226 



REPOKT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



have an upright habit of growth, and some make slender gi'owth ; such need 

 close attention each year in cutting back one-half of last year's wood- 

 growth, leaving the top bud 

 on the side of the bi-anch fac- 

 ing the direction to which 

 it is intended to divert the 

 growth. By this treatment 

 there will be no difficulty in 

 shaping the tree into any 

 desired form. Open spaces 

 in the tree may be closed 

 up; as, for instance, when 

 the tree has been deprived 

 of a necessary branch by 

 accident or otherwise, the 

 loss may be recovered in 

 time by pruning the adjoin- 

 ing branches so as to divert 

 the growth into the portion 

 made bare of branches. 



All pruning and training 

 possible should be done 

 while the trees are young, 

 the growth of wood tender, 

 as the healing over is more 

 rapid and comj^lete and the 

 ti'ees suffer less injury by 

 the operation. If ever it be- 

 comes necessary to remove 

 a large branch, the wound 

 should be covered with 

 grafting- wax, paint, or some 

 other substance that will 

 prevent evaporation, and 

 the wood from checking and 

 consequent decay. 



Height of top — There is a 

 diversity of opinion among 

 orchardists as to the proper 

 height at which to foi^m the 

 top or head of an apple tree. 



■/S^ Hh 



Fig. 8 — Pyramidal form of top. 

 Formerly from four to five feet high was the 

 common practice of training apple trees, but two to three is now conceded 

 to be preferable. 



The objection to low-headed trees on account of the difficulty in cultiva- 

 ting the land has been overcome by practical experience. A careful team- 

 ster will do less damage to a low-headed tree than to one with a high top. 

 With the improved implements now in use thorough tillage can be performed 



