214 Appendix. 



thrived all summer. In fact, they had been cultivated a little at one time;, 

 if I am not mistaken, and the moisture of the soil — well! I guessed 

 that it was somewhere below for I could not find it. I stood and gazed 

 and said to myself, "Is this man crazy?" The answer came back, "No, 

 he just hasn't time." Fellow fruit growers, I hope Rogue River has no 

 such orchardists. But I expect you have. If so, I don't believe he is 

 here to-day, for he hadn't time to come. But when you meet him, try to 

 impress this thought upon his mind, that the orchardist who hasn't time 

 to do his work well should change his vocation at once to something 

 where thoroughness in every detail is not so essential. 



Of all the duties that have been forced upon me since I began grow- 

 ing an apple orchard, that of pruning has been the greatest problem for 

 me to solve. And if I should differ radically upon this point from 

 many of you, just pass this part of my paper into the waste basket 

 until you have time to come to Hood River and visit my orchards. 



Mr. Chairman, I want to be put on record as being unalterably in 

 favor of a low-topped and hollow-centered tree. Also as a firm believer 

 in using the pruning shears diligently and intelligently until I get a 

 tree which can produce and support fairly well its own fruit. In other 

 words, I believe in getting a tree first, and fruit will surely follow. But 

 if you permit a young tree to grow with but little pruning and bear 

 heavily while young, you will never have as large, strong, vigorous and 

 prolific a tree when it becomes old. I top my one-year-old trees when I 

 set them, from eighteen to twenty inches high, always cutting tap so 

 terminal bud will be toward the wind. About July 15 of the first year 

 I prune out my trees so as to leave from three to four upright stalks as 

 near in a circular shape as possible. I then cut back these upright 

 stalks to about eight or ten inches. This summer pruning prevents the 

 trees from getting top heavy, and forces them to gi'ow a more stalky 

 body, and also gives them at close of season an advanced growth in the 

 desired shape of top. The following spring I cut out all inside growth, 

 but do not top. In fact, I believe that it is necessary to have two 

 pruning seasons — one during the winter and spring, to thin out all 

 undesirable growth, the other during the latter half of July, to cut 

 back all extra long growth. 



The successful apple grower must study the nature of every variety 

 of tree in his orchard, in order to become a practical pruner. I find 

 that the Yellow Newtown should be cut back but very little after it has 

 entered its third year's growth. But I can not grow an Esopus Spitzen- 

 berg so as to make it carry its fruit well, and maintain a strong and 

 shapely tree without topping it almost every second summer. I presume 

 some of you want to know why I prefer a hollow-centered tree. Here 

 are some of my reasons: First, it gives more light and air into the 

 center of the tree where the fruit most needs it to obtain high color and 

 better keeping qualities. Second, it gives more room to get into the 

 center of the tree to thin, pick and spray the fruit. Third, it gives a 

 perfect system of uprights, when properly fastened together, to which. 



