APPLES. 119 



is accomplished more effectually by grafting them upon 

 the Doucin stock ; the crab being destined to the sup- 

 port of orchard standards, or dwarfs for large gardens, 

 where the trees can be allowed plenty of room. And 

 here it may be observed, that dwarfs on crab- stocks are 

 much more adapted for large and ponderous fruit than 

 standards, as they not only produce larger fruit, but are 

 less likely to be blown down by high winds. 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, according 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 allowed), 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 

 regularity in forming the head be attended to and effected 

 at first, there will be no difficulty in keeping it so after* 

 wards, by observing either to prune to that bud imme- 

 diately on the inside next to the centre of the tree, or 

 that immediately on the outside. By this means, view- 

 ing it from the centre, the branches will be produced 

 in a perpendicular line from the eye ; whereas, if pruned 

 to a bud on the right or left side of the branch, the 

 young shoot will be produced in the same direction : 

 so that if the branches formed round a circle be not 

 thus pruned to the eyes on the right successively, or the 

 left successively, a very material difference will be found, 



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