112 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Apple Trees and Dwarf Pears. 



701. Sir,— In planting an apple orchard, would it pay to fill in between the stand- 

 ards with dwarf apple trees ? 



R. J. B., Bound Hill, N.S. 



No, we would not advise such planting, unless you are crowded for space. 

 Dwarf apple trees live a long time and would soon interfere with the standards. 



Pruning" Plum Trees. 



70*i- Sir, — When is the best time for pruning a young plum orchard ? 



R. J. B., Bound Hill, X.S. 



A young plum orchard should be pruned during the first mild weather of 

 spring, before the buds begin to push. Summer pruning, to induce fruitfulness 

 is sometimes resorted to in cases of an older orchard. 



Fertilizing Fruit Trees. 



TfO^. Sir, — Would it be a good plan to use a small quantity of bone meal in each 

 hole at the time of planting young fruit trees ? 



R. .1. B., Bound Hill, N.S. 



This manner of fertilizing would be of little or no use. The little tiny 

 rootlets, as they grow outward and into the soil, are the ones that take up 

 nourishment in tiny particles, not in bulk. The best way, therefore, of fertiliz- 

 ing, is to carefully incorporate the fertilizers with the soil, and the little rootlets 

 will search after it. 



Sowing" Seeds of Fruit Trees. 



704. Sir, — Will you kindly inform me, through the Horticulturist, when is the 

 best time to plant apple, pear, plum and peach seed ? 



Albert Morden, Vernon, B.C. 



Apple and pear seeds may be sown in the fall, when fresh and plump from 

 the cider mill. Many persons simply sow the pomace thickly in wide drills in 

 the fall, and cover with about half an inch to an inch of earth. Most of the 

 seeds will grow the following spring, and are transplanted at the age of one or 

 two years into regular rows. The seeds may also be kept in sand until the fol- 

 lowing spring, and then sown. It is usual to splice-graft yearling apple and 

 pear seedlings. They are pulled in the fall, kept in green sawdust, and grafted 

 in the winter season. 



Peach and plum pits should not be allowed to become very dry. The 



