APPLE 



HABDY FRUIT GARDEN 



APPLE 1043 



ceeds 30 to . 40 ft. in height. It has 

 broadly ovate acute leaves, the blades 

 usually much longer than the stalks, 

 downy or woolly beneath, with crenate 

 margins and provided with glands. The 

 flowers are always borne in sessile umbels 

 and vary in size and colour according to 

 variety. They are sometimes pure white, 

 like those of Pears, but are usually striped 

 or suffused with rose and often with bright 

 carmine, and all have a delicate fragrance. 

 Apart from their value in the fruit garden 

 they may also well figure on the lawn, in 

 parks, shrubberies &c. on account of their 

 great beauty when in blossom. 



The fmit, which botanists call a ' pome,' 

 is roundish, usually narrowest towards 

 the apex, with a depression at eaoli end, 

 and varies a good deal in size, colour, 

 markings, and flavour — being usually of 

 a brighter and richer colour on the side 

 next the sun. 



Training. — Apples may be grown 

 as bushes, pyramids, standards or half- 

 standards, espaliers, or cordons. As bushes 

 and pyramids the trees may be planted 

 from 8 to 12 ft. apart, according to the 

 vigour and compactness of the variety, 

 and standards and half-standards from 

 15 to SO ft. apart for the same reasons. 



Soil. — The best soil for Apples is a rich 

 adhesive loam on a gravelly or chalky 

 subsoil. Thorough drainage is essential. 

 Poor hot soils must be enriched with 

 plenty of manure, and heavy wet soil 

 must be lightened with plenty of lime and 

 thorough cultivation. Apples being more 

 or less inclined to develop tap-roots should 

 not be planted too deep ; they will usually 

 flourish in shallower soils than the Pear, 

 and are also as a rule much hardier. 



Pruning. — In comparison with the 

 Pear, little pruning is required, except in 

 the case of cordons and espaliers. As the 

 long slender and flexible branches usually 

 carry the finest fruits, a too severe pruning 

 and summer pinching are likely to do 

 more harm than good. The long straggling 

 shoots are best shortened back a little, 

 and only those that are crossing or grow- 

 ing in towards the centre of the tree, or 

 are otherwise useless, should be out away 

 altogether (see p. 1031). As some varieties 

 of Apple, mentioned in the proper place, 

 have the peculiarity of bearing their fruits 

 at the ends of the shoots, instead of on 

 spurs at the sides, it is necessary when 

 pruning to observe the difference between 

 flower-buds and fruit-buds. Fig. 151 



shows what the flower-buds of an Apple 

 tree are like. It will be noticed that they 

 are much rounder and plumper than the 

 wood or leaf-buds shown in fig. 152. 



1/ 





FIG. 161.— FRUIT SPURS 

 OP APPLE. 



PIG. 152. — WOOD 

 BUDS OP APPLE 



Indeed it may be said that pruning 

 should be done rather with the eyes than 

 with the knife. It is essential that the 

 pruner should know the difference between 

 shoots having flower-buds and those 

 having leaf-buds, and it is to be hoped 

 that the various sketches given will assist 

 him in that direction. 



Protection. — In cold bleak districts 

 and northern parts generally it is almost 

 essential that Apples should be grown in 

 situations sheltered by walls or stout 

 hedges. In the event of severe spring 

 frosts, dwarf bushes and espaliers should 

 receive some Etrtificial protection if possi- 

 ble when in bloom. Pieces of thin can- 

 vas, netting, bracken fronds, or any other 

 light and convenient article may be placed 

 over them lightly before nightfall and 

 removed in the morning. When grown 

 against walls, if the latter has a projecting 

 coping, a good deal of protection will be 

 afforded by this and also by the foliage. 

 It is a tedious task protecting the blos- 

 soms, and it is a matter that must be left 

 to the judgment and industry of the 



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