A tree unsupported by a wall or trellis.

Full Standards are such trees as are trained with tall straight stems six or seven feet high, clear of branches, and arc then suffered to branch out. All trees designed as full standards should be trained accordingly in their minor state, by trimming all lower laterals gradually as the stems advance in height, suffering the leader always to remain entire, especially in all forest trees; or if it should happen to fork, taking off the worst, and leaving the straightest shoot to run up, to continue the prolongation of the stem; and having thus run them up with clean stems six or seven feet in height, to force out laterals in that part to form a regular spreading head of but moderate height, for the greater convenience of gathering the fruit; but of forest tree standards never reduce the tops, but permit the leader to remain ever entire to run up in height, for the beauty and worth of such consists in their lofty stature. All fruit trees designed for full standards, are raised by grafting, etc., on the freest strong shooting stocks, and are trained with straight clean stems full five to six feet high, either the stock trained up to that stature, and so grafted or budded at the desired height, or the graft or bud is trained up for a stem to the height aforesaid, then suffered to send forth branches; observing in either method, it is to be considered whether you intend the tree shall form a spreading open head or assume a more erect and aspiring growth: in the former case, if you top the leading shoot of the graft or bud, at six or seven feet from the ground, it will force out lateral shoots at that height, and commence a spreading head open in the middle; suffering, however, the whole afterwards to take their own growth; and, in the second instance, that by permitting the leading shoot to remain entire, it will rise in height, and the whole head will assume a more upright and lofty stature.

In both methods the heads will afterwards naturally branch out abundantly, and furnish themselves sufficiently with bearing wood, producing fruit in two or three years from the grafting or budding; suffering them generally to take their own growth, without shortening, and very little other pruning, except the regulating any great irregularities.

Half Standards are trees trained with short stems only three or four feet high, then suffered to branch out at that height to form heads; having low heads the fruit is more easily gathered. Concave dwarfs have the middle hollow, and the branches all round in a cup form. Horizontal dwarfs, having the branches extended all round in a flat or horizontal position, but the concave dwarf is in most esteem. - Abercrombie.