APPLES. 341 



too soon after the wood has become ripe, and the leaves 

 fallen off ; for between this time and the winter many of 

 them will make fresh roots, and be prepared to .push forth 

 their young shoots with much more vigour in the spring, 

 than those whose transplanting has been deferred till a late 

 period of the season. 



It should, therefore, be constantly borne in mind, that 

 where the greatest success is desired in forming new plan- 

 tations of trees, whether in the orchard or the garden, such 

 necessary precautions should not be lost sight of, in order to 

 secure it. 



The first step to be taken, in order to the accomplish- 

 ment of this object, is an early and effectual preparation of 

 the soil; and the next, an early transplanting of the trees; 

 the rest will depend upon their subsequent management. 

 On this latter subject I shall give a few short, and, I hope, 

 intelligible directions, under the different heads as they o<> 

 cur, in addition to what has been said when treating of their 

 propagation. 



Open Standards. 



Such trees as are intended for open standards, should be 

 young, clean, and healthy; their stems should be straight, 

 and 'their heads should consist of not less than three, nor 

 more than four branches, equal in strength, and regularly 

 placed : these will be sufficient to form the principal limbs, 

 for the support of the largest heads that can be required. 



The trees should be staked as soon as planted, in order 

 to keep them upright, and to secure them against violent 

 winds. They should not be headed down the first year, 

 nor will they require to be headed down afterwards, in 

 such trees whose growth is upright ; but such as are of a 

 pendent growth should remain till they are well established 

 in the ground ; and may then be headed down, leaving the 

 branches nine or twelve inches long ; when the young shoots 

 will assume a more upright direction. At the end of 

 the year these should be thinned out, selecting thos 

 which are the best placed and most regular in their growth 

 for forming the future head. After this, nothing more will 

 be necessary than to look them over from time to time, cut- 

 ting out carefully any superabundant branches which may 

 appear, particularly those which have a tendency to injure 

 the proper figure of the head, or are likely to become 

 29* 



