2Q2 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



PLANTING AND CARE OF THE APPLE ORCHARD 



The chapters on planting, and pruning contain suggestions to 

 which the reader is referred. Care should be taken to obtain trees 

 with clean, healthy roots, not knotted and scarred by woolly aphis. 



Distance in Planting. The distance between the trees is of the 

 highest importance. All the old apple orchards are v overcrowded. 

 More recently trees have been set at greater distance, and such 

 planting is now generally advised. There is some difference of 

 opinion as to proper distance, but certainly twenty-five to thirty 

 feet is near enough, and some of the best new orchards have been 

 planted at forty feet, the ground being used for a time with other 

 crops or planted with early bearing trees, for which the soil is 

 suited, between them. Berries are largely grown in young apple 

 orchards in the Sebastopol district. 



Pruning the Apple. The manner of shaping fruit trees described 

 in the chapter on pruning succeeds admirably with the apple. Year- 

 ling trees are usually planted, and they are regularly pruned until 

 proper form is secured. 



Mr. C. H. Rodgers, during his life-time a leading apple grower 

 of the Watsonville district, near the coast in central California, gave 

 the following excellent outline of a simple and economical, yet suc- 

 cessful, method for apple tree building under ordinary conditions. 



First Year: On planting cut the stem from 30 to 36 inches in 

 height, with the terminal bud toward the southwest. In the spring, 

 when growth begins, strip off all shoots from the ground up to 

 about 20 inches. Above this point let all growth remain during the 

 summer. If for any cause during early summer a bud does not start 

 where wanted, a short transverse cut through the bark just above 

 the bud will cause it to develop into limb. 



Beginning of Second Year : Cut off all limbs except those selected 

 to remain permanently. Two, three, four, and not more than five 

 limbs should be allowed to remain, the number depending on their 

 position. It should be the aim to distribute them evenly on all sides, 

 and to give all possible space between limbs up and down the trunk. 

 This latter precaution is to give room for expansion of limbs in after 

 years. Cut back the limbs that are to remain, taking off from one- 

 third to one-half of the previous season's growth. It the tree is of a 

 spreading habit, and it is desired to have it grow erect, cut to inner 

 buds. If desired to spread the top cut to outer buds. 



Beginning of Third Year: Allow two or three lateral limbs to 

 remain on each of the main branches. Top the tree again, taking off 

 from one-third to one-half the previous year's growth. Continue 

 this method during the first four years, at which time the tree should 

 begin to bear, and if surrounding conditions are favorable, it will 

 prove strong, vigorous and capable of sustaining a heavy load of 

 apples. The after treatment will consist mainly in keeping the top 

 properly thinned. 



After coming into bearing there must be intelligent pruning ac- 

 cording to the growth-habit of the variety. Some varieties, like the 



