HOW TO RAISE A FRUIT TREE 



FIG. 79. THREE 

 YEAR OLD TREE 



CUT BACK 



close to the tree, and thus prevent decay at this point. 



One year after budding you should reduce the tree to a 



"whip," as in Fig. 79, by trimming at the dotted line in 

 Fig. 78. This establishes the "head" of 

 your tree, which in the case of the peach 

 should be very low, that is, about sixteen 

 inches from the ground, in order that a 

 low foliage may lessen the danger of sun 

 scald to the main trunk. 



In pruning never leave a stump such 

 as is shown in Fig. 78, h. Such a stump 

 having no source of nourishment will be 

 sure to heal very slowly with great danger 

 of decay. If this heel is cleanly cut on the 

 line ch (Fig. 78), the wound will heal 



rapidly and with little danger of decay. 



Leaving such a stump 



endangers the soundness 



of the whole tree. Fig. 80 



shows the results of good 



and poor pruning on a large 



tree. When large limbs are 



removed, it is best to paint 



the cut surface to prevent 



the access of rot-causing 



fungi. 



Pruning that leaves large 



limbs branching, as in Fig. 



Refuses to heal Heals promptly 



74, a, is not to be recom- 

 mended, since the limbs when loaded with fruit or when 

 beaten by heavy winds are liable to break. At the point 



