362 Good Form in the Orange. 
and pump sap into it. It has been held that it was necessary 
to prune the young tree to quite a high head at first to allow for 
the natural droop of the branches and the result is seen in many 
young trees with slim stems and umbrella-like tops. It is better 
to develop a stout stem by allowing for a time a low growth upon 
it and then raise it later by removal of the lower growth which 
has done good service and outlived its usefulness. By wise 
underpruning it is possible not only to secure a shapely and con- 
Result of neglect in forming head. 
Fic. 1. Orange tree at planting in Better form secured by 
orchard—3 feet high. training. 
venient tree but also to so train the lower growth that it shalt 
present good, low bearing wood without groveling in the dust. 
Unquestionably the drooping habit of budded orange trees 
is largely due to their treatment. A grower who does not be- 
lieve in pruning allows the branches to extend too far horizon- 
tally and the weight of the foliage and the early fruiting brings 
the branches to the ground. To relieve the lower branches of 
the young tree of a part of this weight will enable them to assume 
a better direction, and this slight relief at first will prevent much 
