PEACH GROWING 9 



light correcti\e pruning is gi\-en two or three weeks after planting, removing any 

 other branches which start to form, and a second corrective pruning two weeks 

 later, only a light corrective pruning will be necessary the second year. After 

 the second year, a light thinning out and just enough heading back to keep the 

 scaffolds in balance is all that should be necessarj'. 



In Michigan a variation in the training of an open-center type tree has been 

 developed called the "side-leader" method. It is said to give an especially strong 

 head. When this method is used, a single branch, as nearly horizontal as possible, 

 should be selected at the height at which it is desired to form the head. This 

 "side-leader" should be shortened to 10 or 12 inches and the leader cut off above 

 it. During the first year the scaffold branches are developed from this side 

 leader. The second year and thereafter the pruning is the same as for the regular 

 open-center type of training. The main problem in this type of training is to 

 maintain the terminal scaffold as a sort of leader; otherwise, the other two scaf- 

 fold branches will pinch it off. 



No matter what the type of training, only light corrective pruning should be 

 given the second and third years. It should also be remembered that the first 

 fruit is borne on the small inside branches. These should be left until they have 

 borne and have been shaded out by the more vigorous outside branches. They 

 can be removed the fourth or fifth >ear. 



The peach pruning should be left until as late in the spring as possible. This 

 gives a chance for injury to buds or wood to become evident so that pruning can 

 be done accordingly. Dormant sprays should be applied in the fall where pos- 

 sible, and other farm operations should be planned so that pruning can be left 

 till last and then rushed through. 



The amount of pruning to be gi\'en the bearing tree should be determined by 

 the number of fruit buds left on March 1 and by the growth stimulation desired. 

 The examination for live buds should be very thorough. Buds in all parts of the 

 tree and trees in all parts of the orchard should be examined. Unless this is done, 

 what might have been a partial crop following winter injury may be pruned off. 

 In a year when there are manj' live buds, the tiees should be thinned out to re- 

 duce the fruit thinning operation, to help prevent overbearing with consequent 

 breakage of branches, and to stimulate the production of more shoots with fruit 

 buds for the next year's crop. Also any branches which are getting too long 

 should be cut back. The cut should be to a side branch in two- or three-year- 

 old wood. This reduces any tendency to sucker. If the number of live fruit 

 buds is small, only dead, injured, or very weak wood should be removed. Thus, 

 most of the few remaining live buds will be left and a partial crop obtained. 



The very severe pruning or dehorning of peach trees following severe bud killing 

 is not recommended, for the dehorned trees might have borne a partial crop if 

 properly pruned. Trees are apt to grow too vigorously following dehorning, 

 resulting in tenderness and severe injury the following winter. Dehorning re- 

 sults in large pruning wounds which are very hard to heal. Trees with wood 

 damaged by cold should not be dehorned. These trees will recover better if 

 they are left unpruned. 



Thinning 



Thinning the fruit is as essential to good orchard management as spraying 

 or cultivating. Too often this operation is neglected or poorl)' performed, to the 



