HOW TO GROW AND MARKET FjRUIT 



good, grafting wax is better, and even clay helps. Tar and some 

 other substances injure the bark. Do not neglect this painting 

 over of the wounds, as it is one of the most important oper- 

 ations connected with pruning limbs thicker than an inch. 

 When tipping back, cut about one-fourth inch above a bud 

 or branch. This stub will then live and heal over. 



Except at planting time, when damaged roots should come 

 off, with a slicing cut that leaves the slant under, root pruning 

 is to be avoided in the East and North. It is of practicable 

 benefit only when the soil is very loose, rich and warm, and 

 the climate almost subtropical. Along the Atlantic and Gulf 

 coast, in the southern states, a practice of cutting all roots 

 back to six inches, or even shorter, is sometimes seen, but there 

 is little excuse for this. Better keep all the perfect roots you 

 can. 



We do not say much here about the tools to use in pruning, 

 or the methods of cutting, etc. Those things can be decided 

 by every grower. Saws, shears, axes, knives and other tools 

 of all kinds are at his command. We picture some in this 

 book. If wrong cuts are made, limbs allowed to split down, 

 or ragged ends left projecting, the operator is not a good fruit- 

 grower, that is all, and no amount of suggestion will keep him 

 from failure. Study your trees and train them as you would 

 a child that's the way to succeed. 



SUMMARY 



Trees produce a thousand seeds and a hundred buds to 

 every one that can possibly find a chance to mature. Pruning 

 is a question of selecting this one out of a thousand that will 

 accomplish best the result we want. Proper pruning directs 

 the growth to where you want it by disappointing buds that 

 start in other directions and with other aims. It is foolish to 

 think that trees will naturally grow into the best shape, for 

 nature's plan is to make trees thick and big as fast as possible, 

 while modern orcharding demands trees that are low and open, 

 and demands large, flawless fruit instead of little, imperfect 

 fruit. 



Adapt your pruning to the habits of the trees. For nine- 

 tenths of all trees a low head and an open head is the best possible 

 form. 



Go over trees often. Do your pruning by pinching tips, 

 rather than by sawing big limbs after they grow in the wrong 

 place. Young trees must be pruned right when they are planted 

 (headed from twelve to twenty inches from ground, and branches 

 shortened) and must be gone over twice a season for a few 

 years. Prune bearing trees every year. They will not need much 

 if properly cared for while young. 



Summer pruning results in more fruit buds; winter pruning 

 in more wood growth. Aim to make young trees grow, and 

 older ones bear. You can do this by varying the tipping back 

 and cutting out. 



Wounds made in winter are hard to heal. All large wounds 



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