40 THE AMERICAN APPLE ORCHARD 



5. The contention that stub root pruning causes 

 the tree to form a deeper or better root system has not 

 been proved. 



6. Severe cutting back of roots and tops appears 

 to be most advantageous with peaches, Japanese plums 

 and pears of the Kieffer type. It is more successful 

 in the South than in the North. It is better on light, 

 warm, not too dry soils than on heavy clay or dry 

 sand. 



The judgment of the present writer may be summed 

 up, therefore, by saying that it is best to prune nur- 

 sery apple trees thoroughly, even severely, just before 

 planting. Not only should all straggling and broken 

 roots be cut off, but all the main roots should be cut 

 back within 3 or 4 inches of the trunk. Such trees 

 are much easier to handle than those differently 

 treated; they can be more rapidly planted, and the 

 work would be more thoroughly done. At the same 

 time the tops will be cut back at the point where the 

 head is to be formed. If the heads have already 

 been formed in the nursery at a height satisfactory to 

 the fruit grower the best plan will be to shorten all 

 branches to stubs of 2 or 3 inches long, taking some 

 pains to see that these are not too thickly placed. If a 

 suitable head has not been formed in the nursery, or 

 if, as is often the case, the head has been formed too 

 high, the entire top should be cut off. Even two-year- 

 old trees can be thus cut back to bare stumps of 12, 18 

 or 20 inches tall, from which satisfactory growth will 

 be secured the first year after planting in the orchard. 

 This matter is more fully discussed under pruning. 



PLANTING OUT THE TREES 



To the novice the planting of a tree is something 



