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JOWRNAL  OF  TTORTTCULTUTtE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDEKEE. 
March  10,  1898. 
either  as  a  graft  or  bud,  on  a  strong  Crab  stock ;  and  even  if  this  be 
accomplished  the  growth  is  frequently  rendered  irregular  and  unfruitful, 
being  “  forced,”  as  it  were,  out  of  its  natural  habit.  Varieties  of 
rnedium  growth  more  readily  adapt  themselves  to  either  stock,  and 
give  the  best  results  in  healthy  growth  and  good  fruit.  The  extremes 
require  careful  study,  and  must  be  allotted  stocks  more  proportionate 
-  to  their  growth. 
The  essential  difference  between  the  Crab  and  Paradise  stocks  is 
that  one  is  a  seedling  and  the  other  a  layer,  or  plant  derived  from  its 
parent  by  vegetative  increase.  In  other  respects,  though  the  terms 
Crab  and  Paradise  are  employed  as  if  they  indicated  a  definite  and 
fixed  form,  they  are  very  misleading,  and  it  is  no  doubt  largely  due  to 
this  that  such  varied  opinions  are  formed  as  to  the  behaviour  of 
particular  v.meties  on  the  two  stocks.  The  fact  is,  there  is  a  great 
range  of  variation  in  the  Crab  stocks  employed,  as  there  also  is  in  the 
Paradise  stocks,  and  I  have  known  Ci'abs  employed  for  the  same 
variety  of  Apple  between  which  there  was  a  greater  difference  in  roots 
and  growth  than  between  some  Crabs  and  some  Paradise  stocks. 
I  have  had  many  thousands  of  seedling  Crabs  through  my  hands, 
and  have  found  the  growth  of  those  from  the  same  sowing  differ 
enormously  at  all  stages  up  to  the  budding  or  grafting  period.  For 
example,  seedling  Crabs  of  the  same  age  when  first  transplanted  will 
often  range  from  1  foot  to  6  feet  in  height,  and  from  half-inch  to 
2  inches  in  circumference,  while  the  roots  will  vary  from  the  strong 
downward  fibreless  growths,  characterising  the  Crab,  to  spreading 
fibrous  roots  barely  distinguishable  from  a  Paradise.  When  scions  or 
buds  of  the  same  variety  are  placed  upon  such  varied  stocks  the  results 
are  frequently  varied  proportionately,  and  when  the  ])lants  are  distri¬ 
buted  we  have  trees  both  on  the  Crab  stock  giving  very  different 
records  in  crop  and  growth,  though  the  original  cause  of  divergence  is 
not  then  traceable. 
A  greater  uniformity  is  obtained  with  Paradise  stocks,  because  in 
all  the  best  nurseries  there  is  some  special  form  which  has  found 
favour,_  and  these  are  increased  by  layers,  which  give  much  more 
regularity  and  evenness  in  size  and  strength.  But  there  are  many  so- 
called  Paradise  stocks  in  cultivation,  and  leaving  out  of  consideration 
altogether  the  extremely  dwarfing  French  types,  which  are  discarded 
now  in  many  places  for  general  business  purposes,  if  those  from  the 
leading  nurseries  are  compared  closely  they  will  be  found  to  differ 
materially  amongst  themselves.  I  have  one  that  admirably  suits  a 
certain  variety  of  Apple,  and  yet  if  the  roots  only  were  seen  it  might 
be  taken  to  be  a  Crab ;  the  only  apparent  difference  being  that  the 
roots  have  a  more  horizontal  direction,  they  are  strong,  hard,  and 
fibreless,  precisely  like  those  of  a  hedgerow  Crab. 
In  selecting  young  stocks  for  grafting  it  is  the  practice  to  employ 
those  with  clean,  freely  grown  stems,  and  this  is  undoubtedly 
necessary ;  but  in  my  opinion  we  begin  at  the  wrong  end,  they  should 
be  selected  by  their  roots  in  the  first  place.  This  applies  more 
particularly  to  seedlings  used  for  stocks,  whetlier  Crabs  or  Apples. 
