IV 

 PRUNING DWARF FRUIT TREES 



THE pruning of dwarf fruit trees is a matter of the 

 greatest consequence, for on proper pruning depend 

 both the form and the productivity of the trees. Some 

 of the details of management will be explained in the 

 succeeding chapters, dealing with the particular kinds 

 of fruits, but a few general statements should be set 

 down here. 



1. The trees are severely headed in. This applies 

 more particularly to bush and pyramid forms. By the 

 term "heading in" we refer to the shortening of the 

 leaders. Such shortening is usually given at the 

 spring pruning, while the trees are dormant. The 

 leaders may be headed in at times, however, during 

 the latter part of the growing season, in July. Such 

 stopping of growing leaders will be practised more 

 often on young trees just coming into bearing than 

 on old trees. (Fig. 10). Constant heading back of 

 some sort, however, is required in nearly all cases, if 

 the tree is to be retained in its dwarf form. The mis- 

 take has often been made of thinking that a tree 

 propagated on a dwarf root would take care of itself. 



2. Summer pruning is essential. In most Amer- 

 ican orchard practise one annual pruning (some- 

 times one pruning every five years!) is considered 

 sufficient, and systematic summer pruning is seldom 

 or never given. Now summer pruning tends much 



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