The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-08-01
HEADS OF APPLE TREES.
Locality Has Much to DO with st 10
Of Growth.

Whether the heads OF apple trees
should be compact or sparsely formed
depends 20 some extent on the local
fly IN which tho trees are grown.
There are lands OF sunshine and
there are lands Of cloudy skies. In
the states where much cloudy weather
exists during the growing season Il Is
necessary for the trees to catch an
much sunshine as possible. for tho
riponing OF the fruit and especially 70:
its coloring In some OF the states II
is advisable TO prune severely and
thin out the branches TO make Il pos
sible for the sun to get at the fruit.
That condition Is true Of parts Of Kew
England and parts OF the Pacific
states toward the northwest. Sven
In the eastern part OF the United
States il pays 10 keep the heads OF
apple trees fairly well thinned out.
As we go west toward the Rocky
mountains the conditions change in
favor OF the dense and compact heads.
The sun shines eternally during the
day time In several OF the states west
Of the Missouri The heat Injuries
the fruit whore Il pours upon Il unob-
struoted. and the sunlight Is 80 abund.
ant that Il colors up the fruit with
little or no trimming OF the limbs.
The question OF high and low heilds
is generally settled In favor OF low
heads, especially In the western
states where the wind blows with
great force The low heads protect
the fruit from being switched on and
where the trees are close together the
wind that blows upon an orchard Is
detected upward by the thick. low
heads, while n the heads are high a
passes under the trees and through
them 10 great extent This greatly
increases the danger OF the trees be-
Ing broken by the wind
There was time when the whole
sentiment was In favor OF high headed
trees says Farmers Review. The
farmers wanted enough room under
the trees 80 they could pillow about
them and drive about them easily
with the farm team and with the farm
implements. For several generations.
therefore the farmers planted their
trees so they could use the ground for
gardening. These that remember the
Old New England orchards remember
the tall-trunked trees. some Of them
so long that a good sized ladder was
required 10 reach the FIRST limbs
There was no danger OF the horses
hitting their heads when they plowed
about them.
But few Of those orchards are seen
now. They passed away with the com
ing Of a more intensive agriculture.
Science pronounced them too expen-
sive In the way OF time required for
harvesting their fruit. The High.Top
Sweeting that bore apples At a long
distance from the ground no longer
has 20 be climbed and shaken 20 got
the fruit II Is no more but In is
place stands a tree with head close 10
the ground and with trunk so short
that there s. not room enough be.
tween II and the ground 10 do any
climbing
The modern mathematician has az.
ured out that the low headed tree
costs far less 70 care for and gives as
good general results. though It's fruit
may not be 50 highly colored. II Is
easy 70 trim. for the trimmer can
reach about all the limbs from the
ground. Il Is easy to spray. and less
spraying material IL thrown away
than In the case OF the taller tree IL
costs little TO gather its fruit and the
fruit Is less bruised when gathered.