^3 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



when it so urgently needs to be raised. Let the raising of seedlings then be left to experts, 

 by whose skill planters may benefit in purchasing only the best varieties ; and it should 

 never be forgotten that the worst occupy as much space as do the most excellent, deprive 

 the soil of its virtues, and give little or nothing in return. 



But many amateur cultivators have become expert hybridizers, and raised new and 

 beautiful flowers, and so in like manner there may be others who will engage in the 

 raising of fruits, therefore brief instructions in rearing and managing seedling fruit trees 

 may possibly be of service. For this purpose the pips or stones obtained from esteemed 

 fruit, and resulting from cross-fertilization,, may be sown in light soil in an open situa- 

 tion, preferably as soon as the seed is ripe, for it does not long retain its germinative 

 properties. If the weather be frosty, the pips or stones may be kept in sand in flower-pots, 

 if more than one variety, properly labelled, sowing when the weather is favourable in 

 drills 1 inch deep, and 6 inches asunder. Place the seeds 3 inches apart, covering 

 with a little fine soil, filling the drills to the surface level with moist wood ashes. 

 Neither slugs, grubs, nor mice like the latter, and their fertilizing properties assist the 

 seedlings. Keep a sharp look out for mice, and if there be any, set a steel bird-trap or 

 two baited with cheese, which no mouse can resist. Keep the ground free from weeds, 

 and in the autumn transplant the seedlings 1 foot apart, shortening the radical or tap- 

 root to between 3 inches and 6 inches, according to the position of the rootlets from it. 

 Transplant again the following autumn to increase the surface roots, and encourage 

 sturdy short-jointed growth, increasing the distance to 3 feet, and making the soil 

 firm. Merely shorten irregularities of growth by pinching in June. Before they crowd 

 each other, accord the seedling trees a distance of 6 feet for the smallest, and 9 feet 

 for the strongest growing. Confine the pruning to the removal of trifling irregularities 

 in summer only, namely, in June and September. Within seven years, most, if not all, 

 the seedlings will bear fruit. When they do so, cease the lifting and transplanting, 

 unless the growth be strong, then practise it, and note the result. If the varieties are 

 not worthy of increase, the results tabulated will be of use in future operations. Should 

 a seedling tree produce decidedly superior fruit, have some scions or buds put on dwarf- 

 ing stocks. If inferior to existing varieties, the seedlings can be grafted with varieties 

 of proved merit, either standard height, 6 feet, half standard, 3 feet, or as dwarfs, 

 6 to 9 inches from the ground, therefore nothing is lost, but let no one be tempted 

 to increase a seedling fruit tree of doubtful merit. Instead of fruiting the trees on their 

 own roots, the time-honoured plan of grafting two-year-old scions of seedling apples 



