Fruit 185 



best season for peach and .plum trees, particularly 

 in the North. 



Dwarf apple trees are not very satisfactory. 

 Their fruit is never any better and sometimes not 

 as good, while the produce cannot be as great. 



The heads of apple trees should be cut down in 

 pruning in order to prevent their growing so tall 

 that they cannot be successfully sprayed. When 

 cutting, be sure to cut back to a healthy side 

 branch to avoid leaving a stub. 



Old apple trees badly in need of pruning should 

 have about one-fourth of the wood removed in order 

 to stimulate them to a more vigorous growth. 

 This should be done while the trees are dormant, 

 preferably a few weeks before growth starts in the 

 spring. All dead, dying, and crossed branches 

 should be cut. 



Do all grafting on a mild day during showery 

 weather, this should be in the spring when the sap 

 begins to move in the stock. This does not occur 

 as early in the apple and pear as it does in the 

 cherry and plum. The necessary tools are a chisel, a 

 thick-bladed knife, or a grafting iron with which to 

 split open the stock after it is sawed off smoothly 



