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CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



"The sugar prune is a great bearer, but the tree must receive very different 

 pruning from that of the French prune. The annual growth must be shortened 

 in every winter from one-half to two-thirds, and all laterals and fruit spurs must 

 be cut back at every pruning. Of course, judicious thinning out of wood is also 

 needed. This will result in a very large, showy, product for long-distance ship- 

 ments, as fresh fruits, which have brought satisfactory returns." 



Pruning the French Prune. Growers of the French prune, and 

 other varieties of similar growth of strong and pliable wood, have 

 reached substantial agreement as to the best practice. The old method 

 of cutting back bearing trees has been abandoned. Cutting back the 

 young tree to secure sufficient low branching is followed by thinning 



Pruning after first summer's 

 growth in orchard. 



Growth during second summer 

 in orchard. 



of shoots from this low head so that the tree shall not become too dense 

 or carry too much bearing wood. The strength in the head depends 

 upon proper spacing and arrangement of the branches as insisted upon 

 in the chapter on pruning ; and large, well-ripened fruit, which is essen- 

 tial to successful and profitable drying, is conditioned upon avoiding 

 excess of branches and admission of sufficient light to the tree. 



A rather longer central stem is retained than in the old style, and 

 a central stem throughout is admissible if one prefers it and does not 

 desire to dispense with it as the first step toward securing a more open 

 tree. Some retain the longer stem at planting, others cut back to 



