Dwarf Fruit Trees

VIII

DWARF PEARS

Pears are the fruit most largely grown in dwarf form in America. There are a few well established and successful commercial orchards of pears, especially in western New York and Michigan. The pear is the fruit most assiduously cultivated in dwarf and trained forms in Europe. At the same time it is the one with which I confess I have had the least satisfaction. This is perhaps because I have always experimented in a country where pears do not naturally succeed, and because, further, my fancies have run more to other kinds of fruit.

FIG. 28—YOUNG ORCHARD OF DWARF PEARS IN WESTERN NEW YORK

It is probably true that the pear is improved more in quality than any other fruit by being grown in dwarf form and trained as cordons and espaliers on a suitable frame or wall. This is emphatically true in cold and inclement climates, where indeed some of the best varieties of pears will not succeed at all unless given this advantage. A west wall is recommended as giving the very finest results. It should be noted, however, that some varieties do better on walls than others. Those which grow vigorously in bush, pyramid, or standard forms receive comparatively less benefit from wall training.

FIG. 29—DWARF PEARS IN THE OLD AND PROFITABLE YEOMANS ORCHARD, NEW YORK

The pear is the best of all trees for training in pyramid form. Sometimes very tall slim pyramids are made, becoming almost pillars of foliage and fruit in their old age. These may be in fact upright cordons which are trained with strong stems and allowed to support themselves without a trellis. Some of the less upright growing varieties are difficult to form into pyramids, and such may be pruned in the ordinary bush or vase form. In growing dwarf pears commercially, as is sometimes done, it is probably best to give most varieties the bush form. The pyramid is rather harder to maintain.

The pear succeeds well as a cordon tree. Perhaps the best form is the oblique cordon, one placed at an angle of about forty-five degrees with the horizon. The upright and horizontal cordons may also be used, though neither of these forms is specially well adapted to pears.

All of the better types of espaliers are suited to pear trees. Probably the Palmette-Verrier is the best, although the old fashioned espaliers are often used. The U-form and the double U-form also succeed if well built.

The pruning of the pear tree is substantially the same as that of the apple. Where pear blight is a factor in the problem, due allowance must be made for it. It sometimes happens that entire branches or arms have to be cut away on account of blighting. The system of pruning therefore should furnish a means of renewing such members promptly when necessity requires.

FIG. 30—ORCHARD OF DWARF DUCHESS PEARS, LOCKPORT, N. Y.

The quince root prefers a fairly heavy and even moist soil. A heavy clay loam is best, although a strong clay will answer. Light sandy soils or loose gravelly soils will not give such good results. On the other hand any clay soil which holds water to a considerable extent will answer. As these are the requirements for quince roots, they become also the requirements for dwarf pears. Any attempt to grow dwarf pears on a light loose soil is almost certain to prove a failure.

FIG. 31—PYRAMID PEARS IN A GERMAN ORCHARD

It is often said that dwarf pears should be planted deep in the ground when they are set out. The rule is to put them deep enough so that the bud union will be buried beneath the surface of the soil. With such treatment the pear itself often throws out roots and eventually establishes a feeding system of its own, becoming independent of the quince stock. It is then no longer a dwarf tree except by the authority of the pruning knife. It is probably true that many varieties of dwarf pears are longer lived when treated in this way. In planting, therefore, it becomes a question whether one desires chiefly a long-lived tree or a strictly dwarf one. The ease with which dwarf trees are replaced makes longevity a less important factor than in commercial orchards of standard trees.

Of course, it is understood that if the dwarfest form is to be maintained, the tree must be planted high enough to leave the union out of the ground, thus preventing the pear from throwing out roots of its own.

The varieties principally grown in this country as dwarfs are Angouleme, Bartlett, Anjou, and Louise Bonne.

In European nurseries the list of pears propagated on quince roots is much larger. The following varieties are recommended for England by Mr. Owen Thomas, and are said to be particularly good for training on walls:

IX

DWARF PEACHES

The peach as a dwarf tree is almost unknown in America. It is not very often grown as a dwarf even in Europe, except when it is trained on walls or grown in houses. The species, however, is easily dwarfed and makes a good tree in various forms when well propagated. The methods by which dwarf peaches are propagated are fully described in the chapter devoted to that subject.

Peach trees growing on plum stocks and formed in vases or bushes make excellent garden trees. Naturally they should be headed low, best within three to six inches of the ground. They then make fine, regular, well balanced tops which are easily kept opened out in the desired vase form. Such trees usually come into bearing one or two years earlier than those propagated and trained in the usual way. In a country like New England where peach growing is largely a system of gambling against cold weather, and where the business largely resolves itself into a race for getting a crop before the trees freeze back, the smaller stature and the earlier bearing of the dwarf tree are obvious advantages. It has not yet been shown that this may be turned to account on a commercial scale, but there seem to be possibilities in it. In case the peach grower undertakes the method of laying down his peach trees and covering them during the winter to save them from freezing, the smaller growth of the dwarf trees would prove a decided advantage. This method of handling peach trees has proved a practical success under certain conditions.

