New Yoke Agricultural Experiment Station. 475 



as it is not worth while to encumber land with a sort fit only for 

 a pollinator. Contrary to a very general notion the fruits themselves 

 are not greatly changed, if at all, by cross-pollination. 



time to set and age of tree. 



There is a marked gain in setting varieties of apples late in the 

 fall if the trees be two-year-olds. All other fruits and one-year-old 

 apples should be set as early as possible in the spring. Two-year- 

 old trees are usually to be preferred to those but one year old if 

 they have been properly headed in the nursery. With the peach, 

 one-year-old trees should always be planted. 



USE OF DYNAMITE IN DIGGING HOLES. 



Dynamite is being widely advertised for use in digging holes for 

 trees. There is little positive evidence to show that trees thrive 

 better in holes made by using dynamite and until such evidence is 

 forthcoming it is better that the holes be dug as it is quite as prob- 

 able that harm rather than good will be done through the use of 

 explosives. 



TOP- WORKING YOUNG TREES. 



The practice of setting a thrifty variety of apples or pears and 

 grafting or budding a weaker or less healthy variety wanted, has 

 many advocates. This top-working is probably a procedure worth 

 while with a very few varieties. In general, however, the chances 

 of getting malformed, lop-sided trees and of delaying the bearing 

 period are so great that top-working cannot be recommended except 

 for a very few sorts that seem difficult to grow on their own roots. 

 They can be best top-worked in the nursery. 



PRUNING AT TRANSPLANTING TIME. 



We are ready to set the tree and the problem of pruning is before 

 us. It is necessary to cut away part of the branches to enable the 

 injured root system to supply the remaining branches with water. 

 The less the roots are injured the less the top need be cut away. 

 The common way is to cut back all of the branches. This, in many 

 cases, is wrong. The top buds on a branch develop soonest and 

 produce the largest leaves. A newly set tree will grow best if it 

 can develop a large leaf surface before dry, hot weather sets in, 

 and this it will do if some branches are left intact. Therefore, 

 instead of shortening-in all branches, cut away some of the branches 

 entirely. The tree so pruned will start growth and acquire vigor 

 more quickly. 



