392 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



makes a favorite place for the flatheaded or so-called "sun-borers" to 

 gain entrance and do their work of destruction. Knowing this, is 

 there any good reason for leaving a great high trunk, very often unpro- 

 tected in any way, exposed to the action of the sun? The destruction 

 wrought by sun-scald and its attendant borers in California is so great 

 that low heading of trees cannot be too strongly recommended. 



Most of our orchards are set out for commercial purposes and it is 

 expected that the income from them will be a good one ; as in every other 

 business it is necessary to keep down expenses to the minimum in order 

 to secure a good profit. The cost of picking fruit is greatly increased 

 when it is necessary to climb tall ladders to get it. 



A certain height of head having been decided upon at planting time, 

 we will say twenty inches for the purpose of illustration as well as 

 because it is believed that such is about the right height, it is obvious 



Fig. 98. — Apple tree started with too many framework or scaffold branches, 

 resulting in a bad, crowded condition. (Original.) 



that all branches which form the scaffold or framework of the tree, and 

 which determine the height of head, should not emanate from about the 

 same point in the trunk because of crowding and consequent weakening 

 of the framework. There should be at least from ten inches to one foot 

 allowed for spacing these branches for the very best results. If then 

 M'e desire to have our apple trees headed within twenty inches of the 

 ground, the newly set tree should be cut back to a height of thirty or 

 thirty-two inches. The current season's growth will be in the form of 

 many laterals from this thirty inches or more of trunk, and if every- 

 thing is favorable they should develop almost throughout its entire 

 length. The practice of rubbing off shoots low down on the trunk is 

 very often followed during the first summer. It is doubtful if it pays 

 to do this, as the tree needs much foliage for its best development and 



