Evening star., 1953-03-01
Dwarf Trees Best
For Small Lots and
For Early Results
By c. P. Harley

Interest In dwarf fruit trees
has been increasing by leaps and
bounds, especially that Of the
people that live a suburban life.
Those who have small tracts of
land find that dwarf fruit trees
work nicely into any scheme Of
ornamental gardening where
fruits are combined with flowers,
vegetables or both. In formal
arrangements eSpaliers, cordonS
and pyramids At the exact de-
mandS.
Small trees have many adj
vantageS over standard sized
trees. They are easily reached
for pruning. spraying and gen.
eral care, and specialized equip
ment Is seldom necessary.
Hand-spraying of large trees
such as apples and pears, on
the other hand, presents an al
most impossible problem for the
home gardener. Another ad-
vantage of dwarf trees is early
bearing. A dwarf apple tree
may bear fruit in two or three
years after planting, while a
standard tree may require six
to eight years. This makes the
dwarf tree especially valuable
for those who rent their prem
Ises or who do not expect to re-
main permanently in any one
location.
For the experimenter the
dwarf tree Is ideal. Several diff
ferent varieties can be budded
or grated on q single tree.
Trains Easily.
For the esthetic-minded.
dwarf fruit trees lend them
selves admirably to various
modes Of training. Training is
making the tree, or portions Of
It, assume some particular form
or shape. Trees may be trained
fan-shape and grown against
the wall, fences and woven wire.
or trained to single stems on an
arbor. The final result is the
reflection Of a growers in
genuity. Some very elaborate
designs can be found but some |
Of the simpler ones may be just
as attractive. II the gardener
does not wish to tax his imagi-
nation, q trip to WaShington's
home at Mount Vernon will pro-
vide an opportunity for him to
study training design.
Although a few nurserymen
can furnish dwarf pear. peach,
plum and cherry trees the dwarf
apple is probably the most in
. teresting and practical for the
Washington area. Apple trees
with varying degrees Of dwarf
ing, ranging from small BUSH
like specimens to those ap-
preaching the normal or stand
ard size, can be had.
Many years ago a rather large
number of dwarfing rootstockS
were segregated at the East
Mailing Research Station In
England. Certain ones were
standardized as to their dwarf
ing characteristics. These were
given Roman numeral designa-
tions and are the most generally
propagated dwarf1ng stocks at
present. When a standard ap-
pie variety is budded on Mailing
TX rootStock, for example, it will
be so much dwarfed, that when
the tree bears fruit it is neces-
sary to provide some support to
prevent limb or root breakage.
Size is Predetermined.
Irrespective of this apparent
weakness Mailing TX is very
popular rootstock for either
bush-type trees or for training
In small gardens. If space is
not a limiting factor, or the
gardener does not wish to be
troubled with stakes and trel-
lses, there are some stocks
known as semi-dwarfs. These
are intermediate in size and
range from one-half to two
thirds the size Of standard trees.
Mailing VII gives about half
size tree while Mailing II pro-
vides the rootstock for two
third-size tree.
OF comparatively recent ORR
gin is a different method of
dwarfing apple trees. developed
by the late T. j. Nancy Of the
Iowa Agricultural Experiment
Station. known as the Clark in
terstem or interstock. In this
system the dwarfing principle
is not centered entirely in the
root but in a short section of
the stem grated onto the whip
or trunk of a one-year-old tree.
The desired variety is then
hudded or grated to the inter-
stem piece. The Clark dwarfs
are not so small as trees of
Mailing TX but they seldom ex-
ceed eight feet in height. The
maximum yield per tree is about
one bushel. These Clark dwarfs
are now available through regu-
lar nursery channels.
Dwarf fruit trees have not yet
played any important role in
commercial ventures in this
country, but they do offer a
source Of pleasure for that seq
ment Of our citizenry who own
or rent small lots. Apple va
rieties well adapted to the
Washington area include Lodi,
Jonathan, Red Delicious and
Golden Delicious, but other
sorts including some Of the old
time favoriteS are available on
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