43 



THE PRUNING OF YOUNG DECIDUOUS TREES THE 

 YEAR AFTER PLANTING- 



One can treat of all varieties here under a single head, as the 

 object now in view is solely to lay the foundation of the tree r 

 and whether the fruit will be carried on the old wood, or on the 

 growth of the last summer, is a matter which one has not to 

 take into consideration until next year. This pruning is there- 

 fore the most simple of actual cutting operations, but at the 

 same time such cutting makes or mars the future tree. 



The object in view is to spread the tree, and lay an open 

 foundation. Should the three or four shoots, which we have 

 said must be retained, be in their right places, all one has to do 

 is to cut them back to a third or a quarter of their length, in 

 every case cutting to an outside bud should the limb be growing 

 too upright, and to an inside bud should it have a too spreading 

 tendency. Bear in mind that the shoots leaving the stem at an 

 obtuse angle are much to be preferred to those forced out at a very 

 acute angle, as when the tree is large, carrying a heavy crop of 

 fruit, there is great danger of an acute angle limb breaking clean 

 off from the main stem, disfiguring the tree for life, and also 

 less?ning its bearing capacity. The obtuse, tangled shoots will 

 often be found to take an upward turn, about nine inches from the 

 main stem. Here is a good place to have them off, cutting to an 

 outer bud ; but should this upward tendency 1 egin too far from 

 the main stem, cut it short of it and to an inner bud. Let us now 

 take an opposite extreme ; a tree which has only forced out one 

 shoot. If this be a perpendicular one and near the top of the 

 stem, cut it down within six inches of its base, and make your 

 foundation the following year from the shoots formed from the 

 buds on this short six inches. We may add, that this throwing 

 out of one shoot only is very seldom seen on a properly grown 

 and carefully handled nursery stock, and it is a matter which 

 should always claim the attention of the intelligent buyer. Should 

 the shoots retained be not as w^ell distributed round the stem as 

 could be wished, they can now be spread by the insertion of a 

 small wedge, sharpened at both ends, and made of a previously- 

 cut-off shoot. A small notch must be cut in the side of the two 

 shoots to be spread, at the point best calculated to bring them to 

 their required individual positions. The wedge can then be 

 inserted, and will remain quite firm until the shoots have accom- 

 modated themselves to their new position, which they will hence- 

 forward retain. An acute angle can also be changed to an obtuse 

 angle, by the insertion of a similar wedge between such shoot and 

 the main stem, thus forcing it outwards. All cuts should be 

 painted over with waste paint, shellac, or some other preservative^ 



