312 SOME SPECIFIC ADVICE 



four to thirty inches long, depending on the number of 

 laterals it may have thrown out. 



"When the new shoots start they should again be 

 thinned down to two or three on each limb and all taken 

 off that tend to turn down or out at right angles. The 

 trees will need to be gone over about three times before 

 July, to remove suckers and lateral growth that may start 

 on the lower side of the limbs, as the tendency in the 

 third year is to make an immense growth of downward 

 laterals, and these must be taken off so as to develop 

 wood that is to be left for fruit. If the orchard is on 

 good land and has been properly irrigated and cultivated, 

 the trees should now be large enough to begin to yield 

 fruit. 



"The object in trimming during the first two years and 

 the first half of the third year has been to grow a vig- 

 orous, upright tree with strong limbs, capable of carrying 

 a heavy load of large fruit, and to get the fruit as close 

 to the body of the tree as possible. 



"There will be a few specimens of fruit the third year, 

 and as soon as these are gathered the trees should be 

 summer pruned for the first time, care being taken that 

 the land shall have been allowed to become moderately 

 dry, so that the trees may be partially dormant. If the 

 downward growth of the laterals has been kept cut off, 

 all that remains to be done is to cut off about one- 

 half of all this season's growth all over the tree, using 

 the same judgment as before with reference to prevail- 

 ing winds and symmetry of tree. If this is properly 

 done and water at once turned on the orchard, a new 

 growth will be made and the fruit buds for next year 

 fully developed. 



"The only pruning necessary in the following winter 

 will be to take out any cross limbs and sprouts that may 

 have been overlooked in the summer. 



"After the trees begin to produce regular crops they 



