JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 4, 1890. 
1£8 
stock. The smaller growing Paradise stock, although giving some 
very showy fruit, is of no use for profitable fruit culture, the 
weight grown per acre not being enough to pay well. Young trees 
maybe bought cheaply as maidens—that is, one year from the graft 
or bud. They will consist of two or three shoots. The straightest 
and most central of these should be shortened back to about 1 foot 
in length at the spring pruning, the others to 6 inches. What is 
required eventually of these dwarf trees is to get them to form 
one central stem as straight as possible about 10 feet in height, 
well furnished with side branches all round to within 18 inches of 
the ground, and pyramidal in shape like a sugarlcaf. The central 
shoot should have about one-fourth of its length cut off every 
year in order to make it branch out well, the side branches also 
being shortened to a similar extent, leaving the bud at the end 
pointing in the direction it is desirable for the young shoot to 
grow, and keeping them tied into position when necessary. When 
the tree reaches the required size it must be kept within bounds 
after by pruning the young shoots back every winter to within an 
inch of where they started the previous spring. Summer pruning 
is also of great advantage to these dwarf trees, and consists in 
shortening all young shoots back to about 4 inches in length by 
the end of July, except those required for extending the branches, 
which should be left full length until the winter. By this means 
the fruit is more exposed to the sun, and the flower buds for next 
year are strengthened. Trees treated on this system will bear 
good fruit in five or six years from the graft, and at the age of 
twelve years will bear from one two bushels each, and be worth 
from £40 to £50 per acre gross in a good season with a full crop. 
The cost of the trees and planting in the first inslance, exclusive of 
fencing, draining, and all extras, will be about £12 per acre, and 
when the trees are over four years old the cost of pruning, train¬ 
ing, &c., yearly will be from £2 to £4 per acre. Sometimes these 
dwarf trees persist in growing strongly without fruiting. A severe 
check is the only cure fcr this, and is best accomplished by digging 
a trench round the tree in the winter about 5 feet from the stem, 
laying every root bare without bruising them, and working out all 
the soil from underneath with steel forks, cutting asunder all roots 
that go down straight beneath the tree and all that extend beyond 
the trench, then tilling up the trench again, and mulch as for newly 
planted trees. I have a tree of Alfriston which was treated in 
this manner, and the next year it was full of fruit although it had 
never borne any fruit previously through growing too strongly to 
form fruiting buds. 
Having decided what kind of trees to plant they should be placed 
in position as soon as possible, spreading the roots out evenly 
all round, treading the soil firmly, and finishing off by mulching 
as advised in the general directions for planting. As soon as 
standard trees are planted they should be fastened upright by 
putting a stake down on each side of the tree 9 inches from the 
stem, and as tall as the first branches of the top. A cross piece 
should be nailed to each stake at the top and the tree tied to this 
with tarred string. A piece of old sacking should first be put round 
the stem of the tree to prevent any injury to the bark. These 
stakes (two for each tree) will last as long as required if made of 
well seasoned larch poles, prepared some months before they are 
wanted and dipped in creosote or boiling tar 2 feet in length at the 
bottom. When the trees are made secure and mulched no more 
attention will be required until pruning time in February, unless 
rabbits or hares abound in the neighbourhood ; if so it will be 
necessary to protect the trees as soon as planted either by sur¬ 
rounding the whole plantation with a rabbit proof fencing, or 
placing a narrow strip of wire netting about 2 feet high round the 
stem. This should be out just wide enough to allow the tree to 
swell about three times its present size, and then have two ties with 
galvanised wire at the edges to keep it together. A cheaper way 
than this in the first instance, but not lasting so long, is to wind a 
strip of stout brown paper round the stem of the tree and then to 
put some ordinary coal tar on the paper ; this will last about three 
years, but this will require a little fresh tar every winter before 
s row comes. 
Pruning. —If the trees are planted before the end of December, 
and have plenty of good roots, the young shoots forming the top 
should be shortened back in the following February or early in 
March. It is easy to see where they were cut the previous winter, 
and which part has grown since then. They ought to have made five 
or more good shoots. These should be shortened back, leaving about 
9 inches in length, and cutting to a bud that points outwards from 
the centre of the tree. It is especially necessary to be careful 
about this latter point in order to get the young tree to grow open 
in the centre. Any weak shoots should be cut back to about 
2 inches, also any that are crossing others or growing towards the 
centre ; what is required being from five to seven main branches 
growing upwards and outwards, so as to form an even-shaped and 
well-branched head or top. No more attention will be required 
until the following February, when any shoots should be cut well 
back that are crossing the others or growing inwards as before. 
