366 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



top. Fruit growers have found that they can reduce this excessive wood 

 growth and increase the fruitfulness of their trees by practicing a "thinning- 

 out," and they thus discontinue the former severe "heading." Since the 

 new growth is left without heading, the result is a tree very different in ap- 

 pearance from the former heavily cut-back one, and hence the term "long- 

 pruning." 



Results are Localized — Generally, the greatest growth response takes 

 place in the immediate vicinity of a pruning cut. This is noticeable where a 



large branch has been removed, result- 

 ing in the formation of numerous water- 

 sprouts near the point of removal. In 

 like manner, if a branch or shoot is cut 

 back, a few laterals (side branches) will 

 usually develop near the end of the headed- 

 back branch, although some response may 

 be noted some distance away. The re- 

 moval of a branch has comparativel}^ little 

 direct effect on the tree as a whole. If, 

 then, it is desirable to renew vegetative 

 growth throughout the tree, the cutting 

 must be distributed throughout the entire 

 tree. Work confined to the outer parts of 

 the tree will give direct response in those 

 parts, but will generally indirectly affect 

 the central parts by admitting more light 

 and permitting a freer circulation of air. 

 The careful pruner should keep these facts 

 in mind in all pruning practices. 



Ccnservation of Fruiting Wood — ^There 

 is a strong tendency among pruners to re- 

 move all the fruit spurs and short shoots 

 from the young trees, especially from the 

 scaffold branches, as they are thought to 

 be of no use. However, experience shows 

 that, if allowed to remain, these are pro- 

 ductive of the first fruit of the tree. If 

 they are removed, the tree will not come 

 into early bearing. Some pruners think 

 that these small twigs will only be in the 

 way in later years. These fruiting bran- 

 ches seldom reach a length of more than 

 a few inches, and if they do they may be 

 shortened. Even if some are broken off 

 from time to time, it will certainly pay 

 well to leave and preserve a liberal supply 

 of them as long as possible. 

 How to Remove a Branch — So much emphasis has been placed by many 

 writers upon right and wrong methods of removing branches that it would 

 seem unnecessary to mention these again, but some growers are still very 

 careless in this operation. The wound resulting from the removal of a branch 

 will heal much more rapidly if the cut is made close to and almost parallel 

 with the main stem. If removed even a slight distance beyond the parent 

 branch, the result is a slow healing wound. If a stub is left, it usually dies 



Figure 4. Such fruit spurs and short 

 growths as are seen in the interior of this 

 three-year-old Grimes Golden should not 

 be removed as they are usually productive 

 of the first fruits and they enable the tree 

 to carry an evenly distributed load of 

 fruit. This tree has had very light prun- 

 ing since planting. 



