190 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



the places where to cut to eliminate the top. When this : 

 done the top of the tree, looking down into it, will look like th 

 inside of an inverted cone, and the tree may be called oper 

 centered. 



If the trees are small, cut out all limbs that extend up fror 

 the center of the tree at an angle greater than forty-fi.'v 

 degrees from the horizontal. The tree in appearance will the 

 be proportionately the same as the older tree above describee 

 and can be trained gradually to the same limit of height. 



The after-treatment of an open-centered tree, whatever it 

 size, resolves itself into two distinct operations: the treatmen 

 of the hollow top. and the training of the main branches. 



The hollow, cone-shaped opening in the top of the tree wil 

 soon be filled with shoots springing from buds on the mail 

 limbs, these buds being now exposed to the sun and excitei 

 into growth. Some of these shoots will stop growing when fron 

 six to twelve inches long, and will harden up and form frui 

 spurs. Others of these shoots will continue to grow at thei 

 terminal bud, retaining the color and appearance of tende 

 sucker growth. When all have grown long enough to shov 

 their character, cut out the suckers and leave the fruit spurs 

 As a result the saucer-like top of the tree will in time bi 

 clothed with short spurs, shading the main limbs, and bearinj 

 fruit of finest quality. The top, before a dense thicket, is no'v 

 made fruitful, without in any way interfering with the remain 

 ing (most fruitful) branches. With each growth the sucker; 

 will for some years persist in coming, but are easy to take ou' 

 as soon as they show their identity. 



The treatment of the lower branches which remain is th< 

 same as if the top had not been removed. If the tree has 

 been well trained from the start its skeleton will consist o 

 three or four strong main branches leaving the trunk near th( 

 ground, and running out more or less horizontally; and one oi 

 two more sets or decks of the same number of branches, leavinc 

 the trunk above these and extending out at an angle of frort 

 thirty to forty-five degrees. These limbs will have beer 

 pruned back at intervals, and, forming forks at each pruning 

 will be found to support an increasing number of branches as 

 the outside of the tree is approached. 



The problem is now to handle the new growth on the tips o 

 these branches. In solving this problem we should keep ir 



