the head is raised the lateral branches are raised, thus increasing the cost of pruning the tree, spraying, thinning and picking the fruit. It has been estimated that it costs one-third more to do this work when a 16 to 20 foot ladder has to be used instead of an 8 to 10 foot one. Of course it is impossible to keep the bearing top part of the trees down to 16 or 17 feet from the ground for 25 or 30 years so that the different phases of work may be done from an 8 or 10 foot ladder, but it can at least be checked and the spread of the tree increased in proportion to the age of tree. Some orchardists say they desire high headed trees to low headed ones on account of working near the trunks or base of the trees. The lower limbs of many of the spreading growers tend to grow outward in a horizontal position if not trained upward. It is much easier to prune these lower branches to the proper upward angle (about 45 degrees) on a low headed tree than on a high headed one. The writer has seen many trees which were headed from 5 to 6 feet from the ground which were anything but high headed as far as getting under the lower branches was concerned. The kind of pruning the bearing tree receives may either lower or raise the bearing depth of fruiting space.

The bearing depth and width of an apple tree varies with the variety, health and growing vigor of the tree. The bearing depth of a peach tree is from 6 to 8 feet. With the apple it may vary from 8 to 16 feet and perhaps even more for very old trees. The bearing depth also varies with the width, that is, the more spreading the tree grows the less will be the depth of fruiting wood.

Vase Form and Two-Storied Trees.-The prevailing type of apple tree in the western fruit districts is the vase or open headed form. In the east the pyramidal or two-storied form is used the most. It is believed for the middle west that a form about half way between these two types is the best to resist our climatic conditions. The writer desires to call this type a story and a half formed tree. The benefits derrived from a story and a half tree are: First, the attachments of the scaffold limbs to the main trunk are stronger in a mechanical way. In this, it resembles the eastern two-story tree. Second, the upper half story being a little to one side of the center allows sunlight to penetrate more or less into the central portion of the tree. In this it resembles the western vase form tree.

Time of Pruning.-The saying that the best time for pruning is any time the knife is "sharp" is a little misleading. Plant physiology teaches us that tree growth varies during the different seasons of the year. The old idea of pruning in the dormant season for wood growth and in the summer for fruit bud formation is in a broad sense correct. However, neither will accomplish good results if not properly done and at the right time.

Bearing trees should be pruned in the dormant season as soon as very low freezing temperature such as 25 to 80 degrees below zero are past; as a rule April is a good month for this work but it is often necessary to commence the work before that time. As far as the wounds are con

cerned, they will heal over perhaps better and there will be less bleeding if the work is done at blooming time. But as a rule it is not wise to wait until the blooming time to do the dormant pruning on account of the shortness of time and the less likelihood of the work being done as thoroughly as it should be. Summer pruning should be done on trees which do not bloom or in other words those which do not form fruit buds. The best time for this work is as a rule the latter part of June or the forepart of July. The fruit buds for the next year crops are commenced to be formed during the fore part of July. Summer pruning when needed should just precede this fruit bud formation. Trees which bloom and will not set fruit when properly pollinated should be girdled in the spring when the fruit buds are showing the pink of the blossom.

Fillers should be pruned rather light as compared to permanent trees. It sometimes pays to summer prune or even girdle them in order to throw them into bearing at an early age. As soon as fillers commence to crowd they should be pruned severely on the sides next to the permanent trees. Then in a year or two they should be removed entirely. Fillers too often become permanent trees and as a rule should not be recommended for planting.

Doing the Work. In a large commercial orchard it is well to have two or three gangs of pruners working. Each gang consisting of from four to six men who should be under the direction of an expert pruner. As a rule better work will be accomplished if not more than two men work together on the same tree. Each man should have a complete set of pruning tools as mentioned above. It is sometimes well to have for each two men a long and a short ladder for high and low work. The men pruning should do the work either while standing on the ground or on the ladders and never climb into the trees.

Individual instruction should be given each man by either the owner of the orchard or by someone competent to do so. Two expert pruners may prune a tree differently and yet both be right and obtain about the same results.

The following instructions might help in getting the desired results in dormant pruning:

First. Study each tree to be pruned individually as it will be found that each has its own characteristics. Also try to imagine how the tree should look after it is pruned before cutting out a single branch.

Second. First cut out all dead wood which may be found in the center, and second, any large limbs which are preventing the sunlight from penetrating the upper central part of the tree. All cuts made should be parallel with the remaining limb and always avoid leaving stubs or shoulders. Much damage may be done by rot fungi working in the sap and heartwood where stubs and shoulders are left before they are healed over.

Third. As soon as the center is opened up to some extent it is then well to start at the top of the tree and work downwards. It too often happens that a pruner cuts off while standing on the ground every limb that cuts easy and that he can reach and lets the top of the tree take