The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-05-01


recommended A tree is not headed
back to a definite height when we use
the pyramidal shape. Further on in
the article he says: There is d.
versity of opinion among orchardists
as to the proper height to form the
top or head of an apple tree. Former
ly from four to five feet was the COM
mon practice of training apple trees,
but two to three feet is now conceded
to be preferable" After giving some
very sensible advice in favor Of the
low headed tree, he finally makes the
following statement in regard to the
different methods used in this coun-
try: There are three forms that
are generally adopted in this country.
One known as the vase or goblet
form prevails to a large extent in the
Pacific Coast region, where by long
experience it has been found to be
| best suited to the conditions of that
section This form is obtained by
cutting out the central stock or leader
and training by a system of pruning
into the shape of a vase or goblet.
The pyramidal form is the opposite
of the vase form, in that the main
stock or leading shoot of the tree is
allowed to maintain it's upright growth
and the side branches are shortened
| back so as to produce the form of a
pyramid. There is, however, modi-
| fed form between the vase and the
pyramid, which gives a round, SYM
| metrical shape to the tree sufficient
ly open to allow free circulation of
air and sunlight. This form is more
generally adopted, and gives better
satisfaction throughout the Central
and Eastern apple-growing regions"
From these quotations we learn ID
| that the vase shape is used almost ex-
clusively on the Pacific Coast in the
united States, and CD that the modi-
fed pyramidal shape is used in the
| Eastern parts of this country and that
the unmodified pyramidal form is
scarcely used at ALL This view CORE
spends with my own observations
both East and West.
While many similar quotations
could be given from our Yearbooks
| and other works on fruit growing,
will not burden this article with but
one more. Prof M. B. Wait, Patholo-
gist in Charge of Investigations of
Diseases of Orchard Fruits, Bureau OF
Plant Industry, in the Yearbook of
| 1904 says: "No one operation stands
out more prominently as the work OF
intensive horticulture than pruning.
The young tree must be trained into
the form desired. The older tree must
be kept in control by pruning Our
own preference as to the style of tree
with peaches, plums, apples and pears
is the vase form, because of its nu-
merous advantages in fighting dis
ease, especially pear blight" See
Yearbook, page 176. AS Prof. Wait,
in the employment of the government,
travels all over the United States, he
certainly Is good authority in matter
of this kind. There Is no question
that while there are differences OF
opinion in the United States with re-
gard to the best shape of apple trees,
the preference Is decidedly In favor
of the vase form or the modified pyr-
amidal form.
Jesse T. Simmons, Entiat, Wash,
asks: What Is the remedy for the little
white borer that enters the tree next
to the ground? 1t works on the small
trees badly in this section" I sup
pose the round-headed apple tree bor-
er is meant. There Is no remedy in
the strict sense of the word. Many
nostrums have been recommended by
| ignorant and INSCRIPTIONS peddlers to
be applied to the tree, but none of
them does any good. In this case, as
/ in mapv 0fharc con ounce Of provop.