46 N[Or.i:ASKA STATE 1J( )K'1'I( I LTUKAl. SOCIKTV 



to allow tlu>m to make a healthy, ripe growth. They should not be 

 trimmed at all the first year further than to shorten in the side limbs 

 about one-half of the past season's growth, the leader or center being 

 left a little longer, so it can continue to retain its leadership. The sec- 

 ond year, the real pruning can begin by removing the superfluous limbs, 

 leaving only those whicli are to remain during the life of the tree. In 

 doing this, it should be remembered that three or four side limbs and 

 the leader are sufficient and that these side limbs should be well dis- 

 tributed on all sides of the body and not closer than five or six inches 

 to each other. Unless one has in mind the size these limbs will attain 

 when fully grown, they are apt to make the dangerous mistake of leav- 

 ing them too close together, and in this case, they will become crowded 

 when four or five or six inches in diameter and the result will likelv 

 be disastrous. 



Now this seems like a simple tiling, but it is one of the greatest 

 things in training an apple tree. I know we made a mistake and I 

 see it all over the country, in leaving two to three times too many 

 limbs. They look nice, that is true, when the tree is little, but when 

 the treei gets grown, you will see they are actually pushing eacli other. 

 Most of the trees are ruined by crowding down, and the limbs being 

 out of proportion, they finally break down, and rot in the center of the 

 tree. 



It is very important that each limb shall have sufficient room ai 

 the base to develop naturally, that it nuiy unite firmly to the body with 

 as much shoulder as possible, and as it is natural lor the given varietv 

 to develop. This will largely eliminate the splitting down later. This 

 well done, the balance is easier. Simply run through the trees about 

 once a year, cutting out forks and limbs that cross and rub and thin- 

 ning out the thick places by removing the most undesirable limbs. It 

 must be remembered that wounds on young trees heal much more rap- 

 idly than on old ones. 



Never try to train a tree in a way that is unnatural to the variety. 

 You will find that a life-long fight, somewhat discouraging and very 

 hard on the tree. Simply help nature by trimming the tree in accord- 

 ance with the way it desires to grow. 



While there are several minor things that have to be looked after 

 from time to time such as preventing injury from rabbits, mice, gophers, 

 etc., etc., yet the planting, cultivating and pruning are the three main 

 things to be well carried out, and if this is done success is almost cer- 

 tain. 



A tree can be grown into bearing as cheaply and with as much 

 certainty here in Nebraska as any place I know of. 



DISCUSSION. 



The Chairman: These papers are intended for discussion after 

 they are read, and if there is any one lifie wlio would iiUe (o ask Mr. 



