PRUNING 91 



in winter, most men are better used to this kind of 

 pruning, the debris can be more conveniently removed 

 and burned, it is easier to paint over the wounds. On 

 the other hand wounds heal better, if made in early 

 summer, it is easier to detect the presence of dead or 

 diseased branches, some waste of growth is saved, and 

 the physiological effect on the tree may be more sat- 

 isfactory. 



It is probably true that the adoption of a system of 

 summer pruning would be a distinct improvement in 

 orchard practice in a majority of our leading apple 

 plantations. 



PAINTING WOUNDS 



After long discussion and experiment, fruit growers 

 have almost universally decided that the best covering 

 for wounds is a heavy coating of thick white-lead 

 paint. The addition of some neutral color to the white 

 lead is advisable. It is proper to reiterate in this con- 

 nection that large wounds are to be avoided wherevet 

 possible. 



PRUNING TOOLS 



The best pruning tools are the h&nd shears. Thr 

 style commonly called grape shears are especially ad- 

 vised ; and if these are used everywhere with suffi- 

 cient promptness and judgment there will be much less 

 call for larger and heavier tools. 



The next tool to be recommended is the long 

 handled or extension shears, made on handles of 4, 6, 

 8 and 10 feet in lergth and shown on page 92. These 

 are indispensable in ordinary pruning. Heavier shears 



