HOW TO RAISE A FRUIT TREE 93 



EXERCISE 



Do you know any trees in your neighborhood that bear both 

 wild and budded or grafted fruit ? What are the chief varieties of 

 apples grown in your neighborhood? grapes? currants? plums? 

 cherries? figs? What is a good apple tree worth? Is there any 

 land near by that could support a tree that is not now doing so? 

 Examine several orchards and see whether the trees have proper 

 shape. Do you see any evidence of poor pruning? Do you find 



FIG. 81. READY TO BEAR 



any "heels"? Can you see any place where "heels" have resulted 

 in rotten or hollow trees? How could you have prevented this? 

 Has the removal of branches ever resulted in serious decay? How 

 is this to be prevented? 



If your home is not now well stocked with all the principal kinds 

 of fruit, do you not want to propagate and attend to some of each 

 kind? You will be surprised to find how quickly they will bear and 

 how soon you will be eating fruit from your own planting. I assure 

 you that growing your own trees will make you feel like a real 

 proprietor. 



