838 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



branches, so as to keep the fruiting surface toward the center of 

 the tree. In such and all other pruning, the variety must always 

 be taken into account. 



TIME OF PRUNING 



Here, as always, certain underlying principles must be kept in 

 mind. Pruning when the tree is dormant always induces wood 

 growth. The sap is stored in the roots in proportion to the top of 

 the previous year. If a part of the top is removed when the tree is 

 dormant, the sap must be distributed in the wcod remaining, and 

 a more vigorous growth must necessarily result. This is illustrated 

 by the number of water sprouts on a tree that has been severely 

 pruned. Nature is always working to preserve a proper balance; 

 when man destroys wood growth, Nature makes a supreme effort to 

 supply what has been lost. 



When the tree is in full leaf, the sap being distributed as 

 Nature intended, pruning has a tendency to induce fruiting. The 

 shock to the tree at that time is greater. Just as in the case of 

 amputating the limb of a man, the shock is much less if the 

 patient has been quiet with little blood-producing food than if 

 his arteries and veins are full of blood pumped from the heart; 

 so in the case of a tree. Another law of Nature is to reproduce. 

 When life is threatened in animal or plant, the reproductive 

 powers become more active in order that the species may be 

 preserved. With these facts in mind it can readily be seen that 

 in the case of a weak tree or variety, or one bearing heavily, 

 where wood growth is desirable, winter pruning and it may be 

 severe pruning is the proper course. On the other hand, for a 

 tree growing too much wood or being like the barren fig tree 

 at the time of fruitage, pruning when dormant or severe pruning 

 only increases the difficulty. In such cases, summer pruning may 

 be desirable, but they are the exception, not the rule. Usually most 

 of the pruning may be done after the foliage has dropped, at 

 which season the right sort of labor is more easily obtained, since 

 other work is not pressing. It is also much simpler to determine 

 what to take out at this time, and the bark does not slip so easily. 

 However, I should prefer not to prune until the wood is thoroughly 

 hardened for the winter or when the weather is extremely cold and 

 the trees are full of frost 



