Vol. 44 MARCH, 1916 No. 3

My Orchard Crop of 1915 from Start to Finish.

HAROLD SIMMONS, ORCHARDIST, HOWARD LAKE.

In anticipation of a crop of apples for 1915 we commenced the season with the regular annual pruning in March.  We begin pruning as soon after the 25th day of February as the weather is mild enough for us to work comfortably, as the pruning of fifteen hundred trees requires considerable time when one is obsessed with the idea that nothing short of a first class job will do, and that to be accomplished mainly by the efforts of one individual.

We have endeavored to grow our trees so that they should all have from three to five or six main limbs, and any tendency of a limb to assume the leadership is suppressed.  A tree grown upon this principle has the faculty of growing a great many laterals, necessitating an annual pruning.  As far as possible we prune to prevent laterals from becoming too numerous, from growing so as to overtop or shade lower limbs, to let in light and sunshine, so as to get the maximum amount of color on the fruit and in a measure to help in thinning the fruit.  Having in view the idea of an annual crop instead of a biennial one, one essential point always in mind is that we want an open headed tree, and we also wish to insure our trees against blight, and so we eliminate all water sprouts.  Apparently, no Minnesota orchard is immune against blight.

Some objections are raised to this type of tree, one criticism being that the tree is structurally weak from the fact that if one limb breaks off at the trunk the tree is about ruined.  We offset the possibility of such a break by careful training and by wiring the trees, a plan I gathered some years ago from a Mr. Mason, at that time president of the Flood River Apple Growers Association.

[Illustration:  Young trees in full bloom in Mr. Simmons’ orchard.]

We use No. 14 galvanized wire, a half inch galvanized harness ring, and screw-eyes with stout shanks and small eyes.  Locating up the main limbs what might be called the center of effort, or where the main pull would be when loaded with fruit, put in a good stout screw-eye in every main limb, eyes all pointing to the center of the tree, and then wire them all to the harness ring in the middle of the tree.  When finished the ring and the wires are like the hub in a wheel with the spokes all around.  We tried this first on our N.W.  Greening trees, and results were so satisfactory that we have applied it to a great number of other varieties with equal satisfaction.  Once put in a tree, it is good for the life of the tree.

Our objection to a tree with a central leader is that it is very difficult to create an open head, and if the blight strikes the leader it generally means the loss of the tree.  Low headed trees we have found by experience, are easiest cared for; they are the most economical for thinning, harvesting, spraying and pruning; they also shade the trunk and main limbs.