Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-03-31
Sizing Up an Apple Tree

Said DR.. J. w. Gowen, biologist
Maine Experiment Station, addressing
the conference:
Apple trees have n science of
physiosnomy similar to that found
in men.
1T is possible to size up a tree and
guess its yield of fruit with a fair de-
gree of accuracy by its appearance in
the winter, in the same manner that
it is possible for skilled hotel clerk
to size people up
I'm our Ben Davis apple orchard at
HighmOor farm there are SS1 trees
which were all in good health and of
the same age. The conformation of
the different types varied greatly. \
study of the variation in the habit
and amount of growth revealed two
principal contra sting types, and Ger
tain intermediate types intergradinc
between the two main types. TYPO
is large vigorous tree with an open
mead The branches are large and
often dropping. The laterals are
many. each carrying abundant spurs
Type is a rather small tree with
small upright branches. Its branch
cs are slender and have few laterals
or spurs.
These types vary greatly in WELD
In general. trees Of type 1 are the
most productive and the average pro-
dlictlvlty decreases for the interme-
date types as they approach type 3.
type is very unproductive and even
~ OF c,y ~
OF this type bore an average of little
more than one bushcl of fruit per
tree.
IN 1914, the most favorable year
tho average yield of The III trees of
type l. was 1851 pounds or more than
two barrels per tree, while the aver
age Yield of the 1876 trees of type 3
was only 40.1 pounds or less than y
lhlrd OF a barrel per tree. The 1913
trees of type , averaged 1903 pounds
or nearly barrel and half per tree
in 1914. OF the total number of trees
more than one third produced less
than one barrel each. due largely to
the presence of unproductive types of
trees.
fers valuable means for identifying
the high and the low Yielding trees.
1t is not as valuable as keeping rec
ords on the yield of the trees them
selves. We can utilize these Yields
IN many WAYS. Should the orchard
be sold the buyer can tell what he is
purchasing. The trees may be, Cullcd
'on the basis of their WELD. J'nfor-
tunatcly apple trees take many years
to reach their productive period. Be
cause OF TINS it is not easy to cut
these trees down and hope to replace
them with something better. Inyes-
legations Of podigrCed trees where
the scionS were selected from hich
Yielding trees show II at these sCjons
are no better than trccs from scions
selected from low yielding trees.
studies made by ourselves have
shown that the two main factors
which Influence the Yield of trees are
the character of the soil. its cultiva
ton. etc, and the kind OF root stock
used for tho tree. il is therefore
necessary to start riShi with the or
chard. The soil should be good and
uniformly we'll drained. The root
stocks markedly influence the growth
oil the resulting tree and consequently
It's productivity. Those root stocks
which are rapid growers make rapid
growing trees and those which are
slow growers make slow growing
dWarfed trees. In setting an orchard
only the rapid growers should be
used.
Like the old saving for men. You
should select carefully YOUR parents
and grand parents the tree should
have its parent root stock carefully
selected"