PRUNING APPLE TREES 309 



while. This is said to work well in vineyards, 

 but may be too cumbersome for our Washington 

 orchards. At all events, see to it that the prun- 

 ings are burned and the ashes returned to the 

 orchard." 



REMARKS ON SPECIFIC PLANTS 



Apple 



The apple tree is a vigorous plant, and should 

 be pruned every year. In very cold climates, 

 as in northern New England, Wisconsin, Minne- 

 sota, it is generally considered to be advisable to 

 delay the pruning until the cold weather is past 

 (pages 143, 184), but in other regions pruning in 

 late winter is the rule. Yet the apple tree, like 

 other fruits, may be pruned in early spring or 

 summer. The average height at which the limbs 

 of apple trees are started is about four feet from 

 the ground ; but the height must be governed by 

 climate, variety, and the personal ideals of the 

 grower. From three to five limbs should form 

 the scaffold of the top. When the general form 

 of the top has been well established, by three 

 or four years of thoughtful attention, the sub- 

 sequent pruning consists mostly in removing all 

 superfluous limbs in the center of the top, that 

 is, those which run crosswise the top, which rub 

 other limbs, or which tend to make certain parts 

 of the top too thick. Avoid pruning all the side 



