Top Grafting.

In grafting over apple and pear trees to some other variety, is it advisable to cut off and graft the entire tree the first year where the trees are from 7 to 15 years old, or would it be better to cut off only a part of the top the first year and the rest the following year?

In the coast region it is a good practice to graft over the whole tree at one time, cutting, however, above the forks and not into the main stem below the forking.  This gives many scions which seem able to take care of the sap successfully.  In the interior valleys, it is rather better practice to leave a branch or two, cutting them out at the following winter’s pruning, for probably the first year’s grafts will give you branches enough.  This has the effect of preventing the drowning out of the scions from too strong sap-flow.  Cutting back and regrafting of old trees should be done rather early, before the most active sap-flow begins.  The later in the season the grafting is done, and the warmer the locality, the more desirable it seems to be to leave a branch or two when grafting.

Apple Budding.

What is the best time to bud apples?

Apples are budded in July and August and remain dormant until the following spring.

Mildew on Apple Seedlings.

Why do young apple plants in the seed bed became mildewed?  They are in a lath house.

Because too much moisture was associated with too much shade.  More sunshine would have prevented mildew, and if they had enjoyed it the seedlings could have made better use of the water probably.

Pruning Apples.

Young apple trees set two years ago were cut back to 14 to 18 inches and cared for as to low branching, proper spacing, etc., but the desired branches were allowed to make full growth to the present time.  They have mode great growth and if allowed to continue will make too tall trees.

We understand that your trees have made two summers’ growth since pruning.  We should cut back to a good lateral wherever you can find one running at the right direction at about three to four feet from the last cut, and shorten the lateral more or less according to the best judgment we could form on sight of the tree.  In this way you can take out the branches which are running too high and make the framework for a lower growth.  Do not remove the small twigs and spurs unless you have too many such shoots.

Cutting Back Apples and Pears.

“California Fruits” says the “apple does not relish cutting back, nor is it desirable to shorten in the branches.”  But when a three-year-old tree gets above 12 feet high, as many of mine are doing, what are you going to do?  I cut these back same last year, but up they go again with more branches than ever.  The pears are getting too tall, also.  Should not both apple and pear trees be kept down to about ten feet?