The Olive in Arizona 509 



The main objects for pruning olive trees are as follows : 



(a) To develop a strong, well-shaped tree; 



(b) To encourage regular growth of strong, productive wood; 



(c) To eliminate weak, non-productive wood; and, 



(d) To secure regular crops of large, uniform fruit. 



PRUNING THE YOUNG TREE 



The first three or four years an olive tree must be pruned so as 

 to develop a perfect framework of limbs. Numerous sprouts usually 

 appear on the tree the first summer ; when they are eight to ten inches 

 long they should be thinned to six or seven in number, distributed along 

 the trunk twelve to fifteen inches from the top (See Fig. 12). This 

 is ?. larger number than necessary for permanency, but if too little 

 growth is left, the tree will be slow in becoming established. On the 

 other hand, if all the sprouts are allowed to remain until the end of 

 summer, none will have developed into strong branches. 



Winter pruning consists in reducing the branches to three or four 

 in number, three being preferable if properly distributed. The re- 

 maining branches will form a part of the permanent framework of 

 the tree, and should be well selected. They should be located so as 

 to form a well-balanced top, and spaced not closer than four to six 

 inches (See Fig. 13). If the branches have made proper growth, 

 they should be cut back fifteen to eighteen inches from the trunk. 



During the following summer the trees should be gone over at 

 least two or three times. Frequently vertical shoots form on the 

 body of the tree or on the scaffold limbs, near the base. These should 

 be removed early because their further development would be at the 

 expense of useful branches. 



The second winter after transplanting, the -shoots on the scaffold 

 branches should be thinned to allow two laterals on each limb as a 

 continuation of the main framework of the tree. Whether or not 

 these leaders are shortened at this time depends on their size. If stocky 

 and of an ascending habit, they should not be cut back; but if long 

 and slender, tending to droop or assume a vertical position, they should 

 be shortened. 



The next summer the trees should be gone over two or three times 



