PRUNING APPLE TREES 
31 
Oelicloiis apple tree shotviny nonderful productiveness. This Washington 
orchard bcyan bearlnci the third year and when nine years old averaged 
five barrels per tree. They sold lor $6.00 to $7.50 per barrel. 
High and Low -^^^ foremost growers East and West prefer 
° J medium or low-headed trees. Very few grow apple 
xieaded Trees trees with the tops 5 feet or more above the ground 
as was the case years ago in some sections of the East. However, the 
growers in the East and North, where the climate is cold and moist, find 
it advisable to train their trees with a medium head. 
The main trunk of the tree is 30 to 40 inches tall. The branches are 
distributed along the upper 14 to 16 iches of this main trunk, which 
brings the lowest branches within 14 to 26 inches above the ground. 
The advantages of the medium and low-headed trees are: It costs less 
to spray, prune, and pick fruit from low-headed trees; there is less trunk 
exposed to injury and the diseases. Low-headed trees are less apt to 
be blown over and injured by severe wind. There is less danger from 
sun-scald, which occurs more frequently in the South and West. 
In the Northern sections, where big snow-drifts form to the depth 
of several feet, it is advisable to head the trees high enough to prevent 
breaking of the branches from the weight of the snow. 
Trimming the Roots at Planting. See page 17. 
Pruning One- Year Trees at Planting Time. The one-year apple tree 
is usually a straight whip, without branches. The only pruning neces- 
sary is to cut it off at the desired distance above the ground. In some 
cases the nurseryman can furnish an extra heavy one-year tree with 
branches on it, which should be pruned the same as the two-year tree. 
These one-year-old branched trees have branches near the ground, and 
should be used where an extreme low-headed orchard is desired. 
In training the side branches, always select a bud that is pointed 
in the direction you want the branch to go. By cutting to buds on the 
under side of the branch, an upright-growing tree may be made to spread 
out. By cutting to buds on the inside of the tree, drooping trees may 
be made to grow more erect. 
Pruning the Summer After Planting. A great many authorities 
recommend rubbing off the leaves on the lower part of the trunk of the 
tree where no branches are desired, the argument being that it is cheaper 
to rub them off when they are young and tender than it is to out them 
