PRUNING BEARING TREES H5 



be cleanly removed. Some of these small shoots will bear a little 

 fruit and the leaf action is in any case desirable as a contributor to 

 the strength of the larger branches to which they are attached. 

 Besides, they serve to shade the bark from sunburn. 



Third Pruning. When the tree reaches its third winter pruning, 

 its form is well outlined, and early-bearing trees like the peach, 

 apricot, almond, Japanese plum, etc., will give the grower a respect- 

 able crop the next season. To bear this crop greater care should be 

 taken at the third winter pruning 'to leave the small laterals low 

 down on the main branches, for on them, clustered close in the head 

 of the tree, most of the first crop will be found. Though some trees, 

 as stated, do bear earlier than the third summer, the fruit is not 

 usually considered of commercial account until the third summer. 

 An engraving is given of a peach tree just after its second winter 

 pruning. It is a very good representative of the common vase-form 

 of a tree as grown in California. It has four main branches, each 

 issuing from a different point on the stem, each permitted to carry 

 two main branches, which are not arranged around the circumfer- 

 ence, but some of them tending toward the center. At the third 

 pruning more shoots have been left than are required by the rule, 

 for, starting with four main branches, there are usually sixteen left 

 at the third pruning. 



PRUNING BEARING TREES 



Three winter prunings of deciduous trees usually establish their 

 permanent form, and subsequent pruning is chiefly directed toward 

 the retention of that form; for strength of branch and stem; for 

 renewal of bearing wood ; for regulation of amount of bearing wood ; 

 for relative light and shade, and for convenience in cultivation and 

 other orchard work. Naturally, these ends are sought according to 

 the needs and habits of different fruits, and the methods of attaining 

 them will be discussed in the chapters treating of these fruits. There 

 are, however, certain general considerations which are proper in this 

 connection : 



In the case of fruit trees in vigorous growth pining during the 

 active period or allowing the wood to go uncut during the dormant 

 period, have the same effect, viz., the promotion of fruiting. Some 

 trees, like apricots and peaches, which bear upon new laterals, will 

 bear fruit even though heavily winter-cut, if these small laterals are 

 retained on the lower parts of the main branches. Some other trees, 

 like the prune, which bears on spurs, will delay the formation of 

 spurs if heavily winter-cut. These two facts suggest two diverse 

 policies in pruning bearing trees : A peach tree unpruned will reduce 

 its crop for lack or weakness of new laterals; a prune tree too 

 severely winter-pruned will reduce its crop for lack of old spurs. 

 Again, some fruits, or varieties of fruits, bear chiefly upon the tips, 

 others chiefly upon the lateral spurs; shortening one reduces the 

 crop largely ; shortening the other may increase the marketable crop 

 by decreasing the aggregate number. These and other similar facts 



