Dwarf Apples. 389 



grounds for six years, and it has as jet failed to produce a single 

 creeping or under ground stem which could be used in forming 

 an independent plant. Neither is the power of growing from 

 hard wood cuttings, limited to dw^arf trees. Some of our orchard 

 varieties may be propagated readily in this manner, even with 

 little care, so that this character also may be considered as pos- 

 sessing only relative importance. 



Propagation of dwarf apple stocks. — When the stock phints 

 sucker freely, the suckers may be detached with a certain amount 

 of root system, and then be transplanted and grown as inde- 

 pendent plants. A very common nursery practice, however, is 

 to subject the plants to mound-layering. This is performed by 

 growing the plant or '^ stool " until it has become well estab- 

 lished. It is then cut off within a few inches of the ground and 

 all the shoots which are thrown out are allowed to grow. These 

 shoots are made to root by heaping the earth about their bases, 

 thus burning their lower half. This may be done the first year 

 and rooted plants will be formed by fall, especialh^ if the shoots 

 have been partially cut or injured near the stock; such plants, 

 however, are weak, and it is better to allow^ the shoots to grow 

 unmolested during the first 3'ear, the mound being formed in the 

 spring of the second. 



The rooted shoots are removed in the fall of the second vear, 

 and if sufiiciently vigorous they may be grafted with the desired 

 variety during the following winter, or budded the next summer. 

 Small stocks should be grown on in the nursery until they have 

 reached the desired size for working. 



Pruning. — Dwarf apple trees should be very thoroughly pruned 

 from the time they are set. The object of this pruning is three- 

 fold: the wood w^hich is capable of bearing fruit will be more 

 freely produced, the fruit spurs will be distributed evenly over 

 all the lower parts of the trees as well as the top, and the tree 

 will be kept in a dwarf habit. These results may not be ob- 

 tained if too little wood is removed. Each year's growth, if vig- 

 orous, should be cut back at least one-half or two-thirds, and 

 generally more may be removed with perfect safety. Occasion- 



