APPLE GROWING 



not more than thirty inches long, and should 

 always be kept sharp. Two-edged saws should 

 not be used because of the Injury done to the 

 tree when sawing In crotches. 



Cutting shears are often very useful, espe- 

 cially the smaller, one-handed type which is al- 

 most Indispensable In pruning young trees. 

 The larger, two-handled shears are useful In 

 thinning out the ends of branches or In head- 

 ing back new growth. They should not be too 

 heavy, as they are tiresome to use. The ex- 

 tension handled types are too cumbersome, too 

 slow to work with, and the operator Is of neces- 

 sity too far away from his work for the best 

 results. 



Fruit Thinning. — A matter which is quite 

 nearly related to pruning Is thinning the fruit, 

 and may properly be treated here. That this 

 Is not as common a practice with most fruit- 

 growers as It should be, the great lack of uni- 

 formity In our ordinary market apples Is ample 

 evidence. Many persons will at once raise the 

 question as to whether or not It Is practicable 

 to thin the fruit on large apple trees. The 

 answer Is that many growers find It not only 

 practicable, but most profitable to do so. 

 Wherever fruit of a uniform size and color 



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