APP 



53 



APP 



Fig. 16.— (P. 51.) 



Ik 



of many of the plants that I have thus 

 obtained, possess much of the character 

 of the apple, whilst they vegetate as 

 early in the spring as the crab of Sibe- 

 ria, and possess at least an equal power 

 of bearing cold ; and I possess two 

 plants of the family which are quite as 

 hardy as the most austere crab of our 

 woods." 



By cuttings. — All the varieties may 

 be raised in this mode, though some, 

 as the Burr-knot, Codling, and June- 

 eating, more readily than others. Trees 

 80 raised are said to be not so liable as 

 their parents to canker. In February 

 take cuttings of young shoots from some 

 of the horizontal branches, about eight 

 inches long, cutting off a portion of the 

 old wood of the branch attached to the 

 shoot ; remove all the buds except the 

 upper three. Plant these firmly in 

 sandy loam, giving water and covering 

 with a hand-glass until the cuttings have 

 well vegetated. Shade from the mid- 

 day sun; remove the hand-glass in Au- 



gust; and remove the plants into the 

 nursery early in November. 



Soil. — The most favourable soil is a 

 strong loam, two feet deep, on a dry 

 subsoil, thoroughly drained, for stag- 

 nant root moisture induces canker and 

 moss. 



Planting. — The soil should be trench- 

 ed, and some cultivators place imme- 

 diately beneath each tree, according to 

 the extent of its roots, chalk, stones, 

 or brick-bats rammed so as to form a 

 kind of pavement to direct the roots 

 horizontally. Plant so that the roots 

 nearest the surface are twelve inches 

 below it. 



Espaliers. — In America the apple is 

 seldom trained as an Espalier, though 

 they might thus be cultivated in gar- 

 dens of limited extent, and in some 

 cases serve a double purpose, affording 

 shade and fruit. When first planted 

 the young plant is cut down to within 

 about a foot of the ground, and only 

 three shoots permitted to spring from it, 



