-3- 



If you employ someone to work for you, you must deduct 2 1/2 percent of his 

 wages if they total $150 for the year or if he worked on 20 different days during 

 the year on a time basis. You also pay 2 1/2 percent of his wages as a social 

 security tauc. You do not withhold social security tax on your father's or mother's 

 or your wife's or your husband's wages if they work for you nor on wages of your 

 children if they are under 21 years of age and work for you, 



—Lawrence D. Rhoades 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



THOUGHTS ON PRUNING 



Pneumatic pruning equipment is used in a number of fruit orchards. Growers 

 who have used such equipment report labor savings ranging from 25% to 50%, How- 

 ever, the time spent in the decision phase of pruning cannot be shortened by 

 modern equipment. This phase depends upon the man doing the pruning. The ability 

 to "size-up" each tree and to arrive at a quick but sound pruning decision is 

 reflected in the number of trees pruned in a day. 



Growers should be on the alert to avoid becoming "trigger happy" with power 

 pruners. Due to the ease of cutting with power tools there is a tendency to 

 make excessive cuts. This results in branches with the fruiting area located 

 mainly as a fringe near the terminals. This is brought about by the removal of 

 too many lateral branches from the scaffold limbs. The process begins near the 

 trunk and often continues nearly to the end of the scaffold branches. 



Many Massachusetts fruit growers report favorably on the use of rotary 

 mower-shredders for shredding prunings and mowing in the orchards. The prunings 

 are collected in the aisles between the trees and the limbs over 2 1/2 inches in 

 diameter are hauled away. However, when piling the prunings in the aisles high 

 windrows should be avoided because of the difficulty encountered when passing 

 over them. 



This is the logical year for growers anticipating a snow-ball bloom to do 

 heavy pruning where the need exists. The objective of the apple grower is to 

 obtain a high percentage of fruits of the size, color and quality demanded by 

 the market. The grower cannot afford to grow small, poorly colored fruits. There- 

 fore, pruning to eliminate weak wood and thereby many potential culls is in order. 



The most common pruning suggestions made by the writer during visits to 

 orchards involve the pruning of young trees, filler trees and tall trees. 



Too many instances apple trees of bearing age receive first attention and 

 the grower does not get time to prune the young trees. The longer the young 

 trees are neglected the more difficult it is to shape them. If a tree is allowed 

 to go unpruned for four or five years, it is frequently impossible, without drastic 

 pruning, to develop a well balanced framework with scaffold limbs properly spaced, 

 and a modified leader. 



In the case of filler trees it is generally suggested that they be pruned as 

 lightly as possible in order to hasten fruitfulness and to obtain maximum production 

 before removal. However, when filler trees begin to crowd the permanent trees or 



