86 AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



years by the new growth is not only more valuable in 

 kind, according to the judgment used in the selection of 

 grafts, but it is more fair, smooth and healthy, and of bet- 

 ter size than that which was previously furnished by the 

 trees. Certain varieties are brought at once into bearing 

 when thus top-grafted, which would have been long in de- 

 veloping their fruitful condition if planted as nursery 

 trees. Others are always better and finer when so worked, 

 than on young trees. Some of the finest specimens of the 

 Northern Spy apple, exhibited at 'the fairs, have been pro- 

 duced by grafts inserted into the terminal branches of old 

 bearing trees. There is a theory held by some orchard- 

 ists, that the further the junction of the graft with the 

 stock is removed from the root, the better will be the 

 fruit. This, however, is not well supported, and the cir- 

 cumstance, when observed, is probably dependent upon 

 other causes. 



In renewing an old orchard by grafting its head, it will 

 not be a good plan to attempt the whole tree at once ; the 

 pruning would be too severe, and would be followed by a 

 profusion of succulent shoots breaking out from the large 

 branches, such as are called water-sprouts. Those who 

 have practiced most, prefer at first, to remove about one- 

 third of the limbs for grafting, and those should be 

 selected at the top of the tree. The new growth thus has 

 an open field for its development, and the lower limbs 

 will be invigorated, while they tend also to preserve the 

 equilibrium of the tree in a double sense, physically and 

 physiologically. The next year another third of the limbs 

 may be grafted, and the remainder the year following, as 

 practiced by Mr. Geo. Olmstead, of Connecticut, who, on 



