The Bulletin. 19 



FORMING THE YOUNG TREE. 



There has always been considerable discussion among fruit growers 

 as to what is the proper height to start young apple trees. High- 

 headed trees have the advantage that they can be easily cultivated. 

 On the other hand, with low-headed trees the fruit is much easier to 

 pick, it is not so apt to be blown off by wind and the trunks are much 

 less subject to sunscald. The advantages are much in favor of low- 

 headed trees, especially in mountain regions. The best height at 

 which to head the young tree is 2 feet. The most uniform orchards 

 are made from setting trees one and not two years old from the bud 

 or graft. The one-year-old trees are little whips, on which the grower 

 can form just the kind of head he desires. They are, of course, 

 cheaper than two-year-olds and the freight on them is less. Two-year- 

 old trees are large and brushy and have a head formed on them under 

 the unfavorable crowding of the nursery. Many of the heads formed 

 on two-year-old trees in the nursery are badly formed and have to be 

 cut off and a new head formed in the orchard. This reduces them to 

 practically the whip condition of the one-year-old trees. 



For the first season young trees should be allowed to grow pretty 

 leafy. The more leaves they have the more wood they are able to 

 form and the quicker they become established. After the trimming 

 at planting time no pruning should be done the first season, except 

 with especially vigorous trees to rub off a few of the sprouts at the 

 collar and on the lower part of the trunk. In the spring of the second 

 season a very thoughtful and careful pruning should be given. This 

 is the most important pruning in the whole life of the tree and in a 

 great measure determines the future usefulness of the tree. Trees 

 should not be started with too many main limbs, as afterwards they 

 thicken up and crowd each other and make it necessary to cut out very 

 large limbs. This leaves very large wounds, which seldom heal over 

 and usually cause the trunk of the tree to decay and become hollow. 

 The cutting of large limbs is always a damage to a tree and should 

 never be practiced except in the most extreme cases. Three or at. 

 most four main limbs are enough for any fruit tree, and if properly 

 placed on the trunk it will never be necessary to cut out a large limb. 

 All main limbs should not start out at the same height on the trunk, 

 for all the weight of limbs and of fruit being directed at a single 

 point, the tree is liable to become split down by the wind. Opposite 

 crotches should be avoided.. As far as possible have each main limb 

 started so that it has the purchase of the whole trunk opposite it. 

 Remove all suckers or water sprouts and limbs that cross and rub 

 each other or that follow other limbs too closely in a parallel direction. 

 The idea should be to obtain a symmetrically formed head, with the 

 space well divided, so as to give each branch the maximum of light and 

 air. There are different general forms of trees that are preferred by 



