PRUNING FRUIT TREES 
5 
spectors and hinder their work. It is no doubt true, that the inspection 
of nursery stock alone, if well done, pays many times over for all the ex¬ 
pense incurred, even in those counties which expend the most money in 
orchard inspection.” 
But in those counties where several hundred thousand trees are 
planted each spring the inspectors are so rushed with their work 
that the most careful men are liable to overlook an occasional in¬ 
fected tree; therefore no grower can afford to be unfamiliar with 
these common pests. Bach tree should be reinspected as it is 
planted and to make the work thorough, the roots should be dipped 
in water so as to remove any dirt which might conceal small galls 
or a few aphids. 
In this discussion it is presumed that the planting is done in 
the spring as this is nearly the universal practice in this state. 
It should also be stated here that the requirements of apple 
trees have been foremost in mind in the following pages. The 
same principles will apply, however, to all of our other kinds of fruit 
with the possible exception of the peach. A short discussion of 
the special requirements of this fruit is given at the end of the bul¬ 
letin. 
The proper formation of the top is by no means the least im¬ 
portant reason for cutting back the branches of newly planted 
trees. In the first place the importance of low headed trees for 
this climate cannot be too strongly emphasized. Hundreds of trees 
are dying in all parts of Colorado because of the exposure of the 
long trunks to the afternoon sun, either directly or by reflection 
from hot dry soil in summer or snow in winter. Young trees are 
especially liable to injury which results in early death or a weak, 
sickly growth from which they never recover. There is less injury 
from sun scald in the humid states, but in these districts many 
authorities are advocating lower headed trees. 
In addition to forming low heads there can be no question but 
that it pays to still further protect the trunks of newly planted trees 
from injury by sun scald. Various devices are used, such as wrap¬ 
ping the trunks with burlap, paper, straw, wood veneer, or by shad¬ 
ing the trunk on the southwest side with a thin piece of board set 
upright in the ground. Whitewashing the young trunks to serve 
the same purpose has come to be extensively used in portions of 
California. Whatever method is adopted, it should be applied soon 
after the trees are planted and kept in good condition through the 
second winter or until the shade of the trees becomes ample. 
The advantages of low headed trees may be mentioned as fol¬ 
lows: Greater ease in picking, thinning, pruning and spraying and 
less damage to trees and fruit from winds. Some growers object to 
low headed trees on account of the greater difficulty of cultivating 
around them, but with proper pruning low headed trees develop as¬ 
cending branches as shown in plate I. There is not the slightest 
