46 MAKING THE ORCHARD. 



can start in the spring they must through their 

 shortened and lacerated roots gather up this waste 

 caused by evaporation, thus delaying the early 

 growth which is so necessary to early maturity. If 

 a tree has to be removed in spring, in a high north- 

 ern latitude I would delay the work till this waste 

 had been repaired by its own full system of roots, 

 or till there was evidence of activity in the swell- 

 ing buds. 



The proper form of a tree is of the first import- 

 ance. A model tree is one having a stem from 

 bottom to top with side branches, always smaller 

 than the main stem, taken out from it at proper dis- 

 tances, and one which will allow the orchardist to 

 convert into a very high or a very low headed tree 

 as he sees fit without the cutting of large, or two 

 year limbs. 



This form is my type of a tree ready for planting 

 in the orchard; but after years this will be lost in a 

 spreading top. The roots of the tree will also 

 assume about the same form. 



A low headed tree is of great importance, unless 

 the orchardist has determined to protect the trunk 

 of his trees until the top of this or of the next tree 

 on the south will protect it from the rays of the sun 

 and thus protect it from "sun scald," one of the 

 most destructive of all the enemies of orcharding. 

 This will be treated in the chapter on "Enemies of 

 the Orchard. " 



Trees of this form cannot always be obtained in 

 the market, indeed very seldom. The nurseryman 



