206 THE GARDENER. [May 



THE CULTIVATION" OF HARDY FRUITS. 



{Continued from page 167.) 



Havixg thus far detailed our experience upon the Pear, and having 

 given what directions and instructions concerning its cultivation we 

 deemed to be the best, it is now our intention to direct the reader to 

 the cultivation of the 



APPLE, 



than which there is not a more generally esteemed or more useful fruit 

 in cultivation. The varieties of the Apple are numberless, yet, 

 notwithstanding, the really good and useful kinds are not so abundant. 

 With a good selection and careful management during the winter and 

 spring, it is quite an easy matter to encircle the year " with a gorge- 

 ous garland " of baking and dessert Apples. This was a feat once not 

 of such easy accomplishment, but the skill and experience which have 

 been brought to bear upon the raising of new and long-keeping varie- 

 ties has accomplished the object for which our forefathers longed and 

 waited in vain. 



The Apple, like the Pear, should be propagated either by budding 

 or grafting, or, where new varieties are wanted, by seed. Some of the 

 more common sorts will succeed tolerably well from suckers and layers, 

 but in all cases we would recommend them to be grafted or budded. 

 There are various stocks used for the Apple, but the most common is 

 what is popularly known as the "free stock" — the common Crab, or 

 Pyrus IVIalus of Linn. There are several forms even of this stock, 

 some of which are far more suitable than others. In selecting a 

 Crab from which to gather seeds intended for raising stocks, there are 

 several things to be considered. The tree should be healthy and fruit- 

 ful, not a gross grower, and as little inclined to send up suckers as 

 possible. If the tree is too gross in its growth, it will not prove a 

 good stock, as it would impart too much vigour to the scion to make 

 it fruitful ; and all the root-pruning which might be done for it might 

 never make it so fruitful a tree as if the stock used had not been so 

 robust. The sort of stock which is best suited for the Apple in one 

 locality may not be the best in another, and that for various reasons. 

 The "free stock" is best suited for localities such as this, where 

 we have an amount of rainfall nearly equal to any in Britain, in 

 addition to severe and protracted frosts, to which we are liable less 

 or more nearly all the year round. It is no uncommon thing in this 

 locality to see the grass crisp and white before sunrise even in June 

 and July. I have made this explanation in order to convey to the 

 reader an idea of the sort of climate we have in the west of Scotland, 



