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CIRCULAR NO. 118, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 



to grow in a natural form. The result is a tree having a shape very 

 undesirable on account of the difficulty with which the tree can be 

 sprayed or the fruit gathered. Most of the bearing wood is at the 

 top of such a tree. 



A more desirable form of top for an apple tree is shown in figure 

 6. This form of tree has two faults: One is that the branches come 



Pi G _ 4. — a 2-year-old tree improperly pruned. When the main branches start from the 

 same point on the trunk, the tree is almost certain to be broken when it is loaded 

 with fruit. Compare with figure 3. 



out from too nearly the same point, resulting in a crotch that is likely 

 to split some time when the tree is well loaded with fruit, and the 

 other is that the top is rather too dense. 



CARE OF THE ORCHARD AFTER PLANTING. 



After the trees are planted, the orchard may be given clean culti- 

 vation, or some form of cultivated crop may be grown between the 

 rows until the trees come into bearing, when clean cultivation should 



[Cir. 118.] 



