CHAPTER II 



THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BEAR-QUICK APPLE 



THE Bear-quick is an interesting tree and it is responsive. 

 The gentle arts of peaceful persuasion find in it a kindly 

 subject. It is by nature fruitful and only under serious 

 mismanagement does it refuse to play its part. 



To the old-time fruit-grower the thought of fruit in 

 the second year after planting might awaken alarm. He 

 does not, he may tell you, believe in early fruiting, because 

 it is bad for the trees. He is quite likely to take the line 

 that a tree which is fruited too soon is crippled in growth, 

 dragged out of shape and made stunted. He has a 

 reason for what he says and we must acknowledge it 

 and act with judgment. 



Undoubtedly there are fruit trees which are injured 

 by early cropping. I can readily suppose a young 

 standard tree, lifted with loss of roots in autumn and 

 left unpruned after being replanted, cropping too freely 

 for its own good in the ensuing year. This young tree 

 may have buds on the branches which the check of lift- 

 ing causes to plump up into fruit buds. Root restric- 

 tion generally has the effect of hastening flowering. As 

 the branches are not very strong the weight of fruit may 

 pull the tree out of shape ; and as it is short of roots the 

 strain of the crop and of forming new branches may be 

 too much for it. Such a tree is likely to be weaker two 

 years after planting than when it was first put in. 



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