LUTHER BURBANK 
who goes into the average orchard and looks about 
with a really observant eye is that orchard trees 
in general are not well-adapted to man’s needs in 
the matter of size. 
I have in mind certain orchards of New 
England and Long Island, for example, in which 
the apple trees seem to have done their very best 
to rival the elms and oaks in size. Their trunks 
and main central branches rise, barren of fruit- 
producing branches, to a height of twenty or even 
thirty feet. 
The strength of the tree has gone to producing 
wood instead of fruit-bearing twigs. Such fruit 
as does appear is suspended so high that long 
ladders are required to reach it when it has 
ripened. 
This is obviously all wrong. There is no reason 
why the apple tree should be permitted to grow 
high into the air even if it has the inherent pro- 
pensity to do so. By proper trimming, the young 
tree can be made to assume a spreading form, so 
that it will bear most of its fruit within easy reach. 
Moreover, it is easily possible through selective 
breeding to develop an apple stock that will have 
no tendency to grow into tall, or otherwise ill- 
shaped trees, but will naturally take on the com- 
pact, low-growing habit that is to be desired in a 
fruit tree. 
[12] 
