TllK liULLETIN 13 



liave not been pruned up to this time, there will be too much length or 

 wood growth and no spur formation. The prin('i])lc in i)rniiing young 

 trees is to regulate wood gruwtli so as to develop fruiting spurs. Tliu 

 long shoots at the ends of the branches should be cut back one-half or 

 one-third of the growth, cutting out water sprouts and thinning 

 branches that are too close. Leave only two or three branches or 

 sprouts on the ends of last year's growth and cut the sprouts back to 

 an outside bud or inside bud as the case may require. The five, six 

 and seven-year-old trees are pruned in the same way (Fig, 10). The 

 length growth is cut back and thinned out, and all unnecessary growth 

 in the form of water sprouts on the main trunk and base of main 

 branches is removed. Fruit si)urs should not be allowed to form at the 

 base of the main branches and trunk of the tree because of the danger 

 of pear blight getting into the growing tissues. The general plan of 

 pruning from this time on Avill be to preserve a symmetrical form, to 

 check unnecessary wood growth, encourage the formation of fruit 

 spurs, and to cut out diseased, injured or interfering branches, 



Pbuning Old Apple Tkees. 



In pruning old trees care should be taken not to prune too severely. 

 Cut out the middle branches first; next year, the branches forming the 

 sides of the tree may be pruned out, provided they are too thick and 

 interfere with one another. Sometimes all that will be necessary will 

 be to cut out the central branch. Thi.s branch is usually too tall and 

 out of reach for spraying and harvesting the fniit and serves as an 

 umbrella shading the lower and more desirable branches. By cutting 

 out the central leader, air and sunlight can penetrate the branches of 

 the tree, sjiraying can be done more effectively and the height of the 

 tree will be lowered so that the fruit can be gathered more easily. 

 The fruit will also be of larger size and finer color. Care should be 

 taken that too much wood is not taken out because of danger of sun 

 scald. If the branches of old trees are a tangled mass of growth, the 

 old wood should be pruned out, leaving the newer growth. This will 

 prevent the formation of too much Avater sprout growth. The water 

 sprouts should be removed in the summer time during the growing sea- 

 ^^on. The main idea in pruning old trees is to replace the old branches 

 with new ones. This can only be done by gradual pruning every year. 

 Dead, diseased and interfering branches should be pruned out, care 

 being taken not to leave stubs on the trees. The large wounds should 

 he cut smoothly and close to a side branch or the main trunk. The 

 trees should not be injured by allowing the branches to break and peel 

 off the bark. The wounds should be disinfected and painted over. 



The best disinfectant is a solution of bichloride of mercury, one tab- 

 let (7'o grains) to one pint of water. This should be apjdied imme- 

 diately after the branch is cut off. Care should be taken in handling 

 the bichloride, as it is a poison and will corrode metal, clothes and 

 hands. White lead and linseed oil made into a thick i)aint may be 

 used, but better results will be obtained with a paint made of two- 

 thirds part coal tar and one-third part creosote oil. The tar creosote 

 paint is a powerful disinfectant and actually prevents rotting of tin- 

 wood, while the white lead paint is not so effective. 



