PRUNING APRICOT AND CHERRY 313 



will not grow so vigorously, and the numerous prunings 

 of the first three years will not be necessary, as almost 

 all can be done by summer pruning until the trees get 

 so old that they need the old wood taken out. This can 

 be more readily done without damage to the trees where 

 from twenty -four to thirty limbs are grown, than in the 

 old method of leaving only eight or ten large limbs. 

 When it becomes necessary to take out old wood as the 

 best fruit grows on new wood a few limbs can be taken 

 out each year until a full top of new wood is again made." 



Cherry 



Remarks on plum and apricot will apply to 

 cherry. For spurs and buds, see Figs. 31, 32, 33. 

 For trees, see Figs. 3, 4, 179, 180, 181, 188. 



Of the pruning of the sweet cherry, Powell 

 writes as follows:* 



"The cherry orchard will require little pruning after the 

 first two or three years, and before that time the tree can be 

 made to assume any desired form. I believe, however, that 

 in general the pruning should be such as to give the tree a 

 low, spreading head, with a trunk about four feet high, and 

 with the top built out on three to five main arms. We have 

 pursued this method on the Windsor and other varieties, and 

 the trees, instead of growing in the usual spire-shape, 

 assume an apple-tree form. After the first two or three 

 years no pruning is needed, except to remove dead branches, 

 and to keep superfluous branches from intercrossing. The 

 advantages gained from this form of tree are of great im- 

 portance. First, the body of the cherry tree is less likely to 

 be injured from the hot sun, which causes it, especially on 

 the side of the prevailing wind, to crack and split, exude 



*G. H. Powell, Bull. 98, Cornell Exp. Sta. 



