Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-14
BY W. H. YOUNGMAN

BY W. H. YOUNGMAN
Every gardener wants to have
an attractive yard and If the
plants or trees can also provide
fruits he has achieved a double
dividend. Most yards are too
small to permit the growing of
the standardized fruit trees
and consequently they are out
Of the question; but the dwarfs
can be had in many sizes from
no larger than q lilac to one
half Of normal size. thus 1t is
possible to select them to ut the
available space.
Dwarf fruit trees must be
sprayed II they are to produce
useful fruits. This has been a
major problem for most gar
deners, but with the ordinary
equipment most gardeners use
for their roses, it is possible to
achieve adequate control of in
sects and diseases. To make 1t
easier, the manufacturers are
now providing sll-purpoSe dusts
and sprays for fruits that great
ly simplify even this formerly
formidable chore.
Size Is the Major Factor
For the yard it is nearly always
desirable to have a few small
trees or tall growing shrubs to
vary the heights and to add in
terest to the garden. Thus, fruit
trees which are noted for their
attractive bloom might well be
considered. An apple tree in
bloom, a peach, or even the
snowy white Of the cherry, adds
interest. If the yard is so small
that only a No. TX sized apple
will fit the space then it should
be selected, because while the
yield may not be large in bushels
it will produce specimen fruits
just as large and attractive as
that from the biggest trees in
the Shenandoah orchards.
The dwarfing does not affect
the size of the fruits, it only
makes 1t practical for the gar
dener with limited equipment to
prune, to spray, and to pick the
fruit.
(The number VII stock pro-
duces a larger apple tree-10 to
II feet high. Pear, cherry and
peach stocks are different and
do not offer the graduation in size
that is available for apples)
ROOtStOck Depth Is Vital.
The Mailing rootstocks so
widely used for dwarflng apple
trees have one disadvantage
that we should not overlook.
Unless great care is exercised
at time of planting they are apt
to be set too deeply and so may
develop a set Of roots above the
graft.
When this takes place the
tree soon grows to standard
size.
All trees on Mailing stock
should be carefully staked to
prevent falling over, especially
when well loaded with fruit.
There is q rootstock available
from one nursery that produces
a strong root system, much bet
ter than the Mailing. and the
dwarflng material is inserted q
foot or more above the ground
80 that there is no problem Of
watching the grating union to
see If it is still above soil level.
Other Dwarf Species
Cherries. pears, plums, and the
other dwarf fruits are on special
stocks which do not have the
size gradations Of the apples.
However. they are just as USE
full since they produce fruits at
an early age. are adapted to the
small yard, and do not require
large-sized equipment for prun-
ing, spraying. or the picking Of
the fruit. Only a few firms offer
the dwarf cherries and peaches,
but many offer the dwarf pears.
The latter are especially in
teresting since they do not seem
to be quite so susceptible to fire.
blight as the standards. (Fire-
blight is the disease that prac-
tically drove the Bartlett pears
out of the East However,
overlooking or neglecting to-
prune may Offset the effect OF
the dwarf rootstock.
In selecting dwarf fruits for
the backyard garden, 1t is well
to confine the selection to those