■13- 



Figure 6 



Water sprouts 

 that develop 

 from stubs can 

 become valuable 

 replacement limbs 

 i£ positioned. 

 The arrow points 

 to the wooden 

 spreader on a 

 water sprout on 

 a Spartan tree. 



Observations and Results 



Limb rotation in the top third of the tree, which in- 

 volves cutting vigorous branches back to the leader or to 

 a much weaker side branch which in turn will be removed when 

 it becomes large, may be a suitable tree containment techni- 

 que regardless of planting density. 



Retaining and spreading water sprouts to replace pruned 

 branches appears practical and is being done in some commercial 

 orchards. Many trees require no limb spreaders and when used, 

 only 2 or 3 are generally necessary. 



A shoot originating from a stub of a branch removed from 

 the central leader can become a valuable replacement limb. 

 Shoots originating from the lower side of the stubs generally 

 have the most desirable crotch angles. Therefore, when remov- 

 ing the branch from the central leader, we suggest a slanting 

 cut be made so that the top of the stub will be flush and 

 the bottom of the stub will project about 1 inch. 



