April 12,1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
273 
“ nTUNTED” is not a particularly euphonious term, but it has 
O a very definite meaning, as at least it had in a dictionary to 
which I turned for information in the far-past times when accused 
of “ stunting ” at school. “ Stunt,” it was explained in the book, 
was “ to hinder in growth ”—only applicable in my case to 
hindering the progress in knowledge. Stunted, then, means 
“hindered from growth,” and that is the condition of hundreds 
if not thousands of fruit trees at this moment, and which conse¬ 
quently need a little manipulative aid. 
It is a small matter which will be referred to, or at least that 
will be the estimate of it by the not inconsiderable section of the 
community who do not recognise the importance of small things 
soon enough to prevent important issues of an undesirable 
character. Fruit trees are now reaching the acme of their spring 
beauty, as clothed in their silvery pink sheen glistening in the 
sunshine. How gladdening is the sight! It is a case of blossom, 
blossom everywhere where fruit trees are established. Old or 
young it seems much the same, for all seem laden with myriads of 
flowers, save those that were exhausted by unreasonably heavy 
crops of fruit last year. “ Too soon and too much of it,” remarked 
a cautious old gardener in reference to the blossom, himself like 
the trees—silvery. “ Too much and too soon,” he repeated, “ to 
make us sure of a good crop of fruit. Yet we must hope for the 
best and do our best.” And the old man was right. Too many, 
it is feared, let hoping suffice as if they had then done their 
duty, but it is not so. 
“ Come and see my wall of cordons,” was the invitation of an 
ardent amateur, “ you never saw such a sight ; at least, I never 
did. I had them from Mr. Swagger, who lives over the hill, 
yonder, and I think if everybody could see them they would 
get him some orders ; don’t you ? Cheap, too. He bought them 
at an auction sale, he said, and could let me have them as a bargain, 
and I think he did, don’t you ? I only gave 6d. apiece for them, 
and what a promise of fruit we have ! ” 
I could not conscientiously say “ Yes ” to either of the interro¬ 
gatories, so evaded the question by promising to see the trees in 
fruit—if they bore any. The very suggestion that his precious 
trees would not be as crowded with fruit in the summer as with 
blossoms in the spring startled the sanguine enthusiast. He was 
also startled the more when told it would be better for them, if 
not agreeable to him, if the blossom fell and left no fruit behind 
it. That would at least give the trees a chance to grow, for a more 
miserable set of stunted starvelings it would be difficult to 
conceive. Cheap at 6d, apiece ? They would be dear at half the 
money, and will never reach the top of the wall as long as it 
stands. The crowd of weakly blossoms reminded of the last 
flicker of the candle before the final darkness, and the only crop 
the trees will bear, the cheap and dirty trees, will be a full crop 
of scale. 
In another garden are also some cordons, two years planted ; 
they were good and creditable trees, obtained from a nurseryman 
of repute ; they were established, and are bearing bold blossoms 
abundantly ; but—and this is the small point to which attention 
is directed—almost every leader terminated in a cluster of blossom, 
with the wood buds below quiescent. If this terminal cluster set 
and the fruits remained, farewell to the desired extension ; but 
No. 720.—VoL, XXVIII,, Third Sekibs, 
fruit never will set there, for the sufficient reason that the case had 
only to be explained to gain immediate sanction to the proposed 
remedy, and every terminal cluster of blossom was cut off to one 
of the dormant wood buds. Now give the trees some liquid 
manure ; growths will push, and in due time healthy trees will 
follow if no mistake is made in their management. Root drought 
and impoverishment greatly prejudice the setting and swelling 
of fruit. 
Was ever such a year of terminal blossom buds seen p The 
tips of thousands of last year’s growths are studded with them. 
This is of no great consequence when farther extension is not a 
question of moment, but where it is the ends of the branches 
should be cut off down to the most promising wood bud. Not 
to cordon trees only does the injunction apply, but equally so to 
young, fan, and horizontally trained Pear and other trees, which 
it is hoped will occupy attractively and profitably the space they 
were intended to furnish. This they cannot do, or only in the 
slowest manner, if the chance is not afforded them by the simple 
practice indicated. How many trees are stunted and wall space con¬ 
sequently unoccupied through non-appreciation of the importance of 
the apparently small matter of removing terminal blossom buds ? 
Evidence of the oversight, the mistake of allowing them to remain, 
leaving the trees to struggle as best they may into further exten¬ 
sion, is all too clear in many gardens. That there will be extension 
is not unlikely, but it will be in the wrong place—a crowd of 
breastwood, while the onward movement of the leading branches 
lags behind, spoiling the symmetry of the trees, and leaving much 
space vacant that ought to be occupied in the production of 
excellent fruit. 
As it is with wall trees of various kinds and shapes so it is with 
bushes, pyramids, and standards. If young, and most of the 
branches end in blossom, then do the trees become stunted, and 
so they will in all probability remain if no relief is afforded. 
Four years ago a farmer planted 500 Apple trees—excellent trees 
they were, as is apparent by the original growths. They were 
obtained from one of our best nurserymen, and whether rationally 
planted or not have been stunted, and so far spoiled by never 
touching them with the knife. The young branches were not 
shortened, and only grew an inch or so the first year, some not so 
much. They became studded with blossom buds, hide-bound, 
stunted, and stubborn, and are now very little larger than when 
planted. It is a pity to see such woebegone examples, the result 
of negligence, ignorance, or timidity in the use of the knife. 
There is only one way to induce such trees to start into growth, 
and that is to behead them forthwith to induce the latent buds to 
break, encouraging the sap movement by liquid support at the 
roots. It is possible that as a result of the advice thus given, and 
being carried out, that the trees may yet become useful, but the 
lost time cannot bi regained. 
Is the value of liquid manure to over-blossomed and more or 
less enfeebled fruit trees against walls and in the open sufficiently 
appreciated ? Common it is to see the clouds of blossom fall and 
scarcely leave a fruit behind it. This is often a cause of exhaustion, 
and to an important extent is preventible by liquid nourishment at 
a critical time. If the soil is very dry, as is now the case near 
many walls, clear water should be first given to moisten it right 
below the roots, following with the richer fare. 
A few years ago a promising looking Cherry tree, promising 
at least when wreathed with blossom, was a source of great dis¬ 
appointment to its owner. The fruits set and commenced swelling, 
then turned pale and fell in shoals. He was told next year when 
the buds were swelling to pierce the ground with a crowbar at 
distances of 18 inches as far as the branches extended, and pour in 
liquid manure as fast as it drained away, then fill the apertures 
with fresh soil, and press it down firmly. This was done, and a 
splendid crop of fruit rewarded the owner for his pains. The 
liquid support has been continued, and so have successive crops of 
No. 2376 .—Von. XC., Old Series, 
