No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 455 



DWARF vs. STANDARD TREES. 



Bt Mb. Geo. T. Powell. 



As our country grows and develops in its industrial interests 

 and particularly in wealth, there comes a constantly increasing de- 

 mand for products of higher quality, better clothes are required to 

 day than used to be, a higher quality of milk and butter, finer poul- 

 try is in demand and when we come to fruits, finer fruits are 

 wanted. And this high quality demanded, brings out the necessity 

 of the introduction of better methods in the production of all these 

 things. In addition to this, we fruit growers all find ourselves per- 

 plexed with the ever increasing problems and expense of fighting in- 

 sects, hence we are forced to consider the most approved methods 

 and variations in the type and form of the trees with which we 

 are working. We realize that there is an increasing difficulty in 

 attempting to control insects upon the old type of large, high trees. 

 Then again we cannot produce upon these large trees the quality 

 which is demanded at the present time. That is, on the old standard 

 trees, there is such a large proportion of inferior fruit which we are 

 obliged to handle and dispose of, but which is not wanted for the 

 most valuable trade. This has produced a new interest in the ques- 

 tion of trees of a smaller type, and for several years I have Ibeen 

 working along the line of cultivating dwarf apple trees. This is a 

 new type of tree to our country, especiall}' from the commercial 

 standpoint. Dwarf trees have been cultivated for a number of years 

 in private grounds and gardens, by city men having the means with 

 which to adorn and beautify their homes. But nowhere in our 

 country has the dwarf been planted for commercial purposes. The 

 question arises with you, what is a dwarf tree? The dwarf tree 

 of which I am to speak this morning is grown more largely in 

 Europe. They are found in different types and sizes of trees. There 

 is what is known as the Paradise tree, grown both in France and 

 England, which represents a strictly dwarf tree. Then there is the 

 half dwarf, the Doucin, which grows larger than the Paradise. 

 "We have the same distinction in apple trees in our own country. 

 We will find in the pasture and woodlands native small trees that 

 are dwarfed in character. They are native wild seedlings, and are 

 trees of diminished size. It is a dwarf for the reason that its roots 

 are small and do not extend in growth. The tree is not supplied 

 with the same amount of nourishment, hence getting a less supply 

 of food the tree is checked in its growth. The quality of the fruit 

 upon the dwarf tree is rather finer than that upon the standard. As 

 there is a growing interest on the subject I shall be glad to give some 

 points of information such as I am abh^ to give. The subject is 

 new and we know compnratively little about it. We have much to 

 learn about the dwarf trees the same as we have aboutthestandards. 



