38 THE APPLE 



A well-formed, thrifty, stocky head is only obtained where there 

 is a balance in the development of the top. This balance is secured 

 by placing each tree so that it has equal advantages for sunlight 

 on every side, also by giving it proper pruning, in order that 

 this balance may be maintained, and lastly lack of mechanical or 

 other injury. 



A tree may be insect and disease free, providing proper atten- 

 tion be given to spraying while the tree is growing and proper 

 fumigation just previous to the time the tree is sold or purchased. 

 Other factors enter into this disease-and-insect question, such as 

 prevention of contamination by improved sanitary conditions and 

 lack of troubles of a like nature on older trees near by, etc. 



Trees that are purchased from nursery firms are generally dug 

 in the fall and sold during the spring. It is very important, there- 

 fore, that these trees should have correct conditions in the storage 

 houses, so that they are well preserved and do not lose any part of 

 their vitality. If the tree looks black, with the bark more or less 

 shriveled, probably old looking, or if the bark seems loose and not 

 thrifty looking, then the tree has suffered mismanagement while in 

 storage and is not in the best condition for satisfactory growth. It 

 would be much better to discard such trees or send them back. 

 Anyway, do not plant them. 



Enough has been given concerning the qualifications of stock in 

 order to include it under the title " first-class stock." However, the 

 question of the age of the trees recommended to plant has not been 

 discussed. What shall I plant, one-year-old trees or two-year old ? 

 This is one of the most disputed of all apple-tree questions. A 

 very successful grower in Oregon claims that little or no difference 

 has been marked between one-year-old and two-year-old trees. 



It seems to be the general opinion that trees grown in the North- 

 ern states are preferable to those grown in the Southern states. This 

 statement is disputed quite emphatically by some practical growers 

 and by some experimenters, their claim being that it makes little 

 or no difference where the stock is grown providing the trees are 

 in every way first-class. There is considerable truth in this idea. 

 Still, it is a well-known fact that plants have a tendency to modify 

 or change their natural habit of growth under changed conditions. 

 Also, men in different localities have varied opinions upon tree 



