586 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Heading back is also a means of maintaining or destroying the bal- 

 ance between two branches that happen to be growing from or near a 

 common point. If two such branches have made about the same amount 

 of growth and are left unpruned or are cut back the same degree, equal 

 growth will be produced the following season. Such a condition fre- 

 quently results in the development of a crotch that makes the branches 

 very subject to splitting. To prevent this condition one branch may 

 be cut several inches shorter than the other; the longer branch will 

 then give rise to more growth and become the leader, while the shorter 

 one wall become one of its laterals. 



When watersprouts develop on the main bra:-Tches they should be re- 



iMMM^^^i^y- 



Ur 





TWO TEARS AFTER TOPPING. 



Fig. VI. Same tree as Fig. 5. Large limbs severel.v injured by sdn-scald. Suckers forming 



new top. 



moved by close pruning except when desirable for filling up vacant 

 spots through the tree for fruit production. Under such conditions, 

 the sprouts left should be headed back to induce lateral branching. The 

 following year it may also be desirable to shorten some of the lateral 

 branches produced but after this time heading back should cease. All 

 branches tending to develop in the wrong direction or tending to cross 

 other branches should be headed back or entirely removed and, of 

 course, all dead branches should be cut out. 



Topping trees. Most growers appreciate the difficulty of spraying, 

 thinning, and harvesting fruit on high-topped trees. This difficulty 

 often leads to 1he practice of reducing the tops to the desired heights 

 by severe pruning to produce low, round-topped trees. This sudden 



