I1A.SSACHUSETTS STATS COLLEGE 

 Ul^ITED STATES DEPARTLIENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 AND COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICES IN AGRICULTURE AND 

 HOLIE ECONOinCS COOPEMTING 



FRUIT NOTES - December, I937 



W. H. Thles 

 Extension Horticulturist 



A Pointer on Pru ni np: Berir inr: App le T rees 



The removal of "Thin wood" from bearing apple trees has 

 long been recommended. A brief explanation regarding the devel- 

 onment of such wood mny be in order. Sooner or loter every fruit 

 spur on an a.pple tree tends to outlive its usefulness. As suc- 

 cessive apples are borne on the spu.r, the br.'^nch to which that 

 spur is attached assumes a lower r;ositlon. It bends downward 

 while secondary shoots grow upward and out"'ard from the uoper 

 side of the branch. A horizontal branch of today may Yipve been 

 a vertical branch ten ye^-^rs ago. And as we observe a tree of 

 bearing age it is interesting to visualize the history of its 

 growth. The earliest bearing branches are found to be submerged 

 and shaded by the more recent growths above. It is in such a 

 tree that i"e begin to find some of this so-called "Thin wood." 

 Into this category are placed those horizontal or drooping growths 

 which develop in partial shade. It is the sort of wood on which 

 sm.all, green apples of poorer quality are produced. It is there- 

 fore the sort of wood upon which we shou.ld concentrate our atten- 

 tion as we embark upon the pruning expedition. 



The removal of "Thin wood" is literally a dormant season 

 thinning of the fruit, since it involves the elimination of in- 

 ferior fruit at its source. Obviously, more of this handicapped 

 wood vrill be found as the tree becomes older. We must therefore 

 exercise Judgment in deciding how soon a branch or portion of a 

 branch G-":0Uld be removed. In general, few growths above a hori- 

 zontal position are ready for removal. And as we look the tree 

 over, we should first decide which branches are best equipped to 

 produce good fruit. We ma^/ then proceed to cut out those w'-ich 

 are a detrlm.ent to the better producing brandies. It should be 

 pointed out that this method of pruning does not involve a v;hole- 

 sale removal of low limbs. Instc.ad, it means making a conr.id.era- 

 ble number of cuts tliroughout the top and particularly on the 

 inside of the tree, i^aying attention to the shaded, downward 

 growing parts of each branch. The writer believes that the "Thin 

 wood" idea in pruning is excellent. But he would go a little 

 farther and do a small amount of thinning in the outer shell of 

 the tree. This is in addition to removing the hopelessly shaded 

 growths which have not been exposed to direct sunlight for years. 



Summary of Apple Handlijg.? Survey 



Following are the results of a recently conducted survey 

 among acple gro'"ers of Ne^r England, designed to find out how ap- 

 ples are being handled in the Northeast. 



