THE BEAR-QUICK APPLE 313 



be summer pruned ; it will suffice to shorten it back 

 to about a foot in winter. If on a high wall or other sup- 

 port a cordon tree can extend to eight, ten or even twelve 

 feet, so much the better. 



With reasonable extension a cordon fruit tree will 

 remain healthy, other things being right, even if it is 

 summer pinched twice every summer, but head-ex- 

 tension it must have. 



There are disadvantages with the cordon tree, and 

 they must be set against the advantages. It costs more 

 to plant a given length of wall or fence with cordons 

 than with espaliers, because many more trees are re- 

 quired. The summer pinching perhaps takes up more 

 time, although for the matter of that espaliers and fans 

 of Apples and Pears ought to be summer pruned also. 



I have said that the Bear-quick Apple is either a cordon 

 or a bush. Having considered it as a cordon let us con- 

 sider it as a bush. 



One may have fruit on a bush tree the second year 

 from planting without the tree sustaining any harm 

 provided the quantity is limited. I certainly do not think 

 it is prudent to let a young tree carry a heavy load of 

 fruit in clusters. If, however, the clusters are thinned 

 to one fruit, and the total number on a young tree is 

 limited to a dozen, it will not suffer. 



A newly planted two-year-old bush tree should have 

 all its branches pruned back hard soon after it has 

 broken into growth in spring. That will effectually 

 prevent it from fruiting the first year. The growth made 

 subsequent to this may be shortened to half its length 

 the following winter. The partially matured wood on 

 the lower part of the tree may be allowed to bear within 

 the limits suggested above in the ensuing summer. 



Thereafter there should be little pruning back of the 



