EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



367 



and heart rot eventually develops in the parent branch. If is often advisable 

 first to saw in for a short distance on the under side of large branches so as to 

 prevent the splitting down and peeling of bark from the parent branch when 

 the branch is nearly sawed through. 



Time of Year for Pruning — Pruning is ordinarily done during the dormant 

 season. Slight preference should be given to that done in late winter or 

 early spring because the wounds heal more readily; but if all pruning is left 

 until such a time, the work may not be completed because of the rush of other 

 farm practices in early spring. Consequently, any favorable weather, after 

 the dropping of the foliage in the fall and before the opening of the buds in 

 spring, may be utilized for pruning. If one has a large acreage, he should 



Figure 5. The fruit spurs and other growths have been re- 

 moved from the interior and lower portions of this apple tree, 

 hence the opportunity for early fruit production has been sacri- 

 ficed and the bearing capacity of the tree has been materially 

 decreased. Again, an originally low-headed tree has in reality 

 become high headed. 



start work in the older apple and pear trees during the early winter, and 

 reserve the stone fruit and younger trees for late winter and spring pruning. 

 It is believed that pruning done during any weather that is suitable for the 

 pruner will result in no ill effects. However, it is possible that heart rot, 

 die-back, bruising, splitting, etc., may result from pruning frozen wood. 



Summer Pruning has received much attention from professional horti- 

 culturists, but the results have been rather confusing to the average fruit 

 grower. While judicious summer pruning may result in the saving of a year 

 or more in building the framework of the young tree and in stimulating fruit 

 bud formation in some cases, the average grower should refrain from employ- 

 ing such practice^ until a better understanding of the matter is reached, 