The leading shoots may be left entire if there are sufficient, if not 
they should be shortened back half their length. Any shoots 
growing outwards from these may be left entire if they have 
plenty of room. After this very little pruning will be required 
for these standard trees, with the exception of cutting the small 
branches out from the centre of the trees in two or three years, 
and thinning out a few of the weaker branches all over if the- 
top becomes thick. This is best done in autumn as soon as the 
fruit is gathered, as the strength of the branches is more 
easily judged at that time ; also the thickness of the top can be 
better set n. The branches removed should be cut off close to the 
larger ones without leaving any stumps remaining. All that is 
necessary to attend to besides this is to keep the ground well 
cultivated to prevent weeds growing, and to attend to the stakes 
and ties as required in order to keep the trees from blowing about 
by the wind, also to ensure that the ties do not bruise the skin or 
bark of the trees. 
If from an;y cause the trees are not planted until late in the- 
spring they will not make much growth the first year, and pruning 
is best deferred until the next spring, and then performed as 
advised for the first season. Treated in this manner they grow 
away freely at once, having good roots to supply them with 
nourishment. 
Gathering. —Apples for storing are ready to gather when they 
leave the tree easily, and on cutting the fruit open the seeds are 
found to be turning brown. For early use and marketing this is of 
no consequence. They may be had as soon as they reach the size 
of small Oranges, but if required for storing the colour of the 
seeds or pips should always be brown when they are gathered, or 
they will shrivel in the skin and be useless for sale. Great care 
should be taken in gathering not to bruise the fruit, as this is fatal 
both to good prices and to good keeping. If intended for present 
sale they should be packed and sent off as soon as possible. Never 
gather when they are damp or wet; and if by any means a sharp 
frost occurs while they are on the trees (as in the case of late 
varieties it occasionally will do) leave them until another day before 
gathering. 
Packing. —This must vary according to the custom of the 
market for which they are intended. Those for London markets 
should be packed in “sieves” or baskets holding about one bushel, 
vdiich the salesmen supply in some cases, and in others the growers 
find their own. Cover the sides with “fruit paper” or “cap 
paper,” the fruit being graded—that is, each side kept separate— 
taking especial care that all the fruit in each package is of the same 
size, sort, and quality (the salesman should be made to understand 
this), and that no damaged fruits are put in. Place another sheet 
of paper over the top, then some dry straw or hay, or if in the 
summer long green grass i3 generally used. These should be 
flattened over the top of the “ sieve,” to prevent bruising when 
another is placed on the top. A stick of hazel about as thick as a 
man’s thumb should then be split lengthwise, and the two pieces 
placed crosswise over the top of the straw, pushing the ends through 
under the top of the basket to keep them in their place, and cutting 
them off even. Each basket then only requires a label, and is readj 
for the market. In the northern provincial towns, such as Man¬ 
chester, Sheffield, Bradford, &c., Apples are sold by the stone of 
14 lbs. weight at from Is. to 2s. 6d. per stone, and it is not im¬ 
portant what kind of parcels they are packed in, w'hether boxes or 
baskets, so long as they travel well, are easily lifted about by one 
or two men, and the nett weight of the fruit is carefully ascer¬ 
tained in stones or half-stones by weighing the packages before 
filling and again after. Whatever market they are intended for 
they must always be packed with the same care, honestly graded, 
and should arrive not later than the middle of January, after which, 
date the markets are flooded with inferior but more showy 
American fruit, which bring the prices down for English samples. 
Storing. —Apples may easily be stored so that they will keep 
until the end of January. They may also be kept until June, but 
as there is nothing gained by keeping them so late—in fact prices 
are much lower than when sold earlier—it would be useless to treat 
of it here. To keep Apples until January a dry room or shed is 
required, where frost can be excluded from them, and which can 
be ventilated in favourable weather to keep the air pure and 
healthy. If this room is partly or almost entirely underground 
the fruit will keep fresher and firmer, provided the air is not 
allowed to get too damp, and the walls are thoroughly waterproof. 
All light should be carefully excluded, except when packing or 
examining the fruit. Never lay the Apples on straw or hay, or 
anything of a similar nature, as it imparts a musty flavour to them. 
All strong smells, such as tobacco smoke, tar, carbolic acid, or paint 
should be carefully kept from them. Do not lay the fruit on 
earth, brick, or stone floors, or on new deal boards. Bare boards 
