94 



the spring of 1899, it is planted. The yonng tree comes up qniekly. 

 In August, 1899, the little stock has one bud — ^of the desired 

 variety — inserted near the ground. In the spring of 1900, the 

 stock is severed just aI)ove the bud ; the bud throws out a shoot 

 which grows to a height of four or six feet ; and in the fall of 1900 

 the tree is sold. It is known as a year-old tree ; but the root is two 

 years old. 



How is an apple tree made? The seed is saved in 1898, planted 

 in 1899. The seedings do not grow so rapidly as those of the peach. 

 At the end of 1899, they are taken up and sorted ; and in the spring 

 of 1900 they are planted. In July or August, 1900, they are bud- 

 ded. In the spring of 1901 the stock is cut off above the bud ; and 

 the bud-shoot grows three or four feet. In 1902, the slioot branches, 

 or the top begins to form; and in the fall of 1902 the tree may 

 be sold as a two-year-old, although most persons prefer to buy it in 

 1903 as a three-year-old. In some parts of the country, particularly 

 in the west, the little seeding is grafted in the winter of 1899-1900, 

 in a grafting-room ; and the young grafts are set in the nursery row 

 in the spring of 1900, to complete their growth. 



I have now given my reader an elementary lesson in horticulture ; 

 but I shall consider it of little avail if it is not transformed into 

 practice for the children. February is the gardener's time for the 

 starting of his cutting-beds, in which to grow plants for the summer 

 bloom. Ask the children to bring the old geraniums and fuchsias 

 and coleus, and other favorites. Keep them in a warm window; 

 cut them back ; see that they are well watered ; then take the 

 cuttings when the time comes. The children M'ill be interested to 

 watch the fortunes of the different cuttings. They will be interested 

 in Yergil's couplet, as set to rhyme in old English : 



Some need no root, nor dotli the Gardner doubt, 



That Sprigs, though headlong set, will timely sprout. 



486 



