Fruit Growing 17 



Avoiding Crotches in Fruit Trees. 



IIow can I ai'oid bad crotches in fruit trees? 



Crotches, which means branches of equal or nearly equal size, 

 emerging from a point at a very acute angle, should be prevented 

 by cutting out one or both of them. The branching of a lateral at 

 a larger angle does not form a crotch and it usually buttresses it- 

 self well on the larger branch. That is a desirable form of branch- 

 ing. Short distances between such branchings is desirable, because 

 it makes a stronger and more permanently upright limb, capable of 

 sustaining much weight of foliage and fruit. Build up the young tree 

 by shortening in as it grows, so as to get such a strong framework. 



Crotch-Splitting of Fruit Trees. 



/ have a young fig tree that is splitting at the crotches. I fear that 

 when the foliage appears, with the force of the winds the limbs will split 

 doimi entirely. 



Perhaps you have been forcing the trees too much with water 

 and thus secured too much foliage and weak wood. Whenever a 

 tree is doing that, the limbs ought to be supported with bale rope 

 tied to opposite limbs through the head, or otherwise held up, to 

 prevent splitting. If splitting has actually occurred, the weaker limb 

 should be cut away and the other staked if necessary until it gets 

 strength and stiffens. If the limbs are rather large they can be 

 drawn up and a Vis-inch carriage bolt put through to hold both in 

 place; but this is a poor way to make a strong tree. We should 

 cut out all splits and do the best we could to make a tree out of 

 what is left. Then do not make them grow so fast. 



Strengthening Fruit Trees. 



/ have read that some trees arc propped by natural braces; that is, 

 by inter-twining tivo opposite branches while the tree is youtig, so that in 

 time they grow together. What is your idea regarding the practicability 

 of such an idea in a large commercial orchard? 



Twining branches for the purpose indicated is frequently com- 

 mended, but it seems best for the use of ingenious people with 

 plenty of time and not many trees. To prune trees to carry their 

 fruit so far as one can foresee, and to use props or other supports 

 when a tree manifests need of a particular help which was not 

 foreseen is the most rational way to handle the proposition on a 

 large commercial scale. 



Time for Pruning. 



What is the proper time for pruning pear and apricot trees? 



Ordinary deciduous fruit trees can be successfully pruned from 

 the time the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall, until the new 

 foliage is appearing in the late winter or spring. 



