APPLES 301 
Live Wood Bolts 
Vig J 
limbs together. This is better than any 
system of propping, because it does no 
injury to the bark of the limbs, as is true 
with props, as the wind sways the 
branches and chafes the bark. It is bet- 
ter than the system of wiring, for wires 
can only be fastened to the limb by means 
of wrapping around the branch, or by 
means of a small hole through it. In 
either case the limb is more or less 
injured. 
GRANVILLE LOWTHER 
How to Grow an Annual Crop of Apples 
The habit of some trees to bear irregu- 
larly, or to bear every second year, has 
led to a discussion of the question, “How 
to make our trees bear a crop annually.” 
This has been done in many instances by 
pruning and thinning. The trees are 
thinned to a fair crop each year instead 
of being allowed to bear heavily one year, 
and then a light crop the next year. 
Further, summer pruning causes the for- 
mation of fruit spurs, and tends to pro- 
duce a crop the following year. 
Mr. John R. Moulton of Weiser, Idaho, 
gives some good advice adapted to condi- 
tions in that country, and we believe 
adapted to many other sections as well. 
Mr. Moulton says: “The pruning is a very 
important part; should be done annually; 
not too heavily; cut out all the dormant 
limbs, and on an old tree that has 
been bearing heavily, cut out part of the 
old fruit wood and allow new wood to 
stait By so doing a process of rebuilding 
and rejuvenation is continually going on. 
The tree must be thinned down to what 
it will bear without breahing. All clust- 
ers must be thinned to one apple on a 
truit spur, and no two apples should be 
left close enough together to touch. The 
most important of all, is the question of 
irrigation, during the months of July and 
August. During this period, the orchard 
must be kept wet enough to keep the 
fruit growing continually. I believe there 
are more mistakes made in watering an 
orchard, than in any other one thing con- 
nected with orchard work. The orchard 
must be kept wet enough to mature a crop 
of fruit and a crop of buds for the next 
year. A cover crop will form a mulch that 
will prevent the sun from baking the soil.” 
Pruning Relation to Fruit Bearing 
The puipose of every plant is to pro- 
duce seed, and this seed in turn a like 
plant. 
So in order to produce fruit, which 
is but the husk or covering of the seed 
itself, we must follow Nature as much 
as possible. 
To begin the tree at planting time, we 
must build a framework that will per- 
mit of the most exposure of foliage to 
direct or indirect sunlight. Sunlight is 
absolutely essential to plant life. Nature 
has arranged the leaves on the branches 
in such a way as to receive as much light 
as possible. We therefore choose the open- 
center or vase-shaped tree as the shape 
best suited to the needs of the apple or 
pear. 
Each tree should have three to five 
well spaced frame limbs, well distributed 
upon the trunk of the tree, forming thus 
a strong whorl that will carry heavy 
loads without splitting. The tree, either 
apple or pear, should be cut back and lim- 
ited to not more than 18 to 24 inches of 
annual growth depending upon the caliper 
and strength of the limbs. 
Starting at one year from planting 
with three or five limbs we will continue 
