179 



Does it make any difference so far as the fruit is eon- 

 cerued whether you prune in summer or winter? 



Yes. 



Have you found any difference in the flavor of the ap- 

 ples by thinning them? 



I ean hardly say^ but think I have. We think that since 

 we started to thin we have had a superior quality of apples. 



What do you use to fill up cavities in trees? 



Fill up with crushed stone, gravel, or something like 

 that, with cement. 



Do you have any trouble with the bark crawling on the 

 trees? 



Not much; have tried in cutting back to leave small 

 side shoots to protect the bark. 



Which is the better time to prune, April or November? 



Neither; prune earlier. 



In applying the chemicals of which you spoke to the 

 orchards will the effect be as good if applied to those in sod 

 as to those that are cultivated? 



I think it is always advisable in an old orchard to break 

 up the soil. 



Would you clear out the decayed wood? 



I certainly would clean out very thoroughly, and then 

 fill up with grouting. 



Would you, when you first started on these trees, scrape 

 the old limbs pretty thoroughly? 



I don't believe in much scraping, though perhaps it is 

 well to take off a little and clean by taking off the old rough 

 bark. 



Does it pay to scrape? 



I have not done much of it myself. I have denended 

 mostly on lime-sulfur to clean up the trees. 



How would you scrape? 



Not into the life of the tree at all. 



Have you practiced annual pruning of new growth on 

 either old or young trees? 



I practice annual pruning. If a limb begins to shoot 

 oft' in one direction, I head it in ; keep it near the type of the 

 tree. 



When would you trim a young, growing apple tree to 

 get the best growth? 



I am not a believer in doing too much pruning on an 



