80 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



A head which is 2 ^ to 3 feet from the ground is at present consid- 

 ered more desirable than one which is 6 feet or more from the 

 ground. The latter height was formerly frequently used. In form- 

 ing the head care should be taken to have the framework branches 

 disposed at different heights along the body of the tree say from 3 

 to 6 inches apart, and distributed as evenly as possible around the 

 body as a central axis ; that is, when viewed from above the picture 

 presented would be that of a wheel, the hub being the central axis 

 of the tree and the framework branches representing the spokes. 



Main Branches. For an apple tree three branches are consid- 

 ered the ideal number. More may be left upon some varieties, par- 

 ticularly those which are strong growers and upon trees which have a 

 well-developed root system at planting time. If, however, the roots 

 have been badly mutilated in removing the tree from the nursery, it 

 will be safer to reduce the number to three rather than to maintain 

 a larger number. These three main framework branches upon the 

 ordinary first-class nursery tree should not be more than 10 or 12 

 inches in length. At the close of the first season's growth after plant- 

 ing each one of these three framework branches should be considered 

 as though it were a separate nursery tree and, if possible, three sub- 

 divisions of this should be maintained for the wood supply of the 

 second year, the three branches retained being cut back to about the 

 same length as those originally held by the tree as planted in the first 

 place. This operation should be repeated each succeeding year. By 

 so doing a symmetrical development can be maintained, and by 

 cutting to an outride or an inside bud the habit of the tree can be 

 modified so as to make it upright or spreading in character. Some 

 trees are normally upright in their habit of growth, while others are 

 spreading. This must be borne in mind and the character of the 

 variety under treatment must be taken into consideration in cutting 

 the branches, so that they will be upright or spreading according to 

 the desire of the planter. 



Effect of Cutting Back. This frequent cutting back of the 

 branches of the tree while it is young prevents the long, bare 

 branches which are so characteristic of old orchard trees. It also 

 prevents the tree from growing too tall a condition which makes it 

 difficult to gather the fruit or to spray the tree. With the low- 

 headed trees less propping is necessary than with trees having long 

 framework branches. The load of fruit is carried nearer the trunk, 

 and the main structural branches being larger in proportion to their 

 length are therefore better able to carry any load of fruit which the 

 tree may develop. 



Annual and Biennial Crops. Judicious pruning, as has been 

 pointed out, not only facilitates the work of cultivation and spraying, 

 out at the same time determines to a very considerable extent the 

 fruiting habits of the tree ; that is, the quantity of bearing wood which 

 a tree carries can be modified by pruning so that it will be practically 

 impossible for the tree to retain more fruits in any given season 

 than the root is capable of supplying with a proper amount of 

 nourishment. With such a balance between the fruit-bearing wood 



