APPLE 231 



conditions warrant it a tree will do the best if the mulching 

 material is spaded under and incorporated with the soil. 



Pruning. — ^The apple bears its fruit on short branches 

 called spurs. The removal of wood bearing these spurs 

 naturally reduces the yield of fruit. Pruning, therefore, 

 offers a means for thinning the fruit, and a profitable way of 

 securing good quality. 



The apple should be headed low and the lower limbs should 

 be started 18 to 24 inches from the ground. This is done 

 by pruning the growing tree heavily and topping it at the 

 point where the head is to be formed. When a number of 

 branches start, remove all of them except three or four of 

 the largest to form the framework of the trees, since this is 

 an ideal number. These should be distributed along the 

 trunk of the tree and not come from one point. Never 

 allow two branches to form a fork in a tree. The branches 

 forming the framework of the tree should be cut back to 

 about 1 foot in length the first year and all other branches 

 entirely removed. Continue to cut back all branches each 

 year until a uniform and symmetrical head is formed. 



As the tree grows older and after bearing begins, less 

 pruning is needed and thinning out of the surplus wood is 

 usually sufficient. If systematic pruning has been done 

 during the early stages no severe pruning will be needed 

 after the tree is mature. 



Harvesting. — ^The apple should be har\-ested carefully. 

 Too early picking sacrifices both color and quality, while too 

 late picking results in loss of keeping qualities and sometimes 

 a loss from wind. The best time, then, for picking the apple 

 is when it is well grown and fully colored, but still hard and 

 firm. This condition is known as the hard ripe stage. The 

 seeds are colored brown and the stem of the fruit separates 

 readily from the spur. 



The apple should be picked carefully and the fruit should 

 not be pinched in picking. The fruit should never be 

 removed from the tree by a straight pull as this tends to 

 either pull the stem out or break off the fruit spur. It 

 should be carefully picked and handled and never thrown 

 carelessly into the picking vessel or from one receptacle 



