STATE POMOLOGICAI, SOCIETY, I3I 



other words, a tree from which about forty feet of branches had 

 been cut bore, at the end of a single season, fourteen feet more 

 wood than a similar tree which had not been pruned." 



Of all the operations connected with the growing of trees and 

 shrubs, pruning and training, bring the person into closest con- 

 tact and sympathy with the plant. The true lover of plant life 

 shapes and cares for his plants as thoughtfully and works out 

 his ideals as carefully as he would train and guide a child, and 

 the man who cannot feel this sympathetic contact w4th his plants 

 is the one who uses an axe in pruning. 



It is astonishing, however, to find how little the average 

 orchardist thinks of the actual problems at issue with pruning 

 of his trees. To treat even a few of these problems exhaustively 

 would require much more time than can be given to the subject 

 on this occasion. A few important points suggest themselves 

 for discussion, however. As has already been seen, an important 

 effect of pruning is to increase vigor. Pruning is also practised 

 to produce larger and better fruits and flowers ; to keep the plant 

 within manageable limits ; to remove superfluous or injurious 

 parts ; to facilitate spraying, tillage and harvesting ; to train the 

 plant to some desired form. 



One of the noticeable effects of severe pruning and the conse- 

 quent disturbed equilibrium of the plant is the formation of 

 water sprouts. The appearance of the water sprouts seems to 

 be influenced more by the vigor of the plant and the amount of 

 pruning than by the season of the year in which the pruning is 

 done. It is probable, however, that fewer water sprouts will 

 arise if pruning is done after midsummer, since at that time the 

 growth of the season is completed. In any case, water sprouts 

 may be regarded as weeds in the tree top and should be treated 

 as such. 



The tendency of plants is to grow from the uppermost buds. 

 By pruning in one way this tendency is augumented,in another it 

 is checked. As a rule, in dealing with fruit trees, the latter end is 

 desired, since the principle that checking growth induces fruit full- 

 ness is universally recognized. The heading in of young growths 

 tends to develop lateral and dormant buds or to thicken the top. 

 So that the question of heading resolves itself into a question 

 of personal ideals. To secure a thick topped tree it is necessary. 



