68 



gling so as to form a dense mass of branches which can not be sprayed 

 properly, and there is no room between the rows for wagons or culti- 

 vators. It is strongly urged that the trees be set not closer than 30 

 feet apart; some growers prefer 40 feet. 



PRUNING. 



No arbitrary rules can be made for pruning on account of the fact 

 that every kind of tree and plant, in fact every individual, presents 

 its own peculiar problem; but there is an ideal which the pruner should 

 endeavor to attain. It is found in man}" sections of the West that the 

 trees have been allowed to fork so that there are two or three main 

 branches, and upon bearing a heavy crop these branches have split 

 apart, sometimes totally ruining the tree. At best, if the branches 

 are brought back into place and held by bolts, wires, or ropes, a crack 

 will be left, into which fungous diseases can enter and in which codling 

 moth larvtB will s])in their cocoons. Such a break should be dressed 

 with grafting wax or shellac varnish, and the branches fastened closely 

 together. With proper pruning, when the head of the tree is being 

 formed, this trouble maj' be avoided. Instead of two or three main 

 branches, the head of the tree should ))e so formed as to have four to 

 six, thus distributing the weight, and preventing breakage under 

 ordinary conditions. 



Many apple growers have headed their trees too high for best 

 results. The disadvantages of this method are that it is difficult to 

 reach the fruit and foliage with spra}^, and much more difficult and 

 expensive to harvest the fruit. Other growers have headed their trees 

 so low that the branches spread and droop so that they are close to the 

 ground. In many instances when there is a heavy crop of fruit these 

 branches bend down and either touch or lie upon the ground. The 

 result is that much of the fruit on the interior of these trees and on 

 the under sides of the outer branches is so shaded b}^ the foliage that 

 the sunlight can not reach it, and a large percentage will be poorly 

 colored and of second quality. (See PI. IX.) 



A mean between this high and low heading is to be desired, which 

 will do away with most of the disadvantages of these extreme methods. 

 In order to secure proper coloring in fruits on trees it is necessary 

 that enough smaller branches be removed to admit an abundance of 

 sunlight through the tops. 



In the arid sections of the Far West the trees grow with great rapid- 

 ity, and if allowed to take their natural course become slender and not 

 strong enough to support a normal weight of fruit. It has been found 

 that by cutting back half of each 3'ear's growth the trees will be made 

 to grow heavier and stockier, and thus be able to support the weight 

 of a large load of fruit without any danger of breaking. 