Strong  roots  with  a  vigorous  growth  give  us  the  “  free  ”  stock  type — 
i.e.,  abundant  growth,  later  fruiting,  and  longer  life.  Plentiful  fibrous 
roots,  with  moderate  growth,  afford  us  the  dwarfing  earlv  fruitin"' 
Paradise  type.  &  ^  ^ 
In  a  general  way  all  seedlings  possess  more  vigour  as  stocks  than 
those  raised  from  layers,  and  in  some  parts  of  England,  especially  in 
the  cider  districts,  large  numbers  of  seedlings  are  raised  for  this 
purpose  ;  but  it  is  done  in  an  indiscriminate  manner,  and  the  results 
are  varied  or  unsatisfactory  in  consequence.  If  seedlings  are  raised, 
not  merely  from  one  variety,  but  from  the  fruit  of  the  same  tree’ 
considerable  divergences  will  be  observed;  but  there  is  a  certain 
general  character  running  through  them  which  adapts  them  for  use  as 
stocks,  though  their  produce  as  seedlings  would  be  various.  Two  of 
the  best  varieties  for  yielding  a  proportion  of  seedlings  of  the  Paradise 
type  are  Cox’s  Orange  and  King  of  the  Pippins,  and  the  fruit  of  these 
is  too  valuable  to  be-  devoted  to  seed-raising  as  a  rule.  But  I  have 
obtained  a  larger  proportion  of  fibrous-rooted  seedlings  from  these 
than  from  any  others  I  have  tried. 
With  regard  to  the  form  of  trees,  it  may  be  said  that  personally  I 
am  strongly  in  favour  of  bush  or  pyramid  Apple  trees,  either  on  the 
free  or  dwarfing  st..cks,  because  they  have  so  many  points  in  their 
favour;  but  experience  has  proved  that  where  an  intermediate  form 
of  the  Crab  stock  can  be  chosen,  it  will  give  in  the  case  of  some 
varieties,  of  which  Lane’s  Prince  Albert  is  the  best  examnle  that 
occurs  to  me  on  the  moment,  a  stronger  habit  and  better  tree  than 
the  ordinary  Paradise.  For  many  weak  and  medium  growers  I  have 
found  nothing  better  than  the  Broad-leaved  Paradise. 
Budding  is  so  generally  practised  now,  that  by  some  grafting  is 
regarded  as  out  of  date  ;  but  when  dealing  with  strong  or  old  stocks 
the  latter  method  is  far  before  budding,  as  it  will  give  a  greater 
proportion  of  successes,  and  where  there  is  a  good  root  below  and  a 
clean  union  is  formed,  four  to  six  strong  buds  starting  in  the  season 
It  will  be  found  at  pruning  time  that  the  foundation  of  a  well- 
proportioned  tree  is  obtained,  which  would  take  at  least  another  vear 
to  secure  from  buds. — R.  E. 
THE  SniENOE  AND  PRACTICE  OF  FORMING 
FRUIT  TREES. 
About  the  middle  of  February  in  forward  seasons  and  warm  localities 
the  buds  of  fruit  trees  usually  commence  swelling  ;  by  the  beginning  of 
March,  or  from  then  to  the  end  of  the  month,  according  to  season  and 
location,  recently  planted  young  husband  standard  trees  will  have  pushed 
the  top  buds  more  or  less,  and  then,  perhaps,  be  in  the  best  condition  for 
pruning  in  order  to  induce  the  production  of  vigorous  growths  from  the 
pruning  buds.  I  say,  perhaps  guardedly,  for  it  would  not  be  difficult  to 
produce  evidence  of  early  autumn  pruning  tending  to  give  satisfactory 
results  in  the  folloiving  season,  as  the  more  or  less  activity  of  the  juices 
during  the  autumn  and  mild  weather  during  the  winter  are  concentrated 
on  the  pruning  buds — that  is,  they  plump  and  make  ready  for  a  start  in 
the  early  spring,  whilst  the  roots  callus  at  the  clean  cut  parts,  and  the 
fibres  form  adventitious  root-cells,  or  what  may  not  inaptly  be  termed 
root-buds,  for  development  into  soil  branches. 
In  most  cases,  however,  early  autumn  planting  is  seldom  practised,  so 
that  the  physiological  conditions  foreshadowed  do  not  commonly  arise  in 
the  case  of  ordinarily  planted  young  bushes  and  standards.  The  general 
practice  is  to  wait  until  all  the  leaves  are  down,  which  implies  planting  in 
late  autumn,  during  mild  weather  in  winter  and  early  in  spring,  or  whilst 
the  trees  are  quite  dormant,  more  as  a  matter  of  convenience  than 
involving  any  question  of  principle.  Nevertheless,  I  am  satisfied  that  the 
most  suitable  time  to  plant  trees  is  in  the  early  autumn,  when  most  of 
the  leaves  have  fallen,  if  not  all,  and  the  next  best  time  early  spring,  when 
the  buds  begin  to  quicken. 
