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CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



There has been a very marked change during the last few years 

 in orunine the apricot. Summer pruning, immediately after the 

 fruit is picked, has become much more general, and winter pruning 

 has proportionally decreased. Young trees are winter pruned to 

 promote low branching and short, stout limbs; bearing trees are 

 summer pruned to promote fruit bearing and check wood growth 

 the excess of bearing shoots being removed by thinning during the 

 winter. 



The apricot tree bears upon old spurs, like the plum ; also upon 

 the new wood, like the peach. This fact has to be borne in mind 

 when winter thinning of the new growth is undertaken. 



Weak and strong branch-placing of apricot tree. 



A very clear record of procedure is given by J. B. Neff, of Ana- 

 heim, Orange County, who built up one of the best apricot orchards 

 in the State as he describes : 



Pruning the apricot requires some skill and considerable judgment 

 Trees of four to five feet in height are preferable for planting, and when 

 planted should be trimmed to a single stem and cut off at eighteen inches 

 from the ground. These will throw out shoots vigorously, and frequently 

 two or three shoots from one point. These shoots should be thinned out, 

 leaving not more than four or five, no two of which should come from one 

 point, nor be directly opposite. The first shoot should start twelve inches 

 from the ground, the others in such a manner as to divide the space and 

 make the branches balance, leaving the top shoot to form the central part 

 of the tree. 



It will be necessary to go over the trees several times the first year to 

 remove shoots that may start where not wanted, but no general heading 

 back should be done, as it tends to dwarf the tree; though if some of the 



