1905.] 



Apple Culture. 



587 



same as for the second. The standards should by this time 

 have formed good open heads, with their boughs well set out, 

 and fairly stiff and rigid at the base. These boughs will in 

 time develop into large ones, and, therefore, their careful 

 manipulation and distribution, when young, is of more im- 

 portance than is generally recognised. Subsequent pruning 

 will be made to remove useless and unnecessary wood. 



The pruning of the bush trees will continue in a similar 

 manner, except that as the trees advance more length of the 

 leaders may be left if they can properly develop their laterals. 

 As the trees get larger, laterals should be allowed to grow as 

 leaders where space permits. The trees should be encouraged 

 to grow to a uniform height of 10 or 12 ft., keeping them as 

 even as may be at the top, so that the wind may sweep along- 

 over them without moving the fruit-laden boughs to any great 

 extent. 



About five years after planting the roots should be pruned 

 if the trees grow strong. This should be done by digging a 

 trench around the tree in October or November, and removing 

 the earth so as to afford access to the roots. These should then 

 be shortened back, entering the knife on the under side, leaving 

 them when pruned half as long as the average length of the 

 boughs — not counting the young growth of the current year. 

 The hole should then be re-filled, the tree mulched and staked. 

 The second summer afterwards a good crop of fruit should be 

 the result, and with proper care and attention the trees will go 

 on fruiting year after year. 



Manuring: 



Sufficient plant food or manure should be applied to the 

 trees to keep them in a healthy but not too vigorous state 

 of growth. If they have a tendency to grow strong, manure 

 must be withheld, but if they carry heavy crops of fruit it is 

 quite evident that the supply of plant food taken from the land 

 by the trees must be replenished or failure will ultimately 

 ensue. If necessary a liberal dressing of farm-yard manure 

 may be applied each winter, previous to cultivation, between 

 the trees. The manure should extend as far from the stems 

 as the boughs are long. Superphosphate and kainit are 



