APPLES, PEARS, AND QUINCES. 537 



capes the crop, will be caught by the roots of the trees and thua 

 saved. The crops can be kept from growing near the trunks of 

 the trees. • The pinching and pruning process must be kept up 

 to maintain the proper shape of the tree. For the standard 

 apple tree in the farmer's orchard the lowest limbs must be six 

 feet from the ground, and all buds below this should be rubbed 

 off or cut off after they get started. 



The lower limbs should oe the largest and longest on the 

 tree. The tendency of growth is towards the top. If any of 

 tbe upper limbs outstrip the lower they must be cut back. 

 The better shape for the standard apple is the vase shape, 

 leaving the inside of the tree quite open. A few hours each 

 season will suffice to regulate the growth of quite a large or- 

 chard, and this care makes all the difference between a moss 

 covered, scraggy tree, and small, mealy, crabbed fruit ; and fine 

 trees with large, fair, and well ripened fruit. The heads of most 

 apple trees are allowed to become so full of limbs that, the foli- 

 age shades all the inside of the tree, and no fruit ripens except 

 upon the outer branches, while if the surplus branches are kept 

 cut out the whole tree will produce fruit. Eoot pruning in con- 

 nection with manuring is of great importance when there is too 

 vigorous growth of the wood without fruit. Dig a trench around 

 the tree as far from the trunk as the extension of the branches, 

 cutting off the roots with a very sharp spade or a knife, and 

 fill the trench with thoroughly rotted compost. 



We have seen most wonderful effects following this treatment 

 of trees. If repeated every other year, we believe most apple 

 trees can be made to bear every year. We have certainly seen 

 a small orchard treated in this manner bearing one hundred 

 bushels, when every other orchard in the vicinity was nearly 

 barren. To rejuvenate an old apple orchard, prune and graft 

 one-third of the top each year, and apply manure to the roots. 



