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225 



It has been thought unnecessary to include, in a book of this 

 nature, a large number of varieties, but rather to give the names of 

 kinds that have been proved of real merit, and while those mentioned 

 are not all of the good ones, they have been selected for their superiority 

 in vigor and production. 



APPLES 



These do best in a rich, loamy, well drained soil, in a position 

 preferably facing the east or southeast. This situation protects the 

 trees from north and west winds and retards blooming in Spring, 

 thereby often preventing the destruction of the blossom by late Spring 

 frosts, and the consequent failure of the crop. In planting, select a 

 three-year-old tree, which can be procured at any reliable nursery, and 

 insist on this being true to name, because a mistake at this point means 

 years of disappointment. Do not make the common mistake of plant- 

 ing your tree in a small hole, or planting too deeply, but be liberal in all 

 your treatment and your tree will respond accordingly. Prune all 

 broken and damaged roots, and after spreading the remaining roots 

 evenly in the hole, cover with fine earth and give the tree a slight shake. 

 Allow the earth to sift down among the fine roots, then put on more 

 soil and tread in firmly, finish filling the hole, and put on a generous 

 mulching to keep the soil about the tree moist, for upon this mulching 

 often depends the life of the tree. After the tree is firmly planted, 

 prune in the head to five or six branches and reduce these to half 

 their original length. Attach a label to the tree and it is ready to 

 take a permanent place in the garden. 



During its first season of growth all superfluous shoots should 

 be cut out, keeping in mind the future form of the mature tree. The 

 second season the previous year's growth should be cut back about 

 half, and after this the tree will usually need only thinning out the 

 center and such shoots as cross each other, to secure abundance of 

 light and sunshine. The shoots which come out of the stem should 

 be rubbed off as they appear. This treatment applies to standards, 

 which should be planted at least twenty-five feet apart, but in a small 

 garden trees known as pyramids, cordons, and espaliers may be grown 

 with success. These can be purchased in that forrti, and are used for 

 covering arches or for growing against buildings, walls or fences. 

 They have the advantage of producing fruit quicker than standards 

 and in taking less space in which to grow, a consideration where room 

 is limited. Pyramids could be planted in a row ten feet apart, cordons 

 three feet apart against a wall or to form an arch over a walk, and 



