CHAPTER X. 



PRUNING. 



IT is admitted by all intelligent fruit growers, 

 that on a proper and judicious system of pruning 

 depends the success of a young orchard. But there 

 are others, who suppose that, when the tree is in 

 place, and it has started to grow, care is no longer 

 required; this is not so if vigorous, fruitful and 

 well shaped trees are wanted. The following truth- 

 ful statement on the necessity of a system of pruning 

 is from that excellent work, " Barry's Fruit Garden." 

 " The idea that our bright American sun and clear 

 atmosphere render pruning an almost unnecessary 

 operation, has not only been inculcated by horti- 

 cultural writers, but has been acted upon in practice 

 to such an extent, that more than, three-fourths of 

 all the bearing fruit trees in the country at this 

 moment, are either lean, misshaped skeletons, or the 

 heads are perfect masses of wood, unable to yield 

 more than one bushel in ten of fruit well matured, 

 colored and ripened. This is actually the case, in 

 what may be called well-managed orchards. Look 



