When it comes to the question of mechanical aids, the door is thrown wide open for the purchase of dozens of machines whose makers claim that they will do this or that. In the small garden, of course, the great bulk of the work will be done by hand.
Today it is the most important fruit in the country and is, of course, grown by the tens of thousands of acres. It is a fruit that will grow on almost any type of soil, providing that it is properly managed. In farm orchards-where it is necessary to graze animals underneath-standard trees are invariably planted with a 5- or 6-foot stem.
In poultry runs a half-standard tree, with a stem of 4 feet or 4 feet 6 inches long, is often planted, but in most gardens and fruit farms, the bush tree is grown because it is easy to prune, pick and spray. Apples, however, lend themselves to many differing forms of culture. One can grow them as cordons tied to wires and posts provided for the purpose. One can have them as pillar trained, as spindles and on the L'arcure System. All these systems are most attractive to the compost grower.
The Haytor is an excellent tool for rough grass and I use it with great success in his orchard at the College. Where the orchards are larger, tractor-drawn rotary grasscutters are best because these cover a wider area.
Most compost apple growers will grow their trees under the grass sod mulch system. For the first two years after planting it will be advisable to cultivate the land thoroughly in between the trees, and in small gardens this may mean hand hoeing or the use of a small mechanical cultivator like the Landmaster.
On the other hand, there are varieties like Cox's Orange Pippin, Ribston Pippin and James Grieve, which like to form plump fruit buds on short spurs close to the main stem and so when lateral shoots are pruned, in the ordinary way, artificial fruit-bud-bearing spurs are produced readily.
Today it is the most important fruit in the country and is, of course, grown by the tens of thousands of acres. It is a fruit that will grow on almost any type of soil, providing that it is properly managed. In farm orchards-where it is necessary to graze animals underneath-standard trees are invariably planted with a 5- or 6-foot stem.
In poultry runs a half-standard tree, with a stem of 4 feet or 4 feet 6 inches long, is often planted, but in most gardens and fruit farms, the bush tree is grown because it is easy to prune, pick and spray. Apples, however, lend themselves to many differing forms of culture. One can grow them as cordons tied to wires and posts provided for the purpose. One can have them as pillar trained, as spindles and on the L'arcure System. All these systems are most attractive to the compost grower.
The Haytor is an excellent tool for rough grass and I use it with great success in his orchard at the College. Where the orchards are larger, tractor-drawn rotary grasscutters are best because these cover a wider area.
Most compost apple growers will grow their trees under the grass sod mulch system. For the first two years after planting it will be advisable to cultivate the land thoroughly in between the trees, and in small gardens this may mean hand hoeing or the use of a small mechanical cultivator like the Landmaster.
On the other hand, there are varieties like Cox's Orange Pippin, Ribston Pippin and James Grieve, which like to form plump fruit buds on short spurs close to the main stem and so when lateral shoots are pruned, in the ordinary way, artificial fruit-bud-bearing spurs are produced readily.
About the Author:
Most of the better garden fruit tree varieties are hybrids, crosses between two or more types that have been bred to give the result better flavor, texture, size or resistance to disease.
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