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The Cornell Reading-Courses 



summer. The pruning should not be so severe that it results in the pro- 

 duction of a large number of water sprouts, or disturbs the normal bearing 

 of the tree. When the heads are very high some growers recommend 

 that the larger branches be headed in about one third their length; the 

 residting growth produces practically a new head, which is closer to the 



ground. This method 

 is called dehorning. It 

 has proved successful 

 in some cases, but the 

 general opinion in 

 New York State is 

 that dehorning should 

 not be practiced. If a 

 tree is in such condi- 

 tion as to require so 

 severe treatment, it 

 would be economy, as 

 a rule, to pull the tree 

 out by the roots rather 

 than to try to renew 

 it; or, in other words, 

 if it is necessary to de- 

 horn, the orchard is 

 generally not worth 

 renewing. 



The best time to 

 prune is in the spring, 

 just before growth 

 starts. The work may 

 be done, however, at 

 any time during the 

 dorm.ant season. The 

 grower should plan to 

 commence the work 

 during the warm days 

 of winter, so that he 

 Wounds that are larger 

 The best covering for 



Fig. 233. — A tree with hoHmv trunk and branches. It is not 

 economy to renew an orchard when many of the trees are in 

 this condition 



can complete it before the spring rush begins. 



than two inches in diameter should be painted. 



this purpose is white lead, to which boiled linseed oil has been added. 



The paint should be mixed thicker than usual. A little lampblack may 



also be added to make the color of the paint conform to the color of the 



bark. This avoids the white spots, which are otherwise so prominent. 



