S8 THE APPLE-TREE 



grafted on them make semi-dwarf trees, midway in 

 stature between the real dwarfs and the common stan- 

 dard or "free" apple-trees. 



The case is not so simple, however, as this brief state- 

 ment would make it appear. There are many kinds of 

 Paradise stock, as also of Doucin. If one were to bring 

 together living plants of all the kinds of natural dwarfs 

 and semi-dwarfs that could be found in nurseries and 

 growing collections, one would undoubtedly find a nearly 

 complete series, so far as stature of tree is concerned, 

 from the very dwarf to the full-sized standard tree. To 

 say that a person is growing grafted dwarf apple-trees 

 does not signify how large the trees may be expected to 

 grow, for one may not know the particular kind of stocks 

 on which the variety is grafted. In fact, it is considered 

 even in Europe, where dwarf apples are chiefly grown, 

 that the proper identification of dwarf stocks is still a 

 subject for careful investigation. 



When the Paradise dwarfs first came into existence 

 is undetermined. They appear to have been known in 

 the Middle Ages. The many races, as the Dutch, French, 

 Metz, Nonsuch, Broad-leaved, indicate an ancient origin. 

 We cannot be too certain what apple-trees were meant 

 in the early references to the Paradise apple. The fruits 

 of the present natural Paradise apple-trees are not suffi- 

 ciently attractive to justify us in considering them the 

 "Tree of Paradise" or apple of the Garden of Eden, which 

 circumstance is supposed by some to account for the 

 name. "Paradise" was originally a park or pleasure 

 ground, applied also to the Garden of Eden, and later to 

 horticultural gardens. John Parkinson wrote his great 

 treatise on horticulture, 1629, under the title, "Paradisi 



