834 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



PRUNING IN SECOND AND IX SUBSEQUENT YEARS 

 By a system of pruning that inclines the tree to an upright 

 growth with fruit spurs toward the base of the main branches, and 

 one that is assisted by the natural tendency of trees to grow in 

 such a direction, a symmetrical and productive tree can readily be 

 obtained. If pruning during the growth period has been such as 

 to leave a symmetrical tree free from surplus branches, the prun- 

 ing will consist chiefly in removing annually small interlocking 

 branches, and in shortening overambitious ones, or such as would 

 eventually make the tree too high. In the best regulated orchards 

 there will occasionally be broken, diseased, or dead branches. 

 These, of course, should be removed both from the tree and from 

 the orchard, for in either case their presence is likely to become a 

 source of infection. Pruning should be an annual operation, not a 

 spasmodic one. The reasons are obvious. It should be done in such 

 a manner that the fruit buds are distributed over the whole limb 

 rather than on the extremities, as the tree will then carry its 

 burden of fruit much better. It will also be found that fruit on 

 the interior branches of the tree will stand untoward conditions 

 when that on the outside is destroyed. If the tree is kept properly 

 open, such interior fruit will not lack sufficient color. In New 

 York 'State with its hot summers, the tree with the close rather than 

 the open top is to be desired. Spaces that are too open may be 

 gradually filled by the judicious training of neighboring branches. 

 Occasionally a water sprout may be used for this purpose, although 

 the latter never makes a desirable branch, since its upright growth 

 renders it liable to breaking or blowing out, and its fruit spurs are 

 too far apart. 



THINNING 



In the case of neglected or too closely planted trees, thinning is 

 frequently necessary, but at the same time serious injury is often 

 done by unwise or undue cutting. Too often if there is too much 

 wood an entire limb is cut out. While this reduces the bearing 

 surface, it does not reduce the number of fruit spurs on the limbs 

 remaining. They are then more likely to overbear and break 

 later; besides, unsightly gaps are left. The removal of a large 

 limb is always a shock to the tree, and often results in permanent 

 injury. This is certain to be the case if a large surface is left 

 exposed where bacteria and diseased fungi may find lodging, also 



