52 FRUIT GROWING FOR AMATEURS 



whether Apple trees should be pruned the first season after plant- 

 ing or left for a year. In the case of bush trees, espaliers and 

 cordons, first-year pruning is certainly to be recommended, 

 and generally in the case of standards also. The only exception 

 to the rule is when standard trees are planted late in the season, 

 say, during February or March; even then the expert grower 

 favours early pruning, but the amateur would be on the safe 

 side in leaving the trees alone for a year, and then to cut them 

 back. Vigorous growth would then be fairly certain, which 

 might not be the case if pruning was carried out the first season, 

 especially if the summer was hot and dry. Any very weak 

 shoots are cut out, and the main growths are shortened to about 

 a foot in length. 



After two or three years 1 hard pruning to form a good 

 foundation of branches, standards will not need to be cut back 

 so much ; in fact, a judicious thinning of the branches, removing 

 any that would cause overcrowding, and those that cross over 

 one another, is all that is necessary. An occasional branch may 

 require to be shortened a little to maintain uniform develop- 

 ment, and to ensure a shapely tree. 



In the case of bush trees the main growths are shortened as 

 already described, and the side shoots are pruned back to three 

 buds from their base to encourage the formation of fruiting 

 spurs. The procedure is the same every year until the space 

 at disposal is filled. At that time it is well to leave a shoot 

 about 18 inches below the end of each branch when summer 

 pruning, and in winter cut back to this. By this means 

 young shoots are kept in the trees, and an accumulation of spurs 

 at the ends of the branches, brought about by constant and 

 hard cutting back, is avoided. 



Certain varieties of Apples require special treatment ; Irish 

 Peach and Cornish Gilliflower are good examples. The fruits are 

 chiefly produced at the ends of the branches, consequently the 

 growths must not be shortened back, but merely thinned out, 

 some of the longest and most ungainly shoots being cut out. 

 These varieties may be pruned fairly hard for the first two or 

 three years and then allowed to grow fairly freely. Worcester 

 Pearmain also crops much better if not pruned too hard, and 

 is most satisfactory grown as a free bush. 



The pruning of cordons and espaliers is not difficult; 

 the leading growths are cut back to about 12 inches in length 



