The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1527 
Dwarf Trees; Pruning; Varieties; Spraying 
That was a very interesting and unusual account in 
The It. N.-Y. of May 10 on “Culture of Dwarf Apple 
Trees,” written by George T. Powell. I wish lie had 
written a little more, and described his method of prun¬ 
ing for Summer and Winter, his favorite spraying ma¬ 
terial, and time to combat codling moth, scab and red 
bug. As he remarks, the deep planting of trees on the 
Paradise stock is very much against the generally ac¬ 
cepted advice given to buyers of dwarf trees in'America 
and Britain. I wonder if Mr. Powell, while growing on 
dwarf trees apples for the market, has kept to certain 
standard varieties for that purpose? I note he only 
mentions three, Astrachan, Spy and Cox's Orange Pip¬ 
pin. lie no doubt has done much experimenting with 
other varieties. Perhaps he could be induced to give 
readers of The R. N.-Y. his experience along that line, 
mentioning the varieties he has found to be quick and 
most fruitful on the dwarf stock, and would be best for 
the ordinary gardening man to grow for home use where 
space is at a premium, but some apple trees are desired. 
My own choice would be Gloria Mundi, Wealthy, Stark, 
Rough eld, English Golden Pippin, Lord Suffield, Lord 
Grosvenor and Yellow Bellflower. 
New York. JAMES holloway. 
P RUNE WHEN PLANTING—In reply to a num¬ 
ber of inquiries for further information upon 
dwarf tree culture, I will add that pruning should be 
done at time of planting to give the trees proper 
form. This will require but a few of the branches 
to be cut out that will grow from the center. Severe 
pruning at time of planting is not wise, for strong 
root development is dependent upon a good supply 
cent being taken off. At this age Doucin trees should 
produce two to three bushels, and Paradise one to 
one and a half bushels, average, to the tree. In va¬ 
rieties I have never seen more beautiful and larger 
Yellow Transparent than are grown at Huntington, 
L. I. This and other varieties, as Wealthy, Astra¬ 
chan, McIntosh, Portland, Jonathan and many other 
high quality varieties, may be successfully grown, 
commercially, or upon garden lots, on all limestone 
or good clay loam soil, over a large territory. The 
most satisfactory results, with this class of tree, may 
be obtained only when they are propagated upon 
the best selected strong root stock, and with buds 
taken only from trees of known record for high pro 
duction of fruit of the finest quality in every point. 
FORTY YEARS’ TRIAL.—After 40 years of ex¬ 
perimental work with dwarf trees, with the best ap¬ 
ples still in the luxury list, beyond the reach of vast 
numbers of consumers, and with the steady increase 
in destructive insects, pests and blight, this class of 
trees has advantages, not only to the large commer¬ 
cial growers, but to many of the owners of small 
farms and suburban holdings, where a largely in¬ 
creased consumption of this most desirable fruit may 
be made possible. 
SPRAYING.—In the control of insects through 
the use of spraying materials, there are two types 
where tractors and all other up-to-date power is 
used. It is a rather curious thing to see this mighty 
team of ox-flesh holding its own beside the latest 
thing in gasoline. 
These oxen are Brown Swiss, and they were raised 
and broken on this farm. The two under the yoke 
are five years old and the helper, or third ox, is six 
years. The three together weigh 7,250 lbs., and 
when they put their necks against the yoke and get 
ready to move something has to come. Many a read¬ 
er of The R. N.-Y. passed his boyhood on a farm 
where oxen were used. To them a well-trained ox 
team is a delightful sight, and they would enjoy 
seeing these three big fellows respond to the mas¬ 
ter’s voice. There was no yelling or whipping or 
goading. The driver talked to them in an ordinary 
tone of voice and they seemed to understand with 
almost human intelligence, glancing at the driver 
now and then as if anticipating his next order. 
As all who have handled oxen know, there is a 
great difference in intelligence in tthe different 
breeds. The Devon is supposed to be the smartest 
and quickest ox, but those who have seen these 
Brown Swiss in action say that they excel anything 
they have ever seen for intelligence. It is also 
claimed for the Brown Swiss that they have a long 
memory, and never forget what they are taught. 
A Trio of Broion Swiss Worlcers on a New Jersey Farm 
of foliage to stimulate growth. The only pruning 
required for four years after planting is to give the 
trees a permanent form for the future. The base of 
the trees should be formed two feet from the ground, 
cutting out sufficient of the center to prevent too 
much of upward growth that will prevent free sun¬ 
shine to all parts of the tree for high color in the 
fruit. During the next five years pruning will be 
required only to obtain good form, cutting back 
branches that incline to horizontal growth, to one 
that is directly upward. This will prevent an over¬ 
wide base, which will make cultivation difficult, also 
picking of the fruit on the higher parts of the tree. 
We have grown dwarf trees 22 ft. in height and 18 
ft. in diameter. The weight of the apples will carry 
the higher branches outward, making it practical to 
pick the fruit with 10-ft. step-ladders. 
PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING.—It is sur¬ 
prising that many nursery catalogues still advise 
buyers of Doucin dwarf trees to plant them 16 ft. 
apart, when, especially in commercial planting, the 
distance should be 40 ft., with Paradise trees as 
fillers, of the same varieties. At the end of 18 years, 
at a wet time in the late Autumn, the Paradise trees 
may be lifted, by long levers, and transplanted, with 
but one year of loss in bearing, the apples being 
picked off when just set. and the second year 70 per 
to know about, one the class of sucking insects, as 
aphis; the other, chewing, which includes many 
kinds of caterpillars, borers and bugs unlimited in 
numbers. The former are destroyed by contact 
sprays, as nicotine and oil emulsions sprayed upon 
their bodies, the other by poisons sprayed upon the 
foliage and fruits with chemicals to prevent diseases 
and blight. 
EDUCATION NEEDED.—Our educational system 
is sadly deficient in not providing courses of study in 
these subjects in our rural schools. Farmers and 
their children have no help in this direction, and 
may have been driven from the country to the city, 
to the detriment of both. By suggestion of New 
York citizens, the writer was asked to go to the 
Board of Education and advise the introduction of 
courses of instruction in agriculture in the high 
schools of the city. New York was the first large 
city in our country to introduce agricultural studies 
in its schools, from which some highly valuable re¬ 
sults have been obtained. george t. powell. 
Trio of Brown Swiss Workers 
T HE big steers shown on this page do business on 
Ringwood Manor Farms, near Ringwood, N. J. 
These big fellows find a profitable place on a farm 
The farming on this estate is diversified, with high 
and low lands to be worked. While the farm is 
fully equipped with all the modern farm power in 
stationary engines and tractors, there is still a part 
where the well-broken steer is preferable. 
Through the Winter months much work is done 
iri the woods. Mr. West has the oxen used both 
single and double, and all three together when neces- 
sarv. w. H. a. 
We know a man who wrote a poem about his wife— 
while she struggled with the housework alone. An¬ 
other man who couldn’t write a poem to save his neck 
washed and wiped the dishes while his wife rested. 
Now, young women, which would you choose for a 
husband? 
The best food habit that you can teach a child is to 
drink a quart of milk every day. The next best, and 
not far behind the first, is to learn to eat lettuce and 
green leafy vegetables. 
Does it pay to spend the labor required for scraping 
the loose, rough bark off old apple trees? Sometimes. 
The chief value is the killing of insects which live under 
the bark. 
A new treatment for obesity in Europe is the hay 
bath. The patient is wrapped in a quilt and then 
packed in clover hay, with only his head exposed. Some 
of our farmers would give a man a sweat bath up in 
the mow at haying time and pay him for it. 
