io8 



Then we also have the problem of laying out the orchard and 

 determining the distance apart to plant. This too has been pretty 

 generally solved in recent years. We are realizing that human 

 nature is weak and that it is best to plant our trees the full distance 

 apart without fillers of the same kind of fruit for it is very doubtful 

 if one person in ten will cut out the fillers as soon as they should 

 come out. Thus a few years ago we were setting our trees 20 by 

 25 feet or thereabouts, with the idea of taking out every other 

 tree ; now the tendency is to put them at least 40 feet in each direc- 

 tion. In the peach sections, many growers are using peach fillers 

 and finding the practice is an excellent one for the peach trees will 

 of themselves come out before there is much crowding. Notwith- 

 standing the advice of many of our scientific men, this practice has 

 increased rather than decreased, and nearly every fruit grower 

 who has tried the system, likes it very well. Many of our growers 

 are setting permanent trees farther apart than they did a few years 

 ago and it is not uncommon to find an orchard set with such va- 

 rieties as Northern Spy, Baldwin, or R. I. Greening, where the 

 trees are 45 feet apart or even 50 feet. Where apple fillers are still 

 being used, such varieties as Wagener, Wealthy, Alexander, Twen- 

 ty-Ounce, and Yellow Transparent are being used. 



Another problem connected wath the growing of the apple 

 which is still unsolved in the mind of the average fruit man is the 

 one of pruning or shaping the young tree. Our old orchards have 

 leaders in the center. The western orchards from which we are 

 getting our finest looking fruit to-day have open centers. Of these 

 two methods of pruning a young tree, which is the better? The 

 majority of us must confess that we do not know. A few things 

 are very evident, however, as one visits the younger apple orchards 

 in the various parts of the East. In the first place, the growers are 

 heading their trees much lower than they did years ago. It is doubt- 

 ful if the average head is placed much over two feet above the 

 ground at the present time. Formerly it was four feet or even 

 more. I believe that almost without exception, the best growers are 

 not shaping their trees with distinct leaders in the center. A great 

 many men, however, do not want the true vase-shaped form. They 

 are rather leaving from three to five main branches, no one of them 

 being of greater weight or importance than any of the others. The 

 center of the tree is being filled more or less, as the grower may 

 wish, with lateral branches coming out from these first main 

 branches. Under this system it is possible to thin out the center of 

 the tree whenever it is desired, as the branches which make up the 

 center are comparatively small and unimportant and so may be 

 cut out without detriment to the health and general make-up of 

 the tree. 



Now for a few words regarding the cultural problems in our 

 orchards. Dr. Lipman has given us an excellent paper on the cover 

 crops for our orchards. We all admit that cover crops are neces- 

 sary, at least if we practice thorough tillage. For us in most sec- 



