I«2 



IRISH GARDENING. 



not be too dense. If necessary, belts of trees 

 should be planted for shelter, selecting hardy 

 and moderate growing trees, such as sycamore, 

 mountain ash, hornbeam, Scots fir, and Austrian 

 pine. 



Preparation of the Soil. 



To attain the best results, ground in whicli 

 apples are to be planted should be well prepared 

 and thoroughly worked. Fresh manvxre has an 

 injurious effect on young apple trees, therefore 

 a crop should first be taken from the land. Early 

 or mid-season potatoes form an excellent pre- 

 paratory crop, as in cultivating these the grovmd 

 is deeply worked and well broken up. Drainage 

 is very important. Although the exact cause of 

 canker in apple trees, and the history of this 

 destructive disease are still not thoroughly under- 

 stood, it is well known that it is most destructive 

 and prevalent in damp and badly-drained 

 sitviations. The health of the roots has a marked 

 influence on the resisting power of the trees, and 

 roots cannot be healthy in badly-drained soil. 



Whether the site selected be under grass, or 

 in tillage, it shovdd be thoroughly manured, 

 limed, and deeply ploughed the season previous 

 to planting. 



Pi. ANTING ANT* PRUNING. 



Siocks. — Before planting it is advisable to 

 note on which stock the apples in the immediate 

 vicinity seem to succeed best. Crab stock. Free 

 or Seedling apple stock, or Paradise stock. Tlie 

 half-standards should be on the Crab or Free 

 stock, and should have clean, healthy stems, 

 2 ft. 6 in. to 3 ft. high. The dwarf trees should 

 be on the broad-leaved Paradise stock. 



Age of Trees. — Opinions are divided as to the 

 advisability of planting maiden trees, or two- 

 year-old trees : however, if carefully handled and 

 planted, there can be little doubt that the two- 

 year-old trees are the best, and there is very 

 little difference in the price. Three-year-old ti'ees 

 may also be planted with advantage. 



Planiinq. — Trees should be ordered early, and 

 planted during the month of November. They 

 should be planted in squares, the dwarf trees 

 12 feet apart every way, the half-standards 

 24 feet apart every way. Each alternate row 

 would thus consist of dwarf trees only, and the 

 remaining rows of half -standards 24 feet apart, 

 with a dwarf tree between each pair of half- 

 standards ; trees of the same kind being opposite 

 to each other in the lines. This system renders 

 after-cultivation much easier, as there are straight 

 avenues between the trees of sufficient width to 

 admit of cultivation by horse-power. When 

 ready to plant, open holes 12 feet apart, and com- 

 mence with a dwarf tree, following with a half- 

 standard, alternating dwarf and half -standard, 

 throughout the plot, in every second row — dwarf 

 opposite dwarf, half-standard opposite half- 

 standard. Spread the roots out carefully in a 

 circle, not all on one side, and shake the clay well 

 through them ; then, when full, firm the surface 

 gently with the foot. Do not plant too deep. 

 When planted tbe roots should be near the 

 surface, and the soil rovmd the tree slightly above 

 the level of the surrounding soil. It will gradually 

 settle down, and if not slightly raised at first the 



tree will eventually be in a depression, which is 

 injurious. 



Prnning and Train i})g. — -Young trees to be 

 kept as dwarfs sb.ould be stopped IH inches above 

 the ground. P::-move with a sharp knife the 

 branches near the ground, retaining four or five 

 branches distributed round the stem. Trees for 

 half-standards should be stopped about 3 feet 

 above the ground ; all branches should be cut 

 cleanly away, except four or five of the best 

 situated branches near tlie top. In both cases 

 the selected branches should be shortened back 

 to about half their length. Remove any lateral 

 branches with a tendency to grow inward or 

 downwards. The object of the cultivator should 

 be to induce the formation of a tree with branches 

 sloping gently upwards, and with the centre kept 

 clear and free, to admit air and light, each 

 branch being allowed sufficient space to develop 

 its lateral shoots freely without crowding the 

 adjoining branches. During the summer (end of 

 July), shorten back the laterals, remove any 

 superfluous growths — those that are crossing or 

 growing inwards — and if the growth is vigorous 

 and the shoots bare, pinch the leaders. In the 

 winter (February), repeat this process and shorten 

 the leaders back ; stop to one-third, or half their 

 length, accoiding to the formation of fruiting 

 spurs. The ol)ject of pruning is to secure strong 

 branches, well-placed, each with plenty of space, 

 and covered witii spurs, as the small wrinkled 

 branches which bear the fruit are termed. If 

 trees are not pruned the branches tend to get 

 overcrowded : they get long and weak, and are 

 not strong enough to support a crop of fruit, the 

 lower parts of the branches do not develop spurs, 

 and the weight of fruit at the end of the branches 

 weighs them down. The fruit also easily gets 

 knocked off by wind. 



Siakiiig. — In the case of two-year-old half- 

 standards and dwarfs, it is hardly necessary to 

 stake the plants, f^specially if care has been taken 

 to ijlant them firmly. In the case of older half- 

 standards and full-standards, they should be 

 staked. The stakes should be inserted firmly in 

 the holes before the trees are planted, as the 

 trees may be injured if the stakes are di*iven in 

 after planting. Care must be taken net to let 

 the stakes rul) the trees. This can be prevented 

 by giving the tying material a couple of turns 

 between the stake and the tree. The ties must be 

 examined during the season, and loosened where 

 necessary. The stakes may be removed the 

 second season after planting. 



Cropping. — Young plantations are much in- 

 jured, and free growth checked, if allowed to 

 carry fruit too soon. Remove any fruit which 

 sets the first sea.son. The second season each 

 tree may be allowed to carry half a dozen fruits, 

 and the third season a fair ciop can be obtained. 

 At all ages apples should be judiciously thinned 

 by hand-picking. There is no more pajdng 

 operation. The small apples picked off may be 

 sold for preserving. A fair crop of good fruit 

 will realise more money than a heavy crop of 

 medium or poor fruit. Tlie advantage to the 

 trees is very great. 



Manuring and Cultivation. 



It is a distinct advantage to young orchards 

 if the ground between the rows is cultivated. 



