THE APPLE AND THE PEAK. 223 



shoot appears, it is rubbed off", and when one becomes 

 too vigorous, it is pinched and checked. The great ad- 

 vantage of pinching is, that 



1st. It economizes the sap of the tree. That which 

 would be expended on superfluous shoots is turned to the 

 benefit of the parts reserved, and thus the growth is 

 greatly promoted. 



2d. All wounds necessarily inflicted, where knife-prun- 

 ing is depended on, are completely avoided. These facts 

 should be remembered. Standard apples and pears are 

 not generally pruned with a view to hastening their 

 bearing, but are allowed to arrive at that state in their 

 natural way. In the case of tardy-bearing sorts, how- 

 ever, it may be desirable to apply artificial means, and 

 these will be pointed out in treating of dwarfs and pyra- 

 mids hereafter. 



Dwarf Standards. These are similar to standards, 

 except that the trunks are low, not over two or three feet 

 in hight, and the head is retained in a smaller space. 

 Their management is always much easier when the stocks 

 are such as to dwarf or restrain the growth. Thus, 

 apples on the Paradise or Doucin^ and pears on the 

 quince. The main branches, or frame-work of the head, 

 are produced by cutting back the three or four branches 

 that form the head of the tree as it comes from the 

 nursery, in the same manner as recommended for stand- 

 ards. 



The first season, all superfluous productions are rubbed 

 off, and a balance maintained among the shoots by 

 pinching. 



The second year, in the winter or spring, the shoots of 

 last season are shortened, say one-half, as a general thing. 

 This induces the development of the buds on their lower 

 parts. The cut is made at a good, plump bud, capable 

 of producing a vigorous shoot ; and this is selected to 

 prolong the branch. If one or two secondary branches 



