Graftiiijj  and  Biiddina. 
Some  varieties  of  apples  such  as  Irish  Peach,  Beauty  of  Batli, 
bear  their  fruit  oil  the  extremities  of  the  branches  ; in  these 
cases  the  leaders  are  not  cut  and  the  pruning  consists  in  thinning 
out  the  branches  when  overcrowded.  The  primer  must  learn 
these  varieties  and  their  peculiarities  by  observation,  and  cut 
accordingly.  Plums  and  pears  for  the  most  part  come  under 
the  general  rule  of  pruning,  although  Pond’s  Seedling  and 
Victoria,  amongst  the  former,  may  be  cut  harder  than  most  of 
their  species  as  they  produce  heavy  crops  on  brittle  wood. 
Plum  trees  may  be  allowed  to  carry  more  wood  than  apples,  as 
the  size  of  their  fruit  is  smaller,  and  in  all  fruits,  a tree  bearing 
a small  fruit  may  be  given  more  licence  than  a tree  bearing  a 
large  fruit.  Pears,  too,  may  be  pruned  more  lightly  than  apples, 
as  their  colour  is  obtained  rather  in  the  store-house  than  on  the 
tree.  Amongst  cherries.  Early  Rivers,  a very  remunerative 
variety,  and  its  allies,  which  are  of  a pendulous  nature,  require 
that  pruning  should  be  considerably  j)rolonged.  The  Flemish 
and  Kentish  Red,  together  with  the  Morello  cherries,  should 
have  their  branches  thinned  out,  as  they  do  not  produce 
spurs,  neither  do  they  yield  a crop  on  the  same  wood.  In 
the  case  of  old  trees  of  many  varieties,  if  the  branches  are 
cut  back  to  the  old  wood,  they  will  break  again  and  form 
new  limbs.  For  pruning  standards,  and,  indeed,  for  bushes  in 
their  higher  branches,  there  is  a capital  cutting-machine  now 
in  use  on  many  farms  known  as  the  “ Standard  ” Tree 
Pruner.  These  cutters  may  be  2 ft.  or  4 ft.  long,  or 
any  length,  and  it  is  w'onderful  what  large  boughs  can 
be  cut  off  by  them.  For  young  trees  and  bushes  no 
ladder  is  wanted  if  this  cutter  is  used  ; and  it  is  most  objec- 
tionable to  set  ladders  against  young  trees.  For  picking  and 
pruning  a step-ladder  should  be  used  where  possible. 
Gkaftixg  and  Budding. 
Grafting  and  budding  are  so  well  understood  that  they 
need  not  here  be  described,  and  a knowledge  of  these  processes 
can  be  better  obtained  by  practice  than  from  any  written  work. 
Budding  is  rapidly  becoming  moi’e  popular  and  is  essential 
where  a new  variety,  or  one  that  is  in  great  demand,  is 
required.  It  is  the  fashion,  too,  to  graft  or  bud  much  lower 
down  than  formerly,  except  ])erhaps  in  the  case  of  cherries. 
The  nurseryman  usually  grafts  early  in  the  season  and  then 
follows  up  with  budding,  as  there  is  no  time  for  the  former 
operation  when  trees  have  to  be  worked  by  thousands. 
