THE APPLE TREK ] 263 



plant, and then lifted up gently along with their rootlets. 

 The operation of trimming is best performed in May, 

 and is easily done by rubbing off with the ringers any 

 weakly side shoots, and those which are pushing out 

 of place or within the tree, which if allowed to remain 

 will consume uselessly the vigour of the tree, only to 

 be removed in the following winter. 



Root pruning is necessary, particularly on irrigated 

 lands which are also devoted to the cultivation of 

 vegetables, as the frequent irrigation provokes an exces- 

 sive formation of superficial roots. However, as a 

 thorough root pruning is an almost unavoidable conse- 

 quence of trenching, which on such lands is usually 

 performed at regular intervals of four years, and as some 

 root pruning is always done by the hoe every time the 

 land is tilled, the work need not be undertaken as a 

 special operation. Even on unirrigated lands the trench- 

 ing done every fourth or sixth year, and the deep hoeing 

 or digging is quite sufficient to put down any undue 

 formation of superficial roots. In this connexion it is 

 well to remember that the upper roots along with the 

 superficial rootlets emitted by them, are those which 

 contribute most to the formation of fruits and to their 

 quality, and cannot be interfered with recklessly 

 without influencing adversely the prospects of the crop 

 in the summer following the operation. 



HARVESTING. Windfall*, if the fruit is already of 

 suitable size, are sent to market for sale as cooking 

 apples. The fruit which is too small for this use is fed 

 to animals. As in the case of the pear, the fruit of the 

 apple should be harvested some days before it reaches 

 full maturity. The apple is often attacked by the fruit fly 

 but as a rule the eggs do not develop into maggots, and 

 the punctures heal. Fully developed maggots of the fly 

 have been detected in the apple only on rare occasions, 

 so that the apple may be said to be practically immune 

 from this insect, and the tedious and costly operation of 



