THE

FRUIT GROWER'S INSTRUCTOR.

PART THE FIRST.

CHAPTER I.

On the Propagation, Cultivation, Pruning, and General Management of Apple Trees; also, Instructions for Budding, the various modes of Grafting, &c.

ON THE PROPAGATION OF APPLES.

PAR. 1.-THE propagation of apples is, of all other fruits, the most easy; and yet no tree requires more care and good management in its general cultivation.

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The reason why it is more easy is, because the grafts are, if put on in the proper season, and made to touch the bark, almost sure to grow; but although so easy, it is generally attended with more dangerous consequences than any other tree, if the grafting part is not properly attended to, which will be hereafter explained.

The general method of propagating apples, is by grafting on the Crab stock, which stock should be raised from the seed of the true Crab; the seed may be procured from those who make verjuice; when a large quantity is wanted, it is the best way, as you can generally depend on having seed from the true Crab; but this is not the case with many stock-growers, for they often sow the seed from apples made into cider, which will produce various sorts of stocks; some will grow large and vigorous, others of so weak a nature that they will scarcely ever make a standard tree.

The best method is to wash the seed from the pulp, and let it get rather dry, for its own pulp is very apt to rot the pip; mix it with

some light mould or sand, not too damp; then, the following February, or beginning of March, as the weather may suit, you may sow your seed in beds or in drills; but beds are best, for when you have taken your mould out the proper depth, which should be about an inch, you will be able, when you have sown your seed, to cover it all over alike, which you cannot do so correctly in drills: the beds should be about four feet wide, leaving two feet between each bed for a path, to be able to walk between them to weed and keep the beds clean, as that is most material to all young seedlings; you take the mould out about one inch deep with the spade, and put it into the path or alley; make the bottom of your beds perfectly level, then sow your seed (just as it is mixed, with mould or sand), as near as you can judge about one inch apart all over the ground, which will be much better for the plants than if you sow them thicker, for Crabs when drawn up very weak, seldom do much good after: then take the mould you have thrown into the alleys, and sift it over them about one inch; but if the

ground is strong and binding, about three quarters of an inch will be quite enough.

The seed will then remain in the ground till the following spring, before you get your general crop, although some few may come up the first year; during that period, the beds should be kept carefully clean, while the weeds are in a young state, in order that the mould may not be disturbed so deep as the seed.

The following Autumn you may take up the seedlings, having had one summer's growth, and transplant them into beds, putting them about one foot row from row, and about three inches apart in the rows: let them stand two years, then they will be strong to plant out into quarters for grafting, or if the plants are not too close together in the seed beds, they may stand two years, and the greater part will be then strong enough to plant out for grafting, without being first bedded.

QUARTERING STOCKS FOR GRAFTING.

Par. 2.-Where you quarter or plant out Crab stocks, being intended to grow strong

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to throw up standard trees, it is necessary to select a piece of deep loamy soil, which should be well trenched two spades deep; this should be done as early in autumn as you can, in order to get your stocks planted early in November, then they will immediately draw root, which will make a considerable deal of difference in their growth the following summer; for

if

you do not get them planted till late in December, the coldness of the ground, even if the weather is mild, will prevent them drawing fresh root, and they would be better to remain in the beds till February, when they would soon begin to vegetate; for when the stocks remain in the ground for some months, after being removed and all vegetation ceased, the small fibres are very apt to rot, and the large roots get in a mildewed, stagnant state, which I have proved has been so far injurious to the plants, that it often takes them the following summer to recover themselves, while those planted in February will make a good growth.

If your ground is very poor, it will be ne