II 



ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 



IT is a good prejudice which expects every man 

 who writes anything to be enthusiastic over his sub- 

 ject. Such enthusiasm doubtless leads a writer many 

 times to over-state his case, and to claim more than 

 the calm judgment of the multitude will ratify. And 

 on the other hand, readers usually tacitly discount 

 the statements of any man who writes about any 

 matter in which he is plainly interested. The present 

 writer knows that he is also under the ban, and that 

 the reader firmly expects him to claim more for dwarf 

 fruit trees than their merits will fairly warrant. This 

 expectation the writer hopes to disappoint. It will 

 be enough to set down here the obvious advantages 

 and disadvantages which the horticulturist will meet 

 in handling dwarf fruit trees. These statements are 

 mostly of matters of common experience and they 

 need no coloring to make them serve their present 

 purpose. 



We may fairly set down the following good points 

 standing more or less generally to the credit of dwarf 

 fruit trees: 



i. Early bearing. This is a sufficiently obvious ad- 

 vantage. The Alexander apple will bear the second 

 year,, .after planting when grown as a dwarf, while 

 it tj|guife six to ten years to come into bearing as a 

 standard. This habit of early bearing proves valuable 



