•8 July, 1908.] Raising an Export Apple Orchard. 



393 



unduly straining the wood. This will be his aim for the first three or 

 four years ; nor, in doing this, need he sacrifice the earlv fruiting capabili- 

 .ties of the tree. By the retention of selected lateral growths which will 

 not enter into its permanent construction, temporary crops mav be obtained, 

 until such time as matured fruit spurs are de^•eloped where the\ are 

 required. 



A month or so after the tree has been planted out it will be necessary 

 to head hard back to outside buds, leaving three, or at most four leaders. 

 See illustrations i and 2. The leaders are cut to outside buds. Had there 

 been strong buds lower down, and in the proper position, it would have 

 been preferable to have cut them still further back. Owing to this hard 

 ^cutting, the leaders sweep away at a much wider angle than if lightly 

 headed, and give a greater base upon which to build the future tree. 



The grower will require to continue this system of hard cutting back 

 for three or four years until he has got his trees well spread and well 

 shaped. Each year he will retain the most appropriate wood for new 

 leaders, and place these as equidistant as possible from one another, but 

 leave plenty of space between for the circulation of light and air. 



The leaders should break away from the truaik at different heights, other- 

 wise when the tree comes into bearing there will be too great a strain upon 

 it and this may cause it to split. Care mu.st be taken not to let a heavy 

 leader run away straight up the centre of the tree. If so, its strength is 

 gained at the expense of those on the outside. The centre should be kept 





P v^ 



b 



,'/ 



3 AND 4. JONATHAN APPLE. 4 YEARS OLD, UNPRUNED AND PRUNED. 

 Laterals e, d, and c are temporarily retained. Can be removed when required. 



well opened out at first. It can easily be filled in with suitable and more 

 fruitful wood afterwards. 



When the orchardist has established as many leaders (lo to 14) as he 

 <ieems necessary fox his tree, he will then require fo head back much more 



