Dwarf Apples. 393 



in an upward and outward direction, and these form an almost 

 perfect framework for supporting the smaller limbs, which bear 

 the fruit. The wood is well distributed, and its amount is more 

 than ample for clothing the entire top with an abundance of 

 leaves; it is well that this should be so, for it allows a greater 

 choice of branches when the tree is being pruned. 



The same tree is shown in Fig. 119, after having been pruned. 

 The pruning has been severe, as the tree has already reached 

 such size that further increase should be made slowly. Much 

 wood is allowed to remain near the ground and in the center of 

 the tree, for it is always easier to remove superfluous branches 

 than it is to insert them where they are wanted. The form of the 

 pruned tree is that of a rather broad vase, this being the shape 

 which the tree naturally assumes. During the coming season, it 

 should be well provided with foliage so that none of the main 

 branches shall be exposed to the full glare of the summer sun. 

 The fruit produced will also receive proper shade and the speci- 

 men as a whole may be considered as a good type of dwarf apple 

 tree which has not been forced to assume a form which is unnat- 

 ural to it. 



The summer pruning of dwarf apple trees is, as a rule, unneces- 

 sary when the plants are grown as above described. If branches 

 are desired in certain parts of the tree, a more or less severe 

 pruning during early summer will have a strong tendency to force 

 growth to appear from dormant or adventitious buds. It will 

 cause the appearance of " water-sprouts," which, if checked in 

 turn, may be converted to useful purposes. Another advantage 

 of summer pruning is that it probably induces the formation of 

 fruit-buds, but as dwarf trees rarely possess the fault of bearing 

 too little fruit for their size, this end need seldom be sought. 



The study of the fruit-buds of an apple tree is an interesting 

 one, the more so on account of the mystery which will be found 

 connected with their formation. One who studies fruit-buds, 

 will not conduct his investigations very far before he is puzzled 

 first by one question, then by another, and eventually he may 

 feel lost in a sea of doubt. Dwarf apple and pear trees are ex- 



