THE APPLE 



157 



T 



of the excised portion should not exceed one inch. The small 

 piece of adhering wood is then carefully picked out without 

 disturbing the bud itself, and the bud is inserted under the 

 bark at the T-shaped cut, and bound round with bast. If the 

 operation has been successful, union of the tissues takes place 

 rapidly, and the bast may be removed at the end of three weeks' 

 time. 



General rules for the planting of apple trees have already 

 been given. Where a number of trees are to be planted it is 

 important to give sufficient space for the admission of light and 

 air, taking care at the same time that there is no waste of ground. 

 The trees should be planted in rows running north and south. 

 Standard trees must be at a distance of twenty feet apart, dwarf 

 trees at a distance of eight 

 feet. As the standard trees 

 will not come into bearing 

 for some years, the ground 

 between them may be occu- 

 pied by Currant and Goose- 

 berry bushes. It is best 

 that the orchard ground 

 should be kept quite free 

 from grass and weeds. In 

 this way only can the trees be fed with manure and a surface 

 mulch maintained with the hoe. If, however, some of the ground 

 must be under grass, at least a circular space eight feet in 

 diameter must be kept bare round each tree. If grass is allowed 

 to grow close to the stem of newly planted trees, the demands 

 which it makes on the moisture and mineral matter of the soil 

 will cause serious permanent injury to the trees. In cultivating 

 the ground around fruit trees it should be borne in mind that the 

 tree is largely fed from the soil through its fibrous surface roots, 

 and that any operation which injures these will affect the fruitful- 

 ness of the tree. Hence the cultivation must be shallow. On 

 light open soils the Dutch hoe may be used for keeping the surface 

 free from weeds and in a loose condition. On heavier soils the 

 fork or spade must be used, but the soil should not be disturbed 

 to a greater depth than two to three inches. 



FlG. 60. Budding. A, Incision ; B, bud ; 

 C, bud inserted ; D, Bud fastened in and 

 bound with bast. 



