WHEN TO PRUNE FRUIT TREES 119 



In thinning out lateral bearing shoots seldom leave more than one 

 at any point ; select the strongest ; remove the rest close to the branch. 

 When a new shoot springs out at the base of an older one remove the. 

 older one ; when a new shoot breaks out on the side of an older one 

 cut the older one back to that point. In thinning always reject the 

 older, weaker laterals or spurs. This does not apply to the outbreak of 

 strong suckers or water sprouts below the main branches ; they should 

 usually be cleanly cut away unless a new main branch is desirable. 



Pruning of bearing trees should always have regard to the removal 

 of branches which have become decrepit through sunburn, blight or 

 disease of any kind, frost injury, or in any form die-back from what- 

 ever cause. Such wood is not only of lessened value, but there is also 

 danger of extension of the trouble. Removing such wood and training 

 new wood to take its place should always be in mind. 



Where cutting of large branches is demanded for any reason it 

 should be remembered that the wounds are most quickly healed and 

 least injury to the tree is to be apprehended if the cutting is done near 

 the beginning of the growing season, and not at the beginning of the 

 dormant period. 



TIMES FOR PRUNING 



Some changes of view have lately prevailed as to the times, within 

 the dormant period, during which winter-pruning can be done to the 

 best advantage. Formerly it was thought to be a vital matter that no 

 cutting should be done until the leaves had fallen, and this is still 

 the prevailing practice, and may prove to be on all accounts the best. 

 Recently, however, pruning in autumn has been quite widely practiced. 



Fall Pruning. There is a time near the end of the active season 

 in California when the foliage changes its aspect. There is no marked 

 change in color, perhaps, but there is a certain limpness and drooping 

 which betokens decided decline in activity. It comes first to the early 

 fruits, the cherries and apricots, for instance, and upon old trees earlier 

 than young ones. The buds are well formed; the season's growth 

 apparently complete. There are no frosts to hasten the fall of the leaf 

 and it remains in place. Does it render any important service? On 

 the conclusion that^does not, many growers begin the winter pruning 

 while the days are longer and the ground dry and firm, rather than delay 

 pruning until the short, dark days and rain-soaked soil of December 

 and January render pruning expensive and disagreeable. Those trees 

 are first pruned which first assume the appearance described, and the 

 work proceeds with other varieties afterwards until the winter pruning 

 may be finished by December 1 about the time when it commonly 

 began under the old practice. Not only is more thus accomplished in 

 the same number of days' work, but the orchard is earlier in shape for 

 the winter spraying and cultivation, and the grower is ahead of his 

 work and not behind it all the season if the season is unusually rainy. 

 Several years' practice of this method discloses no bad results except in 

 the one item of increasing danger from frost. Vines and trees pruned 

 early in the dormant period have a tendency to start growth earlier 

 than those pruned late in the dormant period. In places, then, where 



