LUTHER BURBANK 



who goes into the average orchard and looks about 

 with a really observant eye is that orchard trees 

 in general are not well-adapted to man's needs in 

 the matter of size. 



I have in mind certain orchards of New 

 England and Long Island, for example, in which 

 the apple trees seem to have done their very best 

 to rival the elms and oaks in size. Their trunks 

 and main central branches rise, barren of fruit- 

 producing branches, to a height of twenty or even 

 thirty feet. 



The strength of the tree has gone to producing 

 wood instead of fruit-bearing twigs. Such fruit 

 as does appear is suspended so high that long 

 ladders are required to reach it when it has 

 ripened. 



This is obviously all wrong. There is no reason 

 why the apple tree should be permitted to grow 

 high into the air even if it has the inherent pro- 

 pensity to do so. By proper trimming, the young 

 tree can be made to assume a spreading form, so 

 that it will bear most of its fruit within easy reach. 

 Moreover, it is easily possible through selective 

 breeding to develop an apple stock that will have 

 no tendency to grow into tall, or otherwise ill- 

 shaped trees, but will naturally take on the com- 

 pact, low-growing habit that is to be desired in a 

 fruit tree. 



[12] 