By  the  first  we  secure  to  the  tree  the  advantages  of  the  descending 
current  or  transference  of  the  plastic  materials,  and  these  secure  a  callus 
to  wounds  and  even  adventitious  roots  from  fibres,  and  this  without  top 
growth.  By  the  second  the  juices  are  then  at  such  state  of  tension,  and 
the  conditions  so  favourable  to  the  transference  and  diffusion  of  the  stored 
plastic  substances,  that  the  growth  is  pushed  upwards  and  roots  down¬ 
wards  with  such  force  and  reciprocity  as  to  become  surely  and  quickly 
re-established.  This  applies  alike  to  evergreen  as  well  as  to  deciduous 
trees. 
The  November  or  early  winter-planted  tree  has  the  advantage,  as  if 
the  weather  prove  mild  it  will  have  the  soil  settled  about  the  roots  by 
rains,  and  thus  in  touch  with  the  supplies  of  moisture  and  nutrition 
which  prepare  to  grow  afresh  at  the  present  season,  as  shown  in  the 
illustration  (fig.  33,  a),  the  cleanly  cut  roots  callusing  (a),  and  the  terminal 
buds  commencing  to  swell  (6)  all  over  the  tree.  These  we  get  by  this 
time  (March),  earlier  or  later,  and  then  the  question  of  pruning  arises,  if 
it  has  not  already  been  done  before  the  buds  have  commenced  swelling. 
Under  ordinary  circumstances  no  harm  is  done  by  leaving  the  shoots 
unshortened  until  now,  for  if  the  greener  parts  of  the  shoots  part  with 
moisture  on  dry  days  they  take  it  in  during  damp  or  wet  periods,  so 
that  if  there  be  any  elaboration  of  matter,  as  there  certainly  is  diffusion 
and  transference  of  plastic  materials,  the  balance  of  benefit  is  found  by 
retaining  the  shoots  intact.  Besides,  if  the  winter  be  severe,  and  the 
summer  previous  has  been  cold,  the  wood  may  not  be  ripe,  hence  pruning 
at  planting  means  wounds  liable  to  injury  from  frost  in  greater 
degree  from  the  more  moisture  resting  on  them  than  there  would  be  if  the 
growths  were  not  shortened  ;  so  that  in  the  latter  case  the  soft  wood 
suffers  instead  of  the  more  ripened,  whilst  any  keen  frosts  in  the  early 
spring  act  on  young  wood  instead  of  the  basal  parts  of  the  shoots. 
Rose  growers  practise  this  as  a  safeguard  against  spring  frosts,  and  it  is 
quite  sound  in  theory,  and  satisfactory  in  practice. 
The  tree  portrayed  (fig.  33,  A)  is  a  fair  sample  of  a  one-year-pruned 
bush.  It  has  been  headed  as  a  maiden  at  (c),  giving  rise  to  several 
shoots — four  strong  ones  (d),  and  six  of  less  vigour  (e),  with  a  spur  (/). 
It  may  be  an  Apple  tree  or  a  Gooseberry  bush.  The  principle  is  the 
same,  for  it  is  a  bush  we  want,  and  the  only  difference  between  that  and 
a  standard  is  in  the  stem.  For  the  bush  we  cut  the  maiden  tree  at  a  foot 
from  the  ground,  or  at  most  18  inches,  to  get,  in  the  case  of  the  Apple,  the 
branches  well  above  the  ground  so  that  the  sun  can  reach  the  soil,  the 
branches  not  interfering  with  feeding  and  cultural  operations,  nor  the  fruit 
splashed  by  rains.  For  the  standard  we  train  up  the  maiden  to  a  height 
of  3  feet  for  a  half,  and  to  0  feet  for  a  full  standard,  and  at  one  or  other 
of  those  points  cut  off  its  head  ;  thus  there  is  no  difference  between  the 
head  of  the  bush  and  that  of  the  standard.  The  bush  may  be  regarded 
as  the  tree  of  the  future,  the  plantation  instead  of  orchard,  as  all  its 
requirements  can  be  attended  to  from  the  ground  without  aids  of  a  time- 
wasting  character.  There  are  several  modes  of  treating  such  tree. 
1,  The  Recipeocity  of  Seevices  Method.  —  Leave  the  weak 
and  short  (e,  /),  and  shorten  the  long  and  strong  shoots  (d).  This 
shortening  is  imperative  for  shaping  the  tree,  as  the  space  must  be 
utilised  to  give  satisfactory  returns  by  having  branches  for  fruit  produc¬ 
tion  covering  it  equally,  and  with  the  same  admitting  light  and  air  to 
pass  freely  into  the  head  ;  therefore  they  must  not  be  too  close,  especially 
in  origination,  this  being  a  very  common  error,  and  the  lower  part  of  the 
tree  ultimately  worse  than  worthless  from  the  overcrowding  of  limbs,  and 
for  u  time  of  spurs. 
