  want  iu  trees  is  a  solid 
f  jundation,  not  building  on  sap-wood,  which  sooner  or  later  is  infected 
by  canker  or  gumming.  Any  sacrifice  of  head  at  the  beginning  is  soon 
recovered,  and  though  much  condemned  in  recent  years,  is  a  good  old 
plan,  besides  being  the  only  way  to  secure  a  permanently  healthy,  long 
lived,  and  pre-eminently  fruitful  tree  m  the  long  run  on  free  stocks. 
In  the  matter  of  bushes  or  trees  on  dwarfing  stocks,  the  roots  accord 
well  with  the  heads,  but  the  younger  the  tree,  and  the  more  frequently 
it  is  removed  withoi  t  material  prejudice  to  its  extension  and  continu¬ 
ance  in  bearing  the  more  even  is  the  balance  and  greater  safety  in 
transplantation.  Even  in  such  circumstances  there  is  always  somelofs 
of  roots,  therefore  the  opportunity  should  not  be  lost  in  regulating  anj- 
thing  amiss  in  the  tree’s  symmetry,  thinning  growths  where  too 
crowded,  and  shortening  shoots  to  preserve  an  even  balance  and  provide 
the  growths  in  proper  place  for  furnishing.  Bash  fraits  cannot  have 
too  good  roots,  nor  too  many  of  them.  Big-headed  Currants  or  Goose¬ 
berries  with  next  to  no  roots  are  a  delusion,  but  a  moderately  vigorous 
top  with  roots  nearly  as  large  are  always  safe  for  planting,  and  when 
there  is  considerable  discrepancy  between  the  two  the  more  the  top  is 
pruned  to  make  it  something  like  the  root  the  better  it  will  grow  after¬ 
wards.  Likewise  a  Raspberry  cane  with  a  bare  stick-like  root  has  a 
poor  chance  of  becoming  established,  as  compared  with  one  of,  perhaps, 
a  quarter  the  size  having  a  bunch  of  fibrous  roots. 
As  to  the  proper  time  of  cutting  the  tops,  some  prefer  to  leave  it 
until  the  swelling  of  the  bads  in  the  spring,  which  may  be  advisable  in 
the  case  of  tender  fruits  and  those  not  having  the  wood  well  ripened; 
but  as  winter  frosts  never  ripen,  but  kill  the  latter,  it  is  just  as  well  to 
decide  upon  what  has  to  be  done  at  the  time  of  planting,  leaving  nothing 
of  which  there  is  question  as  to  hardiness  and  after  utility.  Indeed,  it 
is  a  moot  question  as  to  whether  it  would  not  be  better  ia  all  cases  for 
the  heads  of  trees  to  be  adjusted  to  the  roots  before  leaving  the  nursery ; 
but  as  people  will  have  big  things,  though  much  of  it  is  worse  than 
sheer  waste,  it  is  little  use  pointing  to  such  matters,  therefore  we  con¬ 
clude  this  part  of  the  subject  by  advising  the  early  planting  of  fruit 
bashes  and  trees,  and  the  regulation  of  the  tops,  so  as  to  have  some 
correlation  to  the  roots,  either  before  setting,  or  at  some  time  preceding 
the  swelling  of  the  bads  or  the  setting  in  of  dry  winds,  and  so  prevent 
their  evaporating  what  little  life  there  is  in  them  away.— -G.  Abbey. 
fTo  be  continued.! 
WOKK.F0IITHEWEEK.. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
"Vlnea.— Early  Forced  Vines  ia  Pots. — In  order  to  have  a  supply  of 
thin-skinned  fresh  ripe  Grapes  early  ia  tbe  spring,  the  Vines  should  be 
started  not  later  than  the  early  part  of  November.  Of  many  varieties 
tried,  we  have  not  found  any  to  surpass  White  Frontignan,  Foster’s 
Seedling,  aud  Black  Hamburghs.  Madresfield  Court  is  the  best  of  tbe 
Muscats  for  early  forcing,  and  well  done  brings  handsome  returns  from 
the  salesmen.  The  great  stumbling  block  in  forcing  Vines  in  pots  is 
overcropping,  the  berries  not  attaining  the  size  and  perfection  of  colour 
and  finish  so  essential  to  their  high  appreciation.  Where  bottom  heat 
can  be  given  to  start  the  Vines  they  will  break  and  grow  freely.  It 
is  advisable  to  stand  the  pots  on  pedestals  formed  of  loose  bricks  so 
that  the  rims  are  slightly  higher  than  tbe  pit  edge,  and  so  that  the  pots 
will  be  in  the  centre  of  the  bed,  which  should  be  3  to  4  feet  wide,  and 
