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CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



interior and thin walls, we have the general exterior outline of this 

 model, but give a good part of the central area of the figure to bear- 

 ing shoots, and thus secure a large bearing surface with well- 

 strengthened supports. 



It has been found that this many-branching form, developed 

 upon a few main branches well placed upon the trunk, gives a 

 stronger tree than can be had by growing a considerable number of 

 leaders, all starting from near the point where the tree was headed 

 at planting. Such leaders crowd each other at the point of emer- 

 gence from the stem, and when laden with fruit, sway outward and 

 break out at this point. A vastly stronger tree is secured by start- 

 ing but four or five branches from the low trunk and letting them 

 emerge from different sides of the stem, and at different levels. 

 Thus each main attachment to the stem has abundant room, and the 

 wood enlarges symmetrically and solidly. The expansion of the top 

 is attained by the branching which follows the cutting back of suc- 

 ceeding years. Starting branches from nearly the same level on the 

 stem has been the occasion of great losses of overladen trees, and 

 quite a considerable recourse to strengthening up weak trees by 

 running bolts through from side to side at the points where experi- 

 ence shows breakage is likely to occur. In this respect it is now 

 clearly seen that the practice which was widely adopted a few years 



Forms of head resulting from cutting back. 



Twelve-year-old apple tree in the writer's garden in Berkeley, showing forms 

 of head resulting from cutting back for greater and less spacing of main branches 

 at planting. 



ago of beginning with a very short stem and using the three or four 

 adjacent buds nearest the point to which the tree was cut back at 

 planting is defective. It is much better not to cut back so far at 



