336 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
the mulch should no¢ be removed in the early 
spring. The objects now are, to stimulate the 
fruit buds and to retard activity in the roots 
until the danger from late frosts is past. As a 
result of this kind of treatment, many varieties 
of apple trees will give moderate crops when the 
roots are seven, and the trunks are six years old. 
Fruit buds showed in abundance on many of my 
trees in the fall of 1897, especially on the Duch- 
ess and the Yellow Transparent, and I looked 
for a small apple harvest that year. 
