Snimiicr Meeting. 103 



glowing globes of the Ben Davis are brought out of cold storage at mid- 

 winter, crisp and jucy, as when taken from the tree, they are not likely 

 to wither in the fruiturer's stalls nor to be rejected by the cook or re- 

 garded slightingly by guests at the dinner table.— M. E. Murtfeldt in 

 Farm Visitor. — St. Louis. 



SHAPING YOUNG APPLE TREES. 



(By Dr. J. C. Whitten.) 



Recently large areas have been planted to apples in Missouri. The 

 last census shows that Missouri now has more growing apple trees than 

 any other state. The larger part of these are in young orchards, many 

 of which have not yet come into bearing. The problem of how best to 

 shape these trees is, or should be, in the mind of every possessor of an 

 orchard. The time to shape an apple tree is while the tree is young. 

 A recent trip through some of the newly developing fruit sections of 

 the State shows the greatest possible difference of opinion among growers 

 as to the pruning and shaping that should be given a young tree. Some 

 believe in high heads, others in low ; some contend that the tree should 

 have an open, spreading head, while others are just as positive that the 

 head should be dense to shade the tree. The former prune by a thinning 

 process, restricting the top to a few main branches with scattering laterals, 

 while the latter adopt a cutting back method to secure as many limbs 

 as possible and never thin out any of the laterals. Many are opposed 

 to any pruning at all ; they contend that this is the natural method and 

 that it is not wise to oppose nature in the treatment of a tree. 



This medley of opinions should not cause the orchardist to think 

 that there is no such thing as correct pruning, or that to learn to shape 

 trees aright is a hopeless task. Diversity of opinion indicates the truth 

 that methods should be modified to suit different conditions. The habit 

 of growth of the variety, the soil, aspect and climatic conditions tend to 

 determine what method should be employed in a given orchard. Dif- 

 ferent growers succeed with different methods or systems of pruning if 

 they conserve such principles as are adapted to their conditions. 



The man who would prune intelligently should learn to know his 

 tree and to consider what environmental forces, in his particular orchard, 

 favor or oppose its best development. He should consider it a sensitive, 

 living, plastic organism which responds to treatment. Too much stress 

 cannot be put upon the fact that everything we do to a tree is sure to 

 either favor or oppose its best development. Before a single step is taken 

 in shaping a tree the grower should consider carefully what effect it 



