122 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



ary history of the Asiatic races. And what horticulturist can in his heart blame mother 

 Eve for tasting the apple ? 



The apple goes with the civilized races to almost every inhabitable region of the globe. 

 It seems adapted to greater extremes of latitude, and is less capricious of soil and cli- 

 mate than any other fruit. Where apples can not be raised, it is unfitted for human be- 

 ings. If we have talked more about apples than of any other fruit, it is because we have 

 had more of them than of anything else, and they abide with us longer. 



Though we have talked much on the apple, there are some matters on which we are 

 not fully settled. It will be the object of this essay briefly to touch a few unsettled 

 questions in which the orchardist is concerned. 



LOW HEADS. 



Well, how low ? In what form have the head branch out &c. ? On such points, the 

 man who has experience only with young orchards, will hold different ideas from one 

 who is dealing with trees that have attained age. The low tree will certainly make a 

 large top more rapidly, and bear fruit sooner, than if the sap from the roots had to pass 

 up through the sap-vessels of a long trunk. It will also stand the winter better. But in 

 an old orchard, when trees have attained broad proportions, it becomes difficult to culti- 

 vate and get about under the trees when the top starts out at the ground. 



The question for the orchardist is, how to secure the advantages of low heads, and ob- 

 viate the difficulties that arise, as trees attain age. We accomplish this only by a judi- 

 cious system of pruning. Eirst we would allow the tree to branch low, but as far as 

 practical, we would encourage a central stem, of a predominant growth. We would pre- 

 fer not to have the entire top of the tree branch from a low point. If some of the side 

 branches incline to become too strong so as to rival the central stem, let them be checked 

 by shortening back. If the central stem takes too strong growth, then it should be 

 checked by cutting back, to encourage the growth of the side branches. 



With this form of top, we may have all the advantages of low heads in our young or- 

 chards, and as trees attain age and broader proportions, the lower branches, as they be- 

 come troublesome, may gradually be removed and no injury is done to the health or 

 form of the tree. 



PRUNING. 



Injudicious pruning is not among the least of the evils in the way of successful orchard 

 culture. On the subject of pruning, we have doubtless much to learn. A very common 

 error in young orchards, is that of cutting out all the small branches in the center 

 of the tree — it is the small center branches that give us the first crops of fruit. 

 It has even become a question among some of our best Horticulturists, whether the 

 universal practice of pruning out the center of old orchards trees is not an error. It is 

 argued that the trees should not be allowed to extend their tops to such broad propor- 

 tions, with such a great amount of waste room in the center of the tree without either 

 fruit or foliage. That instead of trimming out the centers, we should shorten back the 

 extending branches occasionally ; thus keeping the top in closer limits, and encouraging 

 a fresh growth of fruit-bearing wood on the outside of the top. It cannot be claimed 

 that this theory of management has yet been sufficiently tested to justify its recommend- 

 ation for general practice. But at least, we may do by it as by some of our apples — 

 recommend it for farther trial. 



