260 The Commercial Apple Industry 



Natural form. 



This system of training has been followed largely in the 

 old orchards of New York, New England and some of 

 the middle western states, and by growers generally who 

 had no definite type in mind. Very little pruning is 

 required as compared with other methods of training. 

 The top ordinarily consists of a cluster of branches spring- 

 ing from one point and forming a round head. The pruner 

 merely removes crowding and crossing branches and limits 

 the number of main branches. In the more humid 

 climates, later pruning is confined to the removal of cross- 

 ing and crowding branches and to the shortening of way- 

 ward branches for the purpose of maintaining tree bal- 

 ance. In the drier climates of the Middle West, all the 

 branches are usually headed back for the first few years 

 in order to encourage stockiness. 



Advantages. 



1. Most simple type of training and work may be done by 

 unskilled men. 



Disadvantages. 



1. Too many main branches are frequently left, resulting in 

 crowding and overlapping main branches. 



2. Splitting at the crotches is not uncommon. 



3. Frequently main branches are not stocky enough to sup- 

 port loads of fruit in natural positions, the result being over- 

 lapping branches and much poorly colored fruit. 



4. Uneven distribution of fruiting wood is not uncommon 

 when trees become mature. 



5. Trees in the orchard lack uniformity. 



6. Trees of this type often require heroic treatment later on. 