FIG. 32—DWARF PEACH IN NURSERY

Headed back and formed into bushes

The peach does not succeed as a cordon. The nearest that this form can be successfully approached is the U-form. The double U-form is probably even better. The fan form of training is the best of all methods of training for the peach. The tree makes wood so rapidly that considerable space has to be provided for the annual growth. The fan form being less definite in its makeup can be more readily adapted to the exigencies of rapid growth and severe cutting out.

FIG. 33—ESPALIER PEACH, HARTFORD, CONN.

On account of its more vigorous growth the peach demands even more drastic pruning than that already described for apples and pears. The method of managing a peach tree, however, differs in some details. There is not such a distinct establishment of leaders at the end of the shoot; and since the peach never forms fruit spurs like those of the apple, the pruning of the fruit-bearing wood is necessarily different. The best fruit buds are formed on the strong clean shoots of the current season's growth. These must be allowed to grow far enough and vigorously enough to ripen good fruit buds. If they make too much growth, however, the side buds start secondary branches and the fruiting prospects are reduced. The management of the tree must be such as to keep this growth of new wood in just the proper balance.

In order to carry out the idea thus outlined, an early spring pruning is given while the trees are dormant, and several successive prunings are administered during the growing season. At the spring pruning a considerable amount of wood is cut out from all portions of the tree, the amount thus removed being much greater than that from the pear or apple trees at the same season. The old decrepit and diseased branches are taken first for removal, and then one year old wood is cut back where necessary, so as to leave two or three buds at the base of each branch.

The first summer pruning is given about May 15th to 20th, after the growth has well begun. A vigorous tree will start more shoots than there is room for, and these are thinned out until all have sufficient space. A few of the most vigorous ones are pinched back at this time. One week to ten days later the trees are gone over again, at which time the principal pinching back is done. The shoots which are making too much growth, especially on the interior of the tree or on the main arms, are stopped. A third pruning is given about June first, and consists chiefly in removing weak shoots or those which are crowding one another, and cutting back those which are growing too far.

FIG. 34—PEACH IN FAN ESPALIER ON WALL, ENGLAND

The peach usually requires a comparatively light soil and a warm exposure. The plum root upon which a dwarf peach is budded will usually succeed in a considerably heavier soil, and the method of budding on plum is therefore sometimes practised with the specific object of adapting the peach tree to heavier soils. Inasmuch as various kinds of plums succeed in all soils on which any crop can be grown, from light sand to heavy clay, it is not difficult to meet any reasonable requirements in this respect.

All varieties of peaches and nectarines seem to succeed equally well as dwarfs. Those varieties which are grown as dwarfs in Europe are naturally the ones which are favorites there. In this country the favorite varieties are almost altogether different and we would expect to choose such sorts as Late Crawford, Foster, Old Mixon, Belle of Georgia, Champion, Waddell, and other choice American varieties for our use.

FIG. 35—PEACH TREES TRAINED UNDER GLASS

The nectarine is in large favor in Europe and is much more extensively grown than in America. The merits of this fruit seem to have been strangely overlooked in this country. When nectarines are properly grown under glass, they are one of the most delicious and beautiful fruits known in this world of limitations and disappointments. The nectarine is a fruit which will in general bear more extensive cultivation in America and which is to be especially recommended for dwarf fruit gardens. This is not to say that it should supersede the peach, or even that it should take equal prominence, but simply that it should be well represented in every selection of fruits for an amateur's collection.

X

DWARF PLUMS

Most amateur and professional fruit growers are less interested in plums than in other tree fruits. Perhaps I am prejudiced, but I feel that this is not fair to the plum. Plums yield some profit when rightly cultivated commercially, and no end of satisfaction when cultivated for the gardener's own entertainment. The large assortment of varieties which one may secure is in itself a claim to interest, and a source of much delight to the collector. The fact that different types of plums furnish fruit of very diverse characters makes the collection more valuable from every standpoint. So far as the writer knows dwarf plums have seldom been grown to any extent in America. They certainly have no present claim based on experience for recognition in commercial orchards. Nevertheless they have possibilities even for the growing of market fruit, and for cultivation in the garden, dwarf trees are altogether worth while.

In the chapter on propagation, reference has been made to the stocks used for plums and that subject need not be discussed here.

FIG. 36—PLUM TREES TRAINED AS UPRIGHT CORDONS

When plum trees have been secured budded on suitable dwarfing stocks, as, for example, Americana or sand cherry, they may be trained in a variety of ways. Probably the ordinary bush form is the best. Most varieties of plums do not form either a satisfactory pyramid or a strictly vase form. Some of the better growing Japanese varieties of plums approach the latter form fairly well. Red June, Satsuma, and Chabot may be mentioned as particular examples. With such varieties a true vase form can be maintained as well as with peaches. In dealing with a majority of varieties, however, a simple bush-like head without a mathematically constructed frame work is about the best that can be secured. In most cases the head should be formed low, preferably not more than six inches from the ground. Still considerable latitude has to be allowed the gardener's fancy in dealing with dwarf trees, and the writer can easily imagine a garden design which would require trees to be high headed. It would be practicable and excusable in some cases to form heads four, five, or even six feet from the ground. This is often done in England and Germany with all sorts of fruit trees, this form being referred to as a "standard."

