Al'l'I.K <;!>\YI\<; IN CALIFORNIA. 



4? 



it is believed that this is about the right height it is obvious 

 that all brain-lies which form the scaffold or framework of the tree, 



should not emanate from 

 about the same point in the 

 trunk, because of crowding 

 and consequent weakening 

 of the framework. There 

 should be at least from ten 

 inches to one foot allowed for 

 spacing these branches for 

 the very best results. If then 

 we desire to have our apple 

 trees headed within twenty 

 inches of the ground the 

 newly set tree should be cut 

 back to a height of thirty or 

 thirty-two inches. The cur- 

 rent season 's growth will be in 

 the form of many laterals 

 from this thirty inches or 

 more of trunk, and if every- 

 thing is favorable they should 

 develop almost throughout its 

 entire length. See Fig. 26. 

 The practice of rubbing off 



Pi* I'fi.-A tree cut back to thirty inches in sh ts 1<>W down On the trunk 



height when set. (Original) is very otten tollowed dur- 



ing the first slimmer. It is 



doubtful if it pays to do this as the tree needs lots of foliage for its 

 best development, and the chances of sun scald and its attendant evils 

 are also increased by this practice. Moderate summer pruning may. 

 howi-ver. be done, and the second season there should be plenty of 

 branches to choose from in forming the framework. 



SELECTING THE FRAMEWORK BRANCHES THE SECOND SEASON. 



Only a lance is necessary in practically any of the older orchards, 

 when it will be seen that very little attention has been paid in the past 

 to the careful selection of a proper number of branches rightly spaced. 

 Siu-h trees as the one shown in Figs. 27 and 28 are not at all uncommon. 

 This type of head is decidedly bad and has no place in the recently 

 planted orchards. A great number of weak crotches are inevitable in 

 such cases as this; no larger head can be formed than on a lesser num- 

 ber, and it will not be nearly so thrifty, but worst of all. the time will 

 snrely come when, because of accident or otherwise, it will be necessary 

 to prune out some of the large limbs from the framework. The close 

 quarters for pruning will not permit of doing the same with ease, and 

 as a consequence large stubs will be left which always mean disaster to 

 an apple tree. The ends will not heal over, rot fungi will get in their 

 work, borers and termites find conditions favorably and what might 

 have been a long-lived tree is doomed after only a few short years of 

 productivity. 



