PREFACE 



Much has been published on apple-growing. Growers and others 

 have written many books dealing with the subject ; experiment 

 stations have carried on various kinds of investigations to deter- 

 mine conclusively the most efficient methods in all the subdivisions 

 of the culture of this king of fruits ; bulletins have been issued in 

 large numbers, until fruit growers are overwhelmed with the mass 

 of information that has been collected about apples. 



After a careful perusal of all the available writings on apple- 

 growing, the author of this book became deeply convinced of the 

 need of a single volume that would present in a logical manner the 

 most essential of the recent practical ideas and methods. Such a 

 book he has endeavored to prepare. While he has drawn on his 

 own experience in the subject, he has also culled largely from the 

 writings of others, and particularly from the experimental evidence 

 they have offered. 



In presenting this work the author hopes that the investigator 

 will gain easier access to much that will aid him in a study of the 

 question ; that the farmer or fruit specialist will find just the up- 

 to-date information and directions needed ; that the amateur will 

 feel confidence in basing his cultural requirements on the matter 

 herein contained ; and, particularly, that the student may find here 

 the subject matter and the arrangement required for a systematic 

 course in apple-growing. 



The field covered has been made broad enough to include the 

 practices of a large number of the typical apple-producing regions 

 of North America. In so highly specialized an industry as this, 

 a somewhat comprehensive treatment is felt to be decidedly im- 

 portant. Otherwise the special practices followed in limited areas 

 are likely to be mistaken for rules of general application. 



For material and suggestions the author wishes to acknowledge 

 his deep indebtedness to all experiment stations in general, and, 

 in particular, to the United States Department of Agriculture and 