A head can be secured at almost any point on a plum tree of good growth, by heading back at the desired height. Four to six branches should be allowed to grow the first year and in course of time these will be increased to eight, twelve, or even more. That is, there will be this number of what we might call main branches because they are all of approximately equal importance.

At the end of the first year after the tree has been headed back the main branches, which have now formed, are to be cut back in turn. With all strong-growing varieties it is best to remove from one-half to two-thirds of the annual growth from these main branches, if the tree is to be restricted to a comparatively narrow spread. A considerable number of strong shoots will put forth the next year. These should be thinned out as soon as they start to a number approximately twice that of the main arms. These new branches should be distributed as symmetrically as possible. The tree top is now formed and subsequent pruning consists essentially of a severe heading in during the latter part of the dormant season, that is, about March, followed by two, three, or four summer prunings somewhat after the manner described for the peach. At the time of these summer prunings the young growing shoots should be thinned out enough to prevent any choking of the tree top and should be headed in wherever it is necessary to retain the symmetrical growth.

The manner of forming the fruit buds or spurs is so diverse in the different kinds of plums that no general rule can be given for encouraging them. Close observation of each variety will soon enable the gardener to direct his pruning in such a way as to assist in this important process of fruit bud formation. In a rough general way it may be said that the Domestica and Americana varieties of plums form distinct fruit spurs along the sides of one and two year old branches, and that, for the encouragement of these, considerable light should be admitted and the growth of the interior shoots rather rigidly checked. The Japanese and Hortulana varieties on the other hand fruit best from very short spurs or clusters of buds which form along from the strong one and two year old branches. The main object, therefore, with these latter varieties is to maintain a succession of clean, sound, well matured shoots. This is done by a moderate thinning of the main shoots early in the year, resulting in the forcing of those which are left. These strong growing shoots are checked late in the summer in order that they may ripen up thoroughly, but the pinching which is done to this end is delayed long enough so that the pinched shoots will not start into growth again. Moreover, this pinching is done well out to the ends of the shoots.

Certain varieties of plums succeed fairly well as vertical cordons. The varieties least adapted to this purpose are the Hortulana offspring and their hybrids and a few of the rank-growing Japanese, like Hale and October Purple. In the dwarf tree garden at the Massachusetts Agricultural College the writer has a row of plum trees containing a large assortment of varieties and species. These trees were picked out at random from various sources and very few of them were propagated on dwarfing stocks. On this account the trees were set two feet apart, which is more than is usually recommended for upright cordons. They have now been growing three years, and they furnish much interesting testimony regarding the feasibility of growing plums in this form. Contrary to expectation such varieties as Red June, Abundance, and Burbank have done well under this treatment. These varieties all fruited the next year after planting. Some varieties of the Domestica group are bearing the third year after planting, which is unusually early. All of them seem to be fairly well adapted to this method of treatment. Varieties like Wildgoose and Wayland, and such hybrids as Gonzales, Waugh and Red May, can hardly be controlled in the restricted space allowed them in a row of vertical cordons. They give very little promise of success. It is probable that all these varieties would make a better showing if they were propagated on some such stock as sand cherry.

FIG. 37—BURBANK PLUMS ON UPRIGHT CORDONS TRAINED TO TRELLIS

Plums are seldom—almost never—propagated as horizontal cordons. I have never yet undertaken it myself, but propose to do so at the first opportunity and with some expectation of moderate success with certain varieties. The slow growing sorts like Green Gage, Italian Prune, and Agen seem to offer special promise.

In the form of espaliers plums are often trained against walls. Indeed this is the favorite way of producing fancy plums in England, and the same practise prevails to a considerable extent on the continent of Europe. In this country walls are not required, and in most cases would be of no advantage. Where it is desired to cover back fences or sides of buildings, however, plum trees in espalier form can be confidently recommended. The Domestica varieties of highest quality such as Bavay, Jefferson, Victoria, Pond, Bradshaw, and Coe's Golden Drop would have first choice. The Japanese varieties can also be grown on trellises or walls, but the freer forms, such as the fan espalier used for the peach, are better suited to their habits of growth.

The following varieties of plums can be recommended for dwarf bush forms:

Such varieties of the Japanese class as Abundance, Chabot, Red June, Satsuma, Burbank may be grown on dwarf stocks in bush forms, but they are not altogether satisfactory. There are two objections against them: (1) It is difficult to keep them in restricted bounds, such a result being dependent on constant and severe heading in. (2) They overgrow the dwarf stocks very strongly and thus do not have a very firm hold on the ground. They are apt to blow over or break off after a few years, unless carefully staked up.