After the first season's growth is over there will be one, two, or three shoots upon every young Apple which has been grafted, according to the strength of the stock and the energy of the graft. It will now be the duty of the cultivator to decide upon the form and manner of the training to be employed for each tree. If for standards, the best and straightest shoot must be selected, and the rest removed close back to where they started. The shoot which is left must be encouraged upward, and if ripe to the top, must be left at full length. This will not probably be the case, and if so, let it be cut back to where the wood is firm and ripe; and the succeeding year the shoot which starts from this bud must be trained to a stake and led up to the desired height, which will in all probability be attained before the end of the season. At pruning-time cut back to the height desired to form a head, after which it may be trained according to any of the methods recommended for the Pear, just as the cultivator may have an inclination.

If dwarf standards are wanted, the best shoot must again be selected and cut back to 1 or 1 1/2 foot, as the case may be, and afterwards get the same training as I have formerly recommended for the Pear. It may be necessary for the first year or two to use stakes for spreading out the branches to form a shapely tree. This, however, is not always necessary, as the man who can use his knife thoroughly will be able to cut so as to form a tree without having recourse to such an unsightly procedure. If it is intended to form trees either for espaliers or walls, let the form intended be selected and worked out upon the principles laid down when treating of the Pear. The directions there given for the whole after-management of the Pear will require also to be regularly attended to in the after-management of the Apple in its various stages. Root-pruning must be rigidly attended to every second year, so that the roots may not get rambling at will either downwards or horizontally. If it is done regularly, and some good loam - slightly enriched, if necessary, in such a manner as shall be hereafter directed - be applied at each root-pruning, it will be found that at the end of fifteen or twenty years the trees will be a mass of fibrous roots, with a ball nearly a ton in weight, and so entwined within the grasp of these roots that it would be quite an easy matter to remove the tree to any portion of the garden without the slightest hurt to either the tree itself or the crop of the succeeding year.

This, no doubt, is a great consideration; yet, nevertheless, the great object in root-pruning is to obtain a healthy vigorous-constitutioned tree, which shall early come into a good bearing condition, and which shall continue to enjoy good health and remain free from many of the diseases to which the Apple is heir during a protracted and useful existence. In root-pruning it ought always to be borne in mind that the tree requires not only to be "dug about and dunged," but that it also requires to be dug beneath and dunged as well; for it is from the very roots which are often allowed to remain at root-pruning-time that most of the canker gets into the tree which so often proves highly injurious to the future wellbeing thereof. At each operation the plant ought to be turned over from side to side, so that it may be clearly seen that no enemies of this kind are allowed to remain.

It is not absolutely necessary to prepare the borders for Apples as I have directed for the Pear, yet at the same time, if it were within my power, I would do so. There is far oftener much lost by doing a thing in a medium way than there is by doing it well. I therefore would in all cases say, "Do a thing well if you do it at all;" but failing this, or not having the means to do it, let the next best be done within our reach. It is not, however, beyond the reach of any one to have the drainage made as good as possible, and this I believe to be the first step in the right direction. The fact is, nothing can be worse for fruits or vegetables of any sort than to have the cold wet rains of autumn and winter continually lodging about their roots until the whole soil becomes sodden and sour through their continual presence. The Apple is not quite so particular about its soil as the Pear, but still the best soil will still be the best. A good rich soil similar to what I recommended for the latter will be found to be the best for the Apple, although it may be often seen that good fruit has been obtained without all the trouble and expenses my system would incur.

This can, however, be no objection to my plans; for it will be found, as a rule, that wherever the Apple succeeds best, either in a natural or prepared soil, that the food provided for it approaches very nearly to what I recommend as being the best for Apple-cultivation if it is to be successful.

The soil and all other things being in readiness, the Apples may be planted into their permanent positions any time after they are two years old, up to six or eight years of age. In the case of renewing an old garden with young fruit-trees, it is the best plan to grow on the young ones until they are into a good regular fruit-bearing condition, which should be arrived at by the end of six or eight years. This is the case with us here, and all the old trees are still standing in their places to enable us to obtain a supply of fruit until the young ones are fully bearing. I have therefore had recourse to the following expedient: One of the divisions of the garden is filled up with about three hundred of Pears, Plums, and Apples, planted 6 feet apart each way. They are five and six years old from the graft, and I hope and expect by the end of three or four years more to be able to dispense with the old trees and have them replaced with the new. In planting these young trees, the pits were dug out and fresh soil put in to receive the plants; upon this they were planted, and the pits filled up with the same material.

At the end of each two years they receive a good root-pruning; and by the time they are required for planting out I expect them to lift with good balls of 2 or 3 cwt., as they receive an addition at each operation of the same material in which they were at first planted, as well as a top-dressing of dung. The best time to plant fruit-trees of any sort is the end of September or beginning of October, before the leaves are fully ripe, so that they may become partially established in their places ere the period of rest has come about. In the case of transplanting trees of six or eight years old, it would even be better, where good large balls can be obtained, to do so in August, as the check which they will get by the operation will enable them to set a good crop of flower-buds for the following season. Any one who may try this experiment need not be alarmed to see the foliage flag considerably for a time. In the course of a month or so they will all come right again if the following directions be attended too: In removing the trees, be as careful as possible not to break the balls; have the places for them prepared before lifting them; have them planted one by one as they are lifted, and allow them to be as little exposed to the sun as possible during the operation.

After planting, give them a good watering to settle the soil about their roots, and afterwards give them a mulching of 4 or 5 inches of good stable-dung to prevent evaporation. If through any mischance the balls have got broken and the trees appear to flag greatly, a good syringing overhead morning and evening will assist them greatly to get re-established.

In selecting a place for the cultivation of the Apple there are two things to be encountered - viz., exposure to the west and south-west, from where we get our severest storms at the period when the trees are laden with fruit, and consequently in danger of being tossed about and broken off. The other danger is exposure to the north, north-east, and east, from where our frosts invariably come at the season of blossoming. Now, to avoid these, the place selected - if a choice can be made - should have a gentle slope towards the south or south-east, and be protected with plantations from the south-west round the north to the east. If such a position as this can be selected with a soil suitable for the Apple to grow, no one need be afraid for the after-results. This of course applies entirely to orchard plantations, as in the case of gardens surrounded by high walls such precautions are not so necessary, nor are they at all times available. The distances at which the trees are to be planted will be regulated according to the stock which has been used.

If the free stock or common Crab has been used, we may expect the trees to grow to a good size. 24 to 30 feet will be a very good distance for orchard plantations; but where the trees are to be kept dwarf, either by the knife or otherwise, 15 to 20 feet will be better. If the stock used was the Paradise, then the distance may be reduced from 10 to 15 feet apart. It is not advisable, however, to overcrowd, as the more light and air we can admit to each individual tree, the better will the wood be ripened, and the better chance we will have of a crop the year succeeding.

Having assigned the west aspect to the Pear, there is no other position than the east to be given to those placed upon the wall. No doubt several of the better varieties deserve a better position than this, but, as I formerly said, circumstances often prevent us from doing as we would exactly like. In planting against the wall, the distances recommended for placing the Apple must be regulated by the same laws as laid down when handling the same subject regarding the Pear.

James M'Millan. (To he continued).