CALIFORNIA STYLES OF ORCHARD TREES 109 



attain ; they may be attained in different ways, although it is not strange 

 that substantial agreement in methods does largely prevail. It is better 

 to try to understand the purposes than to memorize the formulae. Get 

 the tree and its interest clearly in the mind ; have an ideal toward which 

 to work ; be more interested in why a neighbor prunes in a certain way 

 than how he does it. Learn constantly by all available means, and at 

 the same time study the visible forms and aim to understand their 

 fullest significance. 



FORMS OF TREE BEST SUITED TO CALIFORNIA 

 CONDITIONS 



The form of deciduous fruit tree which prevails with singular uni- 

 formity all over the State is the "vase," or "goblet," or "wine-glass", 

 form, all these terms signifying a similar shape. There are different 

 ways in which this form is secured and maintained in different parts 

 of the State, and with different fruits, which will be especially noted in 

 the chapters devoted to these fruits. 



The mainspring of success in California is to grow low trees. Low 

 is a term admitting of degrees, it is true, any may imply a trunk six 

 inches up to one or two feet, in the clear. In addition to the general 

 advantages of low-trained trees which have been described, there are 

 special reasons for this form in California. Hundreds of thousands of 

 trees have been destroyed by the exposure of a long, bare trunk to the 

 rays of the afternoon sun. The sun-burned sides have given the con- 

 ditions desired by borers, and destruction has quickly followed. - Some 

 times young trees have not survived their first season in the orchard, 

 because of burned bark, or this, with the added injury by the borers. 

 It is also found by California experience that growth is more vigorous 

 in the branches when they emerge near the ground. Even where 

 actual burning may not occur the travel of the sap through the longer 

 distance of trunk is undesirable. It is believed, also, that benefit re- 

 sults from shading of the ground at the base of the trees, by reducing 

 evaporation, and by maintaining a temperature of soil better suited 

 to vigorous root-growth. 



But whatever may be the reasons, the fact is ^disputable, the 

 higher the prevailing summer temperature, and the greater the aridity, 

 the lower should the trees be headed. Trees which will do well in the 

 central and upper coast region and adjacent to the bay of San Fran- 

 cisco, with twenty-four to thirty-six inches of clear trunk, would 

 dwindle and probably perish in the heated valleys in all parts of the 

 State. In such situations, both north and south, the best practice is to 

 head the tree fifteen, twelve, and even some hold as low as six inches 

 from the ground. There will always be some difference of opinion as 

 to detail, but the necessity of making the trunk short enough to be 

 effectually shaded by the foliage is admitted by all growers. 



Variations of the Vase Form. There are several variations of 

 the vase form to be found in California orchards. The prevalent is a 

 vase form with short- jointed leaders which will be described in detail 



