87 



a tree ; in fact, it was necessary to thin them two or three times 

 to prevent their over-bearino-. AMiile the limbs and tops of these 

 trees may have appeared close, this weio-ht of fruit is giving them 

 the necessarv spread, and limbs which would apoear too close are 

 now pulled down,, so that thev do not need to be removed. The 

 permanent trees in this orchard are Baldwin and are the same age. 

 Almost every tree had from 30 to 40 apples on. The results thus 

 far secured bv leaving the trees alone are such that we are encour- 

 aged to do less and less pruning. 



Mr. Gould. I think these results are due to the method in 

 which the trees are started and that it is necessary that this be kept 

 in mind. Won't vou please go over that again? 



The way of pruning is verv important. Leave 4 limbs six 

 inches apart on the trunk if you can. A\'e find we can do it. Do 

 not cut the terminal buds ofi: these limbs. Remember thev are the 

 ones which will come into growth first and if removed the tree 

 will probably be all of ten days longer in getting the latent buds 

 into leaf, and that ten davs cannot be recovered. We must get 

 leaf growth — in order to get root growth. The sooner the tree 

 gets into business after it is planted the better. In some cases when 

 we cannot get the branch where we want it we have put a bud in 

 the trunk. AA'e have tried yearling buds and some two-year-olds 

 and like the vearlings verv well. At the end of four years they 

 seem to be just as far ahead as the two-year-olds. They are very 

 easy to plant. One block of i.oco were put in this year at the cost 

 of about cents each for planting. 



Pruning Old Trees. 



In the case of trees at the bearing age which have been neg- 

 lected and allowed to become quite thick, we found it advisable to 

 prune such only during the bearing vear. Pruning them late in 

 the season after the blossoms have fallen. In this wav we have 

 avoided any tendencv of water sprouts. \Yq find we can take 

 much more wood out with safety than if we prune in a year that 

 the tree is not bearing, and in the case of all varieties which bear 

 every other vear normallv. such as Baldwin, I would rather wait 

 one year and prune heavilv when thev are bearina'. There is one 

 rule we give in regard to the amount of wood which shall come out 

 of a tree. It is this: i. Remove all dead wood and badly dis- 

 eased limbs. 2. Remember that the sun must reach all parts of 

 the tree sometime in the dav. If it cannot reach a limb, either 

 that limb or some other must come out. Another rule is this: If 

 it is a nuestion of an upper or lower limb ; save the lower. 



Member. Do you knock some of the fruit oft'? 



Mr. Frazer. Yes, but we have to thin anvway. 



Member. Is it true that in some of the Xew York orchards 

 they have nearlv eliminated the so-called oft'-year? 



Mr. Frazer. Yes. It is being eliminated, even with such varie- 

 ties as Baldwin. B. J. Case, of Sodus, has had seven successive 

 crops of Baldwin. Of course, varieties like Duchess of Oldenburg 

 and ^laiden Blush bear everv year with us anywav. 



Member. Do you do it entirely by thinning? 



