Mr. Griffin shifts for the last time in the October of the year preceding them in which the fruit is expected; the pots he uses are twelve inches in diameter, and ten inches deep. He plunges them in the bark-bed, about twenty inches plant from plant, and two feet distance from row to row. He says, “place the first row eighteen inches from the kirb, angling them in the rows as you go on.” It is of some consequence to remark, that Griffin’s practice in not divesting the plants at any one shifting of their balls of earth, differs from that of Speechly, Nicol, and most other practitioners, excepting Baldwin. It appears highly probable, that by not disturbing the balls of healthy plants, they will produce their fruit both earlier and of a larger size; for the cutting off the roots must produce a check in the growth of the plant, and their renewal must occupy its chief energies for some time, and thus lessen the vigour of the leaves; since the leaves and roots of all plants assist each other alternately as occasion requires. Those who advocate the practice of shaking off the balls of earth, and cutting off the roots of Pines in the second year’s spring shifting, say, that though, at first sight, it has an unnatural appearance, yet, on more minute enquiry, it will be found congenial to nature. In the first place, they say that they only cut away the lower decaying roots, and preserve all the others, unless they are bruised by the shaking off the ball; or injured by disease, or otherwise. In the next place, they state, that on attentively examining the Pine-plant, it will be found, that, in its mode of rooting, it may be classed with the strawberry, vine, and crowfoot, which throw out fresh roots every year, in part among, but chiefly above, the old ones. This done, the old ones become torpid and decay, and to cut them clear away, if it could be done in all plants of this habit, would, it is said, be assisting nature, and contribute to the growth of the new roots. At the same time, it is to be observed, that encouraging, in any extraordinary degree, the production of roots, though it will ultimately increase the vigour of the herb and fruit, will retard their progress to maturity. Speechly has the following judicious observations in allusion to those who recommend always shifting with the balls entire.