DEVELOPING FORM IN ORANGE TREES 379 



watchfulness and attention and study of the subject than some 

 growers desire to give, but the results when attained are very satis- 

 factory. The method is that of J. H. Reed, of Riverside, and has 

 been followed by him for a number of years with his own orchard 

 and others of which he has had charge. It will be found readily 

 intelligible with the help of the sketches. Mr. Reed would begin 

 with a young nursery tree like that already shown in Fig. 1. He 

 does not believe in much cutting back before planting providing a 

 fair amount of roots are left in the ball at transplanting. If the 

 tree has been properly planted and cared for, it will soon begin to 

 put out new growth, usually first along the stem, the strongest 

 growth being lowest down. As many of these young branches 

 along the stem as are not desired for permanent branches, are rubbed 

 off, the earlier the better, at least before woody fiber is deposited 

 in them. Mr. Reed rubs off promptly all below a point about two 

 feet from the ground, if there is a prospect of getting sufficient 

 good branches above that point. If not he saves them down to 

 eight or even twelve inches lower if need be. 



Mr. Reed's idea is to build the head along a considerable length 

 of the trunk and not have the branches bunched at the top, and this 

 is the same idea that is urged in the development of the trunk of 

 the deciduous fruit tree in Chapter XII. He finds it impossible to 

 do this in the nursery because if it is attempted to form a head 18 

 orV 24 inches along the upper portion of the stem instead of one 

 bunched near the top of it, the lower branches will appropriate 

 most of the sap and the upper portion will not be well developed ; 

 while if this upper story is well established in the nursery the lower 

 portion can be built on without detriment to the upper, if nutriment 

 sufficient for both is furnished. Fig. 4 will show approximately 



Fig. 4. Branch form of orange six months 

 after planting. 



