APPENDIX. 



225 



pinching back with thumb nail the tender shoots, with a view to form a 

 straight, clean leader from the ground up, from which to form the future 

 ti'unk. 



SHAPING THE TREK. 



As recommended under the head of planting, this single stem, if it 



has attained a sufficient growth) 

 should be cut back at the age of 

 one or two years to the height 

 from the ground it is proposed to 

 form the head of the tree when 

 set in the orchard. This cutting 

 back will cause several of the up 

 per buds to break and grow, thus 

 starting the top or head at proper 

 height; and these buds should be 

 watched, and only such left to grow 

 as are to form the main branches. 

 Those left should be the strongest 

 shoots, at equal distances apart 

 around the stem, and should tend 

 to an outward growth — to spread 

 and make an open head. 



In all pruning, to give the de- 

 sired form to the head, and es- 

 pecially while the tree is young, 

 the orchardist should keep clear- 

 ly fixed in his mind the future 

 foi*m of tree — that is, what it 

 should be when old ; for what 

 may seem an open head when 

 young may prove, when the trees 

 are older, to be too dense and 

 crowded, the branches too closely 

 formed together for convenience 

 in getting around it in gathering 

 the fruit or in giving necessary 

 pruning. 



During early springtime, or even late winter for convenience, when the 

 wood is not frozen each year, every tree should be carefully looked over, 

 and all branches which are liable to interfere with adjoining ones should be 

 cut out and the centers of the dense growth thinned out, side branches which 

 are making a stronger growth than the others should be checked by heading 

 in the terminal or central shoots, and all parts of the tree should be cut, 

 back whenever needed to maintain an evenly balanced head. Some varieties. 

 15 



^^-^}t 



■J^'l— i-" 



5 Proctor 

 Fig. 7— Vase form of top. 



