WJNTER MEETING, 1877. 23 



different parts of the State. It is the most objectionable form except allowing 

 the tree to throw up two leaders of about equal size, both running nearly per- 

 pendicular. These last sooner or later go to destruction by one side splitting 

 down, when the other soon goes in the opi)osite direction. Many thrifty grow- 

 ing trees go to destruction every year in tiiat way, after they liave cost their 

 owner much money and care and just when they begin to pay back his outlay. 

 Tiie fust mentioned form is made by cutting out tlie leader, if there is one, or 

 otherwise, the center branches, throwing the growth, which Avonld naturally 

 pass into the more upright limbs, into tlie lateral ones; thus leading them 

 away from the trunk to tlie production of long arms, and soon covering the 

 ground between the trees with a canopy of leaves and resulting in a tendency to 

 throw up water sprouts; and, also, giving increased leverage by which the 

 •weight of fruit is liable to injure the tree. 



All are familiar with the conical form which the balsam fir takes when grown 

 in open situations. Tliere is a center stem with a large number of side branches 

 longest at the bottom, diminishing in length as w'o look upward till we see the 

 center still asserting itself above the other parts. This in kind if not in degree 

 is a model for apple, pear, peach, and plum trees. It is true that, as we ordi- 

 narily buy a lot of trees from the nursery, only a portion of tliem can be 

 readily trained in this way, but an approximation to the general plan of a cent- 

 ral stem is to be aimed at in shaping our young trees. If we can preserve a 

 distinct leader for a height of six feet in an apple tree above the lower 

 branches we have given room in that space for a considerable number of side 

 branches that naturally spread off to about equal distances. When we have 

 done this we have gained tliis point: that instead of all the limbs coming out 

 within about one foot of the hight of the tree, as is the case with many where 

 the centers are cut out, we have a distance of six feet up the bole of the tree, 

 above the lower branches, over which is a greater number of branches to carry 

 the foliage and fruit of the tree. Tliis same form of growing will sometimes 

 continue to a much greater height, but it will often be quite difficult to preserve 

 it to this height, as, with different varieties, the tendencies are quite different. 



Some sorts of pears will quite readily follow our balsam fir model, but the 

 rule should always be, in all sorts of fruit trees, to preserve the central stem as 

 long as possible. With a tree in that form a limb never splits down, if it goes 

 down at all it will break, which it does very rarely. We also gain a further 

 advantage of extending the area of our fruit bearing wood upward as well as 

 outward, thus adding to the number of years you can realize perfect fruit from 

 your orchard before the ground is completely shaded by lateral extension. This 

 pyramidal form can be more uniformly attained, too, if your nurseryman will 

 select trees for you adapted to this plan of training. 



As to what limbs should be thinned out a man's good sense will readily dic- 

 tate to him if he will bear in mind Avhat his tree is to attain to in after years^ 

 that the limbs may not be too close to each other, and bearing in mind, on the- 

 other hand, that every leaf on the tree adds to the thickness of tlie cambium 

 layer below itself. Hence the slower we are to take out the small, leaf-bearing 

 twigs in the interior of the tree, the more stocky will be the tree. 



In conclusion I want to say, when you go into your orchard to prune don't 

 try to see how much you can take off from each tree. But, on the other hand, 

 see how much you can leave on without detriment to the tree; and don't cut 

 an otherwise useful limb because the head is a little out of balance. Time 

 will usually correct that. And don't try to make the heads of all varieties 



