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crowding others, have been heavily shaded by limbs higher up en the trunk or have 

 bent down to the ground, it is not desirable to remove many of them to try to alter 

 the general framework of the tree. To do so vrould only tend to produce large gaps 

 in the tree's bearing surface and leave large, slow healing wounds on the trunk. 



The objective in pruning is to eliminate the vreak, downward growing branches 

 in the inner part of the tree. Don't sacrifice a good, vigorous, outer growing 

 branch in an attempt to invigorate a Vifeakly growing inner branch except at the top 

 of the tree when it may be necessary to lov;er the tree. Remove dead, broken, and 

 crossing limbs. Make the larger cuts first (1" and larger in diameter). After this 

 has been done any fine wood that needs to be removed •■with hand shears in occasional 

 crowded areas can be done. Vifith some of our varieties, such as Cortland and Rome 

 Beauty, the manner of growth is such that the removal of fine vfood is a major part 

 of the pruning operation. The eventual goal of pruning is to obtain a tree of 

 reasonable height with a continuous bearing area over the sides and top of the tree 

 vri. th the weak inner and drooping wood removed. If this is done the fruit will be 

 well exposed to light, more readily covered with spray, and easier to pick. 



The problem of lowering trees is serious in some orchards. Obviously, it 

 would have been better to have kept them lower in the first place so that large 

 cuts in the top vrould not have been necessary. If trees have to be lowered 5 to 10 

 feet one is going to eliminate some of the best bearing vrood, expose large limbs to 

 sun-scald, and reduce the yield of marketable fruit. In orchards vfhere the trees 

 are crowding each other in or between rovis, lov/ering of the top results in even more 

 serious consequences since, in addition to losing gocd bearing surface in the top, 

 two sides of such trees may already be producing inferior fruit. Some ground level 

 prunjjng may be the best answer in such situations. 



Pruning in large orchards should start in earnest in December if one is to 

 get the job done by spring.. Heavy pruning in late fall and early vdnter is likely 

 to increase the susceptibility of trees to winter injury in the following months. 

 This is particularly true on trees vdiich have just carried a large crop. Hovrever, 

 some of our varieties, such as Mcintosh, Cortland, and Vtealthy can tolerate 

 temperatures below -20° F, Consequently, it is best to start pruning these hardy 

 varieties first and finish up on a tender variety ^ike Baldv^in when the most severe 

 winter weather is past. Although it is advisable to get the pruning done during the 

 dormant season, some growers prune up to blossom time and I see no fundamental 

 reason for not doing so if one wishes. A lot more work can be done on a reasonably 

 warm day than can be accomplished in freezing weather. 



— F. Yf. Southwick 



