Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-05-05

Now we will take tree of this variety
from the nursery, and we will suppose i
to have been pruned as it should be up t.
this time. We transplant it as it should
be; it grows well, and in short. behaves
itself as well organized apple tree should
We will suppose, also. there are from
four or five to eight main branches which
are trying TO get rs upright rs the trunk
or bole, and these branches are throwing
out lateral shoots, which, if allowed to
grow too low on the main branches, will
soon form "A mass of brush that you can
scarcely see through, when in foliage. or
thrust your hand into to pick the fruit
which you will not want to do in its youth
If we apply the let alone principle
or system what is the results My observa-
ton proves that it will not produce the
amount of fruit desired, or of the quality,
either.
WHAT is THE REMEDY?
Prune it from the inside; cut out the
lateral shoots and open the top to give free
access to air and sun influence.
One reason of this ee always main.
tanning an upright growth is its tardiness
in arriving at the age of discretion" if
you please, or bearing, and the fact of no
extra weight being added to the branches
in the matter of fruit, in its youth. An,
other is the iirmness of the wood.
The winter strawberry is another varie-
ty, the growth of which very much re-
sembles, TO the casual observer, the north
ern spy; but in fact, is quite dissimiar
Its growth in youth is like the spy, in
uprigbtness. 1t does not, however, throw
out so many lateral shoots to fill up the
inside of the head. This variety COM
ing into bearing sooner, the limbs being
| smaller, of course are more susceptible to
the weight of fruit. Hence, they are
always diverging from the centre and
tending downward. Therefore, if it is
desired to keep the branches out of the
way of cultivation, they must be trained
higher, and outside, and then some of the
branches will get down in the way of cul-
tvation. This tree is spreading in
old AGE.
The old and abused Spitzenberg is va.
rieiy that has become almost obsolete with
us. This apple is much sought after in
our home markets, for culinary purposes,
and dessert as well. But the tree that
| used to produce this most desirable fruit
behaves badly-it has fallen into disgrace
| 1t reminds me of what | heard Quaker
say once in reference to his sect: 1.-The
| rounded hat and coat are not as good
recommends for honesty and sobriety as
| they used to be.
This tree, once so healthy and vigorous
is almost entirely discarded, and denied II
| place in nursery catalogues.
Nnm tn, =,
not what early and judicous training we
may Give it-train it high or low-ts
branches are
ETERNALLY OVERRIDING EACH OTHER
and growing in any direction but the one
misunderstanding is the rule, uprightness
the exception. If this tree is trained high
then the body blights; if it is trained low
the difficulty arises that some of you may
have observed in an orchard in North
Hero between the ferry and city, wher4
the owner has proved himself IN extr,m
ist by starting the head of his tree amusj
directly from the ground. The result OF
this sophistry. if | may so term ii, is-the
branches lie on the ground, and | have
seen them pretty thoroughly stripped of
their bark by the mice.
Now. think the best course to pursue
with tn, variety, if you must have it, is
this: When the tree is first set, lean it
slightly to the south or south. west; tram
the head about five feet high, and prune it
oNtSjdc and all Ocer, and leave the result
with God; OF do as the man /, commended
for cooking cells. After giving elaborate
details how to prepare them for the table
said he " would then recommend throwing
them out of the window
SO with the Spitzenburg. have given
my opinion us to the treatment OF this
variety, and now | wound say, the best
treatment to give it, in this latitude, is to
let it alone, and not set it for standard.
THE TOLMAN SWEET
is probably the hardest apple tree we
have; and after judicious planting will,
probably, endure letting alone the best of |
any variety we have. This tree is quite
inclined to spread and eventually become
II large, spreading tree, and the branches |
will generally maintain one position, and |
this is owing to the hardness of the wood |
OF tirmncss, and its extreme amiabiity, |
perhaps.
The idea of trees having emotional
powers will be secuted by n decided ma
jority of You, l have no doubt But |
have seen them behave with more discre.
Lion and sense than some of those preten-
sious beings ON two legs, and who ncvcr
were inside Of an egg shell, either.
The old and much esteemed early harvest
is variety that has hitherto withstood the
riSors of our varying climate WELL but it
begins to weaken, and think that ere
long we shall be obliged to refuse it Il
place in our nursery catalogues, and sup
ply its place with what-the primate? No,
for that is also weak and giving up the
ghost. Those two varieties, l think, are
the best favored early apples we have.
The early harvest is tree that wants
a good deal of pruning. Its branches tend
downward rs naturally as the "smoke
tendeth upward" Its leebleness tends to
throwing up superfluous shoots at the base
of the main branch, called water sprouts.
is this the case when the tree
begins to show signs Of decay. This tree,
as | said before, needs great deal of
pruning outside, if it is desired to cultivate
The ground; and, of course, the water
sprouts must be dealt with also, on the
inside. Right here it is timely to say that
water sprouts are contingent of decay,
rs have limited above.