

SHAPING THE ORANGE TREE 449 



short distances and at the right time they do not need so much 

 cutting back as is commonly given them. If allowed to grow 

 from the start shown in Fig. 1, pruning only to prevent long 

 branches from running out at random, and removing branches 

 which may start strongly from near the base, the tree will 

 assume the branch-form shown in Fig. 2 and at from two to three 

 years after planting in the orchard. At about this age the removal 

 of lower branches begins, as they have served their purpose in 

 shading the trunk and bearing the first fruit. These branches are 

 removed one by one until, when the tree is five years in the orchard, 

 it has lost all branches below the two-foot line except the one branch 

 marked "a" of which the upright-growing part will be retained. 

 The higher branches assume the more horizontal habit, too great 

 out-shooting is repressed and at about five years orchard-age the 

 tree attains a height of about twelve feet and is of the general form 

 shown in Fig. 3. The next few months will bring its foliage to the 

 ground to remain there or to be under-trimmed, as the notion of 

 the grower may be. 



BUILDING DOWN AND NOT SAGGING DOWN 



It is perfectly feasible and rational to secure a good form of 

 low tree without removal of large branches and without relying 

 upon the sag of the branches from a high head. It requires 

 rather more watchfulness and attention and study of the subject 

 than some growers desire to give, but the results when attained 

 are very satisfactory. The method is that of J. H. Reed, of 

 Riverside, and has been followed by him for a number of years 

 with his own orchard and others of which he has had charge. 

 It will be found readily intelligible with the help of the sketches. 

 Mr. Reed would begin with a young nursery tree like that already 

 shown in Fig. 1. He does not believe in much cutting back 

 before planting providing a fair amount of roots are left in the 

 ball at transplanting. If the tree has been properly planted and 

 cared for, it will soon begin to put out new growth, usually first 

 along the stem, the strongest growth being lowest down. As 

 many of these young branches along the stem as are not desired 

 for permanent branches, are rubbed off, the earlier the better, at 

 least before woody fiber is deposited in them. Mr. Reed rubs 

 off promptly all below a point about two feet from the ground, 

 if there is a prospect of getting sufficient good branches above 

 that point. If not he saves them down to eight or even twelve 

 inches lower if need be. 



Mr. Reed's idea is to build the head along a considerable 

 length of the trunk and not have the branches bunched at the 

 top, and this is the same idea that is urged in the development 

 of the trunk of the deciduous fruit tree in Chapter XII. He finds 



