PRUNING AND RENOVATION III 



ber of men who spoke for vase, pyramid, cone and 

 umbrella-shaped trees, we have 26, or enough to say 

 that this is widely recognized as a proper shape to 

 give a bearing peach tree. 



Several growers said that they pruned their trees 

 in such a manner as to secure a spreading tendency 

 of the top, and somewhat the same idea obviously 

 belongs to those men who recommended an open 

 top. The largest number of replies in the whole 

 series definitely recommended the open top. A very 

 large number also spoke emphatically in favor of the 

 low top. These replies may be summarized briefly 

 as follows: 



FORMS OF BEARING TOPS 



Spreading tendency desired 6 



Upright tendency favored I 



Low heads desired 35 



Open heads desired 66 



Vase forms 26 



Goblet or globe forms 3 



Dehorn every four or five years I 



Not much of any pruning 3 



This little tabulation really gives a pretty fair 



view of modern American practice in peach tree 



pruning. 



THE FRAME WORK 



When the task of forming the head in any desired 

 shape actually begins, it is necessary first to secure 

 a suitable framework. This is commonly built upon 

 three or four supporting branches set out from the 

 original stem as near as possible to the surface of 

 the ground. These main laterals should be formed 



