APPLE CULTIVATION. 605 
PRUNING. 
The first year the tree should be pruned with the buds 
outwards, to form the tree as soon as possible, which should 
be accomplished in the first five years. The ideal tree in 
Tasmania should be formed on the lines of an inverted 
umbrella, and should the same, from whatever cause, be 
weakly, it is advisable to remove most of the spurs and 
fruit buds, the main object being to produce at the outset 
a vigorous tree, and not fruit, which will come later on. 
The reason for training the tree after the fashion of an 
inverted umbrella is to secure the maximum amount of sun- 
shine and atmospheric circulation, thus producing large and 
well-coloured apples." Root pruning is not sufficiently 
practised in Tasmania. This can be done in winter with 
a sharp spade, and care should be taken not to bruise the 
roots in any way which would render them liable to become 
a nidus for blight or other disease. The object in this 
branch of an orchardist’s work is to sever the main roots, 
thus producing lateral ones and small feeders. Severe 
pruning and bud pruning have, as yet, been little practised 
in this State, but in different parts of America the results 
have been most successful. The method is to disbud in 
the winter, pruning all lower buds to about two feet from 
the ground in dwarf trees, and thin all fruits buds to one 
or, at the most, two, with the result of a much finer class 
of fruit from less blossom and a marked resistance to late 
frosts. Bud pruning must not be done promiscuously, as 
certain varieties do not require it, notably the Cleopatra, 
the tendency being to drive them to wood; but in the case 
of the Scarlet Nonpariel, King of the Pippins, French Crab, 
and Sturmer Pippin, which are most prolific bearers, and 
inclined to bear small-sized fruit, you can, by this method, 
produce apples of large size and good colour. 
CULTIVATION AND IRRIGATION. 
Most of the ploughing and digging should be done in the 
autumn. The ground should be throughly moved to a 
depth of one foot, so that the sun and air can thoroughly 
pulverise the soil. Land with a large percentage of clay 
cannot be dug too roughly, as long as it is thoroughly 
moved, the -winter frosts being powerful disintegrators. 
Light soil should be thoroughly broken down, otherwise 
it will remain in hard clods. Throughout the summer the 
land should be kept thoroughly stirred and all weeds 
destroyed, this being best accomplished with a light 
