1905.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



167 



thun Avas feared at the time the year's experiments were out- 

 lined. It Avas decided to lay off the orchard Avhcre this 

 experiment was to be made into four blocks, to be given 

 different kinds of treatment, as follows : (1) the first block 

 was to be left entirely without pruning ; (2) the second 

 block was to be pruned in midsummer, after the trees had 

 started ; (3) the third block was to be cut back, from two- 

 thirds to three-fourths of the previous year's growth being- 

 removed ; (4) the fourth block was to be headed back near 

 to the trunks, only the stul)S of the main branches being left. 

 A certain percentage of these trees died during the year 

 of 1904 

 table : — 



Statistical Summary 



The geneml result can be seen in the following 



Vev Cent. 

 Living. 



Trees unpruue'l, 

 IModerately cut buck, 

 Severely cut back, . 

 "Dehorned," 



It will be seen that the trees cut back to the trunks ( ' ' de- 

 horned ") suffered the Avorst ; those severely cut back lost 

 a larger percentage than those unpruned. A careful exam- 

 ination of the orchard itself makes it seem that the difference 

 between blocks 2 and 3 in this respect is considcral)ly ex- 

 aggerated by the statistics. Some of the deaths in block 

 3 were apparently due to other causes, and should not be 

 charged up against the pruning. MorcoAcr, the growth 

 made by the headed-in trees wliich lived Avas decidedl}' bet- 

 ter than that made by the unpruned trees. The judgment 

 of all those who saw the orchard and examined it carefully 

 during the latter part of tiie summer of 1904 was that the 

 trees moderately cut back showed the best growth and were 

 in the best condition. 



It at least seems clear that the trees seriously wcakiMied 

 bv freezing should not be cut back close to the main 

 trunks. 



