108 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



an unnecessary distance and through wood and bark which impede its 

 movement. Besides a low tree escapes stress by strong winds which a 

 high tree invites and at the same time is less able to withstand. Prun- 

 ing for health and strength of tree also includes the removal of un- 

 thrifty or diseased parts, which are not only an incumbrance to the tree 

 but may communicate to other parts the causes of their ill condition. 



Heat and Light. The maintenance of strong bearing wood in 

 the lower part of the tree is conditioned upon the proper pruning of 

 the top of the tree. How far the upper levels or the shade-layer of the 

 tree can be safely opened, depends upon the local climate in each fruit 

 region. The rule must be the higher the summer heat the denser the 

 tree ; the lower the heat the thinner the tree ; but everywhere the proper 

 condition of openness must be constantly in view in pruning. Not alone 

 must this be done to maintain thrifty growth below, but it is also essen- 

 tial to the best growth and ripening of the fruit in the lower and interior 

 parts of the tree. Fruit inferior in size, color and quality results, in 

 part, from lack of pruning to regulate the admission of light and heat, 

 sometimes one, sometimes both, to the shaded portion of the tree. 



Bearing Wood. Good fruit develops on good bearing wood and 

 good bearing wood is the product of proper degrees of light and heat, 

 as has just been urged. But bearing wood in the case of some fruits is 

 new wood, and reduction of old wood for the purpose of forcing the 

 growth of new wood must be constantly in mind. Renewal is more or 

 less a consideration with all trees, and especially the securing of strong 

 new wood. This is a point upon which close study of the bearing tree 

 will yield most satisfactory suggestions. 



Size of Fruit. The size of fruit, providing the tree is healthy 

 and vigorous, depends upon the character and amount of bearing wood 

 which the tree is allowed to carry. Removal of part of the fruit burden 

 is done by thinning after it is well set, but this labor should always be 

 minimized by antecedent pruning, which aims to retain more or less 

 bearing wood according to the vigor, size and bearing habit of the tree. 

 Thinning out of bearing shoots and spurs, when either are clearly seen 

 to be in excess, should be the constant study of the pruner. 



Regular Bearing. This point is largely involved in the preced- 

 ing and affords an additional incentive. Regulating the amount of fruit 

 borne in one year may involve the profit of two years, because a tree 

 may not be able to produce an excessive amount of fruit and perfect 

 good fruit buds for the following year. It may generally make buds 

 which will bloom, but not always that. If it does make the bloom, it is 

 no guaranty that the bloom will be strong and effective for bearing. 

 Consequently, pruning for reasonable amount of bearing should always 

 be borne in view and should be practiced at the close of the year of non- 

 bearing with particular diligence, if the alternate year bearing habit is 

 to be broken up. 



The foregoing are among the practical purposes to be served in 

 pruning. There are others, but these will suffice to emphasize a single 

 point, and that is, that pruning can not be compressed into a single 

 formula, nor can one learn it by a recipe. There are various ends to 



