118 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



if the tops are too thick, the branches that cross or run parallel and close 

 together should be faken out. Many orchards have been pruned to death 

 and in others, as a result of over or improper pruning, we find long, bare 

 branches with tufts of short, wiry branches at the ends. If such is the 

 case it will be well to cut them back, perhaps one-fourth of their length. 

 New shoots will soon be sent out and, as they will make a strong, vigorous 

 growth, a new head will soon be formed. Unless the water sprouts, 

 that are likely to form lower down on the branches, are needed to fill in 

 open spaces in the head of the trees or to form a new head where the 

 old branches have been cut off, they should be removed. Occasionally 

 some pruning will be needed to permit of working beneath the trees 

 with teams, but this does not always require the removal of entire 

 branches. 



When the trees are old anl lacking in vigor it is best to do this pruning 

 in the early spring, before the buds start, in order that the full force of 

 the trees may be exerted in forcing out the new shoots. On the other 

 hand, an orchard will occasionally be found that has been making too 

 rank a growth without producing fruit, and in that case the pruning can 

 be delayed until the latter part of May, when the growth will have started. 

 A severe pruning at that time will check the growth and induce the forma- 

 tion of fruit buds. In pruning branches back to a crotch or to the 

 trunk, the cut should be made at an angle of about fifteen degrees 

 with the trunk or main branch. When made parallel to the trunk it 

 leaves too large a wound, while if at right angles to the branch that is to 

 be cut off a stub is produced. This will be unsightly and will not be 

 covered by the growth of the tree nearly as well as when made in the 

 proper manner. 



Grafting is often recommended as one of the steps in renovating old 

 orchards, but, except that it may be used to change worthless to more 

 desirable sorts, grafting of itself is of slight value in orchard renova- 

 tion. The supposed benefit from grafting arises from the fact that 

 when large trees are grafted the branches are cut back to permit of the 

 insertion of scions. In this waj^ the number of buds is greatly reduced 

 and, the full force of the tree being thrown into those remaining, a 

 strong, vigorous growth is secured. In addition to the benefit obtained by 

 grafting in securing better fruit, some benefit will be seen if the new 

 variety has a foliage that can better resist the attack of fungi, and if it is 

 naturally of a more healthy growth. Aside from these effects, the real 

 benefit that is noticed from grafting is derived from the pruning that 

 must be given the trees, and this will generally give as good or better 

 results than when combined with grafting. 



CULTIVATION. 



Nearly all old orchards are in sod and, wherever possible, it will be 

 well to plow and keep them in cultivation for at least one or two years. 

 When the ground is covered with a sod the trees are robbed of their 

 food and, during the summer, the rain that falls is taken up before it 

 reaches the roots of the trees. Even though cultivation is not kept up 

 it is almost necessary, at first, to start a new growth, without which the 

 best results cannot be expected. The plowing can be done either in the 



