THE APPLE. 



61 



feet high 



and which has no leaves to thicken 

 it except those above that height, will increase 

 equally along its whole length. To be self- 

 supporting it should be thickest at the base, 

 as would have been the case had it not been 

 for the injudicious use of the knife. 



A well-grown stem should have the following 

 dimensions — Height, 6 feet; diameter at base, 

 3 inches; in the middle, 2 \ inches; and at 6 feet 



high, where the top begins to branch, 2 inches ; 

 this will be self-supporting. A stem that has 

 once assumed a tapering form will retain that 

 form as long as it exists. The whole tree may 

 be torn up by a hurricane, but the stem will 

 not become crooked, and this is precisely the 

 kind of stem that is wanted. We shall there- 

 fore endeavour to show how it may be obtained. 

 Commencing with the maiden shoot from the 



#tn 



Fig. 853.— Maiden tree 



Fig. 854. 



Fig. 855.— The same tree 



Fig. 856.— Head of the 



(one year from bud). Can be 



A two-year-old 



with lateral growths short- 



same tree enlarged to 



cut down to form a dwarf 



standard, un- 



ened and head prepared for 



show pruning for the 



or espalier, or remain the 



pruned. 



the first pruning. 



leading shoot and the 



full length for a standard. 







three main branches. 



graft or bud, we find it during summer furnished 

 with leaves from near its base to its extremity. 

 If at the end of the growing season we girth 

 the shoot at the top and successively below 

 each leaf downwards, we shall find that every 

 girth is greater and greater as we descend. The 

 difference between each measurement will be 

 greater or less according to the health, nature, 

 and size of the leaves. Where a portion of a 

 shoot is deprived of leaves such gradation does 

 not take place, but if there are leaves below the 

 naked portion, there will be a sensible difference 

 in the increase of girth below the first of them, 

 and so on to the base. From what has been 

 stated it is evident that all the leaves on the 

 first shoot from the graft or bud should be 

 encouraged. When the leaves fall in autumn, 

 buds more or less prominent will be seen along 



the stem, and perhaps some may have grown 

 into laterals; the latter should be shortened at 

 the autumn or winter pruning to two buds. 



In the second season the terminal bud will 

 start into vigorous growth if no accident has 

 happened to it, as will also several others along 

 the shoot, and some will remain dormant, especi- 

 ally those near the base. The shoots that do 

 start should be allowed to grow, taking care, 

 however, to check any that are likely to com- 

 pete with the leader. Foliage should be en- 

 couraged on the latter, and likewise on the 

 young shoots of the previous year. With 

 regard to the laterals on the former year's 

 shoots, they may be allowed to grow till the 

 end of July, and their extremities should then 

 be pinched or cut off. The reason for allowing 

 them to grow is in order that they may bear 



