Dwarf Apples. 391 



length, and at this rate good sized trees are formed in a short 

 time. 



Figure 118 represents a Ben Davis apple upon Paradise stock; 

 the tree has been growing in the Cornell plantation six years and 

 although it is considerably smaller than a standard tree of the 

 same age, still it can scarcely be considered as more than a half 

 dwarf. A true dwarf tree, as described in most writings, would 

 hare a top hardly one-third as large. In past years this tree has- 

 been pruned with but moderate severity, so that it reached a 

 height of fully eight feet. In this case, no material disadvant- 

 age resulted from such treatment, for an abundance of fruit spurs 

 may be found distributed in all parts of the tree. A Maiden 

 Blush dwarf which received similar prunings was aifected dif- 

 ferently; the buds which were near the point at which the annual 

 growth was cut back were the only ones that started, and their 

 growth was so rapid that practically no fruit spurs were formed 

 during the first two or three years, and those which have ap- 

 peared since that time are so high up in the tree that the lower 

 parts of the main branches are bare and therefore unproductive. 

 This defect frequently becomes exaggerated as the tree grows 

 older. An excellent example of the ruinous effect of continually 

 removing the lower branches from a dwarf apple is shown in 

 Fig. 120. This tree, an Early Joe, was planted in its present 

 position fully thirty years ago (not upon the Cornell plantation). 

 It has been pruned gradually higher until at present the lowest 

 fruiting branches are at least five feet from the ground, and a 

 total height of practically twelve feet has been reached. This 

 is not an ideal dwarf! The tree shown on the title-page repre- 

 sents a much better type. The original from which the drawing 

 was made was five feet in height, the lowest leaves being but 

 eighteen inches from the ground. The top has been allowed 

 to assume its natural spreading form, but a firm control has 

 continually been exercised over any too ambitious efforts of the 

 branches. The tree has practically the same form and size 

 which it will retain during its entire existence. The main 

 branches will increase in circumference, the outer limbs will 



