308 



PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA 



CHAPTER VIII. 



PRUNING. 



FIRST SEASON. 



The young trees, whether one or two years of age, should always be 

 pruned when set in the orchard. If one year old they will have few, if 

 any, branches. In cases where there are none it is only necessary to cut 

 back the top to a height of about 20 inches, depending upon the desired 

 height of head. Two-year-old trees may have all the branches removed 

 at planting, or they may have from three to five left as a framework 



FIG. 114. Pear tree which has been 

 summer pruned. Note the splendid place- 

 ment of branches. 



FIG. 115. Extreme type of upright 

 growth in young Bartlett pear. 



for the future tree. As a rule it is best to remove all branches and start 

 with a whip which under all ordinary conditions will develop sufficient 

 branches so that a desirable framework may be selected at the beginning 

 of the second season if not before. This brings up the matter of summer 

 pruning during the first season. From work of this nature that has been 

 seen in various places it has been concluded that the summer season 



90 



