A Bulletin on Orchard Practice 



point where it is desired to form the head, or establish a sys- 

 tem of branching. This can be done also with an older tree, 

 and is usually necessary, as the commercial kind is generally 

 two years old or over at the time of transplanting. Do not 

 be afraid to cut the young tree back to the height desired. 

 Low heading of fruit trees has come to be an almost universal 

 practice and there are a number of good reasons for this. Tops 

 low down admit of economy in harvesting the fruit, ease and 

 effectiveness of spraying, convenience in pruning, shading the 

 ground at the base of the tree and thus conserving moisture, 

 less exposure to winds, protection from sun scald; and if a 

 tree is properly pruned during its young life it will maintain 

 a more open habit of branching throughout its existence than 

 a "tassel top" which is the natural tendency in high heading. 



"As a rule, all apple, pear, and sweet cherries ought to be 

 headed not higher than twenty to twenty-four inches from the 

 ground, and all stone fruits, such as plum, prune, apricot, 

 peach, nectarine, etc., may, with advantage, be headed a little 

 lower, say twelve to fifteen inches from the ground." 



The pruning of bearing apple orchards is a subject upon 

 which, nerhaps, more are interested than any other in the line 

 of pruning. It has for its objects the renovating of old trees, 

 thinning to facilitate spraying and to admit light, and the 

 removal of injured, crooked and crossed branches. It is also 

 desirable to maintain symmetry of growth. It is too common 

 a mistake to neglect pruning for several seasons and then to 

 over-prune at one time. Pruning is usually done in late 

 winter and early spring, before the buds swell, and is the 

 proper time as a rule. Pruning should be done every season, 

 and not much at a time. Avoid cutting off large limbs ex- 

 cepting in cases of evident necessity. The effect of removing 

 much wood growth in the dormant season is to direct the en- 

 ergy of the tree to making new wood which will appear as 

 "water sprouts" and long succulent branches. Always cut 

 close to the base when taking off limbs. Do not leave stubs, 

 as they may require a season or two to die back to the base 

 before the wound will commence to heal and cover the injury. 

 In the meantime decay may set in and injure the main stem 

 upon which the cut was made. After wounds have remained 

 exposed long enough, a few days after pruning, so the sur- 



