48 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



grow in smaller stature than the same variety reaches under 

 ordinary conditions of treatment. There are three princii)al 

 ways by which this dwarfing is secured. These are (1) propaga- 

 tion, (2) pruning, (3) training. The first method is by much the 

 most impoi'tant. A dwarf tree is nearly always propagated by 

 budding or grafting on some kind of a root which grows slowly, 

 and thus the slow-growing root checks the growth of the top to 

 such an extent that the top is dwarfed. The commonest and 

 most striking example is the propagation of dwarf pear trees. 

 These are grown by budding ordinary varieties, such as Bartlett, 

 Duchess, or Anjou, on quince roots. Tlie quince root grows 

 much more slowly than the pear root so that a Bartlett pear tree 

 on a quince root will be much smaller at the same age than a 

 Bartlett tree on a pear root. I will refer to this matter as it 

 affects other species of trees further on in this lecture. 



Pnining has also been referred to as one of the means of 

 dwarfing trees. Many trees are kept back to then* small statiire 

 largely by this means. If they are allowed to grow unpruned 

 they will eventually become as large as any trees of the variety. 

 This refers to all kinds of dwarf trees. More or less heading 

 back is always required to keep the trees in their dwarf form. 



In a somewhat similar manner trees are retained in their small 

 forms by training them, that is by tying them upon a trellis or 

 against a wall or to stakes, and preventing their growth beyond 

 prescribed limits. Reference will be made also to this subject 

 later in this lecture. 



The first question which comes up in presenting such a subject 

 as this is that of its practical utility. Almost every one will ask 

 at once " What is the value of dwarf fruit trees ? " This is a 

 fair question and it ought to have a fair answer. 



We may as well say at once that dwarf fruits are not very 

 promising from a commercial point of view. They will not in 

 any way rival standard trees for large orchards. In fact it is still 

 a question whether fruit can ever be grown for raai-ket in this 

 country profitably on dwarf trees in competition with fruit grown 

 in the usual way. I am inclined to believe that certain fine 

 dessert varieties can be grown on dwarf trees for fancy trade 

 where large prices may be secured. We have a constantly 



