342 



APPLES. 



Stronger than the rest : these latter, if suffered to remain, 

 will injure any description of tree, whether it be a standard, 

 or an espalier. 



Sect. II. — Open Dwarfs for Gardens. 



Open dwarfs are such as are generally planted on the bor- 

 ders, or in the quarters of the gai'den, and consist of such as 

 nre intended to furnish fruit for the dessert only : those for 

 the kitchen more properly belong to the orchard department. 

 Besides, open dwarfs should consist of those kinds whose 

 wood is short, slender, and easily kept within a moderate 

 compass : this latter object is accompUshed more effectu- 

 ally by grafting them upon the Doiicin stock.* Trees for 

 this purpose should have their branches of an equal strength : 

 those which have been grafted one year, or what are termed 

 by nurserymen maiden plants, are the best ; they should 

 not be cut down when planted, but should stand a year, and 

 then be headed down to the length of four or six inches, ac- 

 cording to their strength ; these will produce three or four 

 shoots from each cut-down branch, which will be sufficient 

 to form a head. At the end of the second year, two or 

 three of the best placed of these from each branch should 

 be selected, and shortened back to nine, twelve, or fifteen 

 inches each, according to their strength, taking care to keep 

 the head perfectly balanced, (if the expression may be allow- 

 ed,) so that one side shall not be higher nor more numerous 

 in its branches than the other, and all must be kept as near 

 as may be at an equal distance from each other. If this re- 



* The stocks on which Apples should be budded or grafted to form opc7i Dwarfs 

 or Espaliers, arc the two following : 



1. The Paradise Apple. This is a very dwarf growing tree. Fruit of 3l me- 

 dium size, round, and flattened at the ends. Eije closed and sunk in an even basin. 

 Stalk slender, sunk in a deep cavity. Skin a light yellow. Flesh soft and tender. 

 Juice sweet, though not in abundance. 



Ripe about the middle of July. 



This is the most dwarf Apple known, and the best when very dwarf treea are re- 

 quired. 



3. French Paradise, or DorciN. Frm'i small. Ripe in September. A sour 

 useless crab. The tree or shrub grows generally to the height of eight or ten feet, 

 and is much used by the French for Dicarfs and Espaliers. English gardeners 

 prefer tlie former, particularly for small gardens. 



Propagation. Both of the kinds may be raised by layers, cuttings, or suckers. 

 The two first modes are the best. Good strong layers may be raised fit for graft- 

 ing, the second season. The cuttings ought to be of two years' growth before they 

 will be strong enough for grafting ; care must be taken to keep them perfectly clean, 

 taking away any suckers that may appear ; and this practice must be always at- 

 tended to, or die stocks will be spoiled. •^m. Ed. 



