THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



177 



The Time to Thin Apples. — It is safer to com- 

 plete the process at two or three times at an interval 

 of two or three months. So soon as fairly set, say 

 towards the end of May or early in June, carefully 

 go over the trees, and gently shake them, or agitate 

 with a light touch of -hand or finger. Any that fall 

 off are those that the tree would in any case have 

 given notice to quit. Then observe any that show a 

 tinge of yellow in the stems. These are also doomed 

 to fail and should be removed. If still too many 

 are left, reduce the numbers still further by the re- 

 moval of all small, misshapen, or ill-placed fruit . So 

 far the thinning has been confined to those already 

 doomed by the tree itself to be either removed, or 

 become comparatively worthless if left on the tree. 



Artificial thinning may be said to begin at this 

 point, to be afterwards carried far beyond it. With 

 a pair of sharp-pointed scissors reduce the Apples 

 to one, two, or three on a shoot, according to the 

 strength of the tree and the distance apart of the 

 fruit-spurs. About three of the largest, most per- 

 fectly formed, healthiest and best-placed Apples on 

 a branch will prove a good average. The summer 

 varieties will need no more thinning, but late 

 Apples should be gone over again in July, and any 

 malformed or very small fruit removed. If the 

 crop then seems too heavy, or any of the fruit are 

 so placed as to unduly crush each other, a few more 

 may be taken off. This timely reduction of the 

 weight of the crop, and its adaptation to the vital 

 force of the tree, combined with timely watering of 

 the trees should they be dry, will generally prevent 

 premature dropping in the autumn, and finish the 

 fruit perfect in form and fiUed with quality. 



Perfect Development of the Fruit.— All 



the culture given will tend to this result. Mulching 

 and watering will provide continuous and plentiful 

 supplies of food, and the thinning will lessen the 

 number of consumers, and adjust the resources of 

 the trees to the demands made upon them. Still, 

 something more may be done to foster the perfect 

 develupment of the fruit. For example, the leaves 

 may be kept clean, any that unduly shade the fruit 

 may be removed, all small shoots should be taken 

 off, and the stronger ones finally cut back, so as to 

 allow the fullest possible access of light and air to 

 the fruit. Fresh supplies of manure may also be 

 applied to the roots. 



The keeping of the leaves clean is of the utmost 

 importance in or near towns, or close to public and 

 consequently dusty roads. Again and again have 

 we seen Apple or other trees refusing to thrive 

 under such circumstances. They were simply half- 

 choked with dirt, their leaves, branchlets, and fruits 

 were white as if mildewed over with sheer dust. 

 60 



Contiguity to manufacturing centres varies the colour 

 and aggravates the evil nature of the dust by adding 

 soot and other abominations to it. Now, the best 

 remedy for all this suffocating foulness is a hose 

 fi-om the water-main, or a garden engine of con- 

 siderable size and force. A daily wash overhead at 

 eventide, sending the water on with all the force at 

 command, will keep the leaves and stems and fruit 

 clean, and create and sustain a genial local atmo- 

 sphere most favourable for the full development of 

 the fruit. 



The Removal of Fruit-shading Leaves. — 



Some look upon it as sacrilege to remove any leaves. 

 They are the life, lungs, and heart of trees. Yes, all 

 very true ; still, there may be too many, and placed 

 in inconvenient positions. Hence, when too thick, 

 thin them, and when keeping off the light and heat 

 of the sun, remove them, is advice as scientifically 

 sound as it is practically useful. The leaves may 

 also be bent under, or out of the way of the fruit, 

 where it might not be wise to remove a fine leaf 

 that is developing a fruit-bud for next year. 



A great accession of light and air to the fruit may 

 also be obtained by the entire removal of all small 

 and hence useless shoots in its immediate neigh- 

 bourhood. The stronger shoots may also be cut hard 

 back to within three or four buds of their base in 

 August or September, without much risk of forcing 

 the remaining buds to break during the current 

 season. But if through the character of the season, 

 or other circumstances, there is any such risk, then 

 these shoots can be broken almost through, and the 

 top thrust out of the way of the fruit. The weakly 

 life of the broken top will prevent the risk of forcing 

 the buds to break at the base of the shoot. Besides, 

 it will neither be needful nor desirable to cut or bend 

 all the shoots back so far as those in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of the swelling and finishing Apples. 

 By such means every ray of light and heat may be 

 brought to bear on the Apples, to the enlargement of 

 their size and the improvement of their flavoui\ 



Occasionally, with all due care and skill in 

 the thinning of the fruit, it will be found that aa 

 they near the finishing stage the tree is over- 

 weighted. If there seems the slightest fear of this 

 after the final thinning, the surface soil should 

 be removed for a few inches, and a coating or 

 mulching of good manure applied in its stead. If 

 this is well watered home at once, much of the 

 strength of the manure will at once be conveyed to 

 the roots, to stimulate them in forwarding more and 

 richer supplies of food to the fruit. Liquid manure is 

 equallj' useful and still more immediate in its action, 

 and the dose can be repeated as the state of the fruit 

 and the trees seem to require. This special watering, 



