84 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



PRUNING THE BEARING TREE. 



Figure 21o is a diagram of a limb in a bearing tree at the end of the 



growing season, and which requires considerable pruning both for the 



present and future needs. 

 Figure 21b shows this limb pruned in accordance with the ideas already 



a.l\ anced. The water sprouts (a) are stubbed off short so that they will 



continue to grow and furnish 

 shade, and also may be devel- 

 oped into fruit spurs. The cuts 

 6 are made with the same 

 general idea of keeping the 

 tree open as already explained. 

 These cuts were all made with 

 reference to the chance of heal- 

 ing. From the standpoint of 

 the future tree it would be best 

 to eut off the limb at (x). but 

 this kind of a cut heals with 

 difficulty and is therefore not 

 advised. The same system is 

 followed over the entire tree, 

 and as can be seen, amounts to 

 a thorough pruning. 



The heading back of leading 

 tips is a matter which depends 

 largely on circumstances. Of 

 course, all mildewed and other- 

 wise diseased tips should be cut 

 off well below the infection. 

 headers which one wishes to 

 develop may be left untrimmed, 

 but where (especially on the 



tops) tlie growth has reached its desirable limit, liberal heading back 



should be practiced. 



All large cuts should be made' very close to the main limb and properly 



treated as described later. 



Fig. ::.■. 

 Fig. 82c. Same limb as in Fig. 22a, 

 showing the final eut. close to the main 

 limb ami ready for treatment. (Original. 1 



MAKING AND TREATING LARGE CUTS. 



Figure 22a shows a limb with a large branch to be removed. .Figure 

 226 shows the preliminary cut. and one which is often the ultimate cut as 

 seen in many examples of poor pruning. This preliminary cut is made 

 to facilitate the work on the final eut and obviate the danger of splitting 

 down. 



Figure I 1 !', .shows the final eut. close to the main limb and ready for 

 treatment. After making the cut with the saw the living bark layer (/) 

 is cut down smooth against the wood [g) with a sharp knife. 



Figure 22<I shows this bark layer covered with a thick coating of 

 asphaltum-paraftine grafting wax which prevents the drying out of the 

 cut surface. This treatment prevents the dying back of the bark and 



