EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



:85 



In pruning older branches they should be cut close to other lateral 

 branches or close to the trunk. When stubs are left in pruning, there 

 is no growing point to act as a drawing force in directing the sap to 

 the wound. As a result the wood fails to callous and the tissues start 

 to decay, resulting later in heart rot. 



If it is desired to renew vegetative growth throughout the tree as a 

 whole, the pruning should be well distributed over the entire tree by 

 thinning out the numerous small outer branches not usually more than 

 one inch in diameter, rather than by pruning a few large branches and 

 thereby leaving great openings in the tree. This thinning out of numer- 

 ous small branches near the outer parts of the tree will also allow a 



TOPPING TREES. 



Fit'. V. Siuh scvoro iiniiiiiig to reduce the height of the tops is not recommcuded. 



more equal distril)ution of light to the central parts, provide a better 

 circulation of air and permit more thorough spraying. The cutting 

 out of a large branch is usually followed by an excessive vegetative or 

 sucker growth just below the wound ; it exposes the other large branches 

 below and in its vicinity to sunscald and reduces the fruit-bearing sur- 

 face of the tree. The smaller fruit-bearing branches throughout the 

 inner portions of the tree should be conserved as much as possible to 

 encourage fruit production there as. well as near the outer parts. 



Pruning is often a desirable means of encouraging a development of 

 lateral branches and thus correcting or i^reventing the production or 

 development of long, rangy branches that would later be quite subject 

 to splitting or breaking when laden with fruit. By heading back a 

 long rang}' branch close to a lateral branch, a more stocky form may 

 be developed. Such stocky branches can carry a much larger load of 

 fruit without danger of breaking or splitting. 



