26 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 226. 



Table 4. Bloom and yield, 1922-25 inclusive. 



The trees cut back at setting sent out three or four strong shoots. 

 Generally one of these might have been developed as a leader had the 

 plan of the experiment allowed. It is felt that a one-year tree may be 

 cut back at planting or not as the planter desires, but if cut back at set- 

 ting one shoot should be chosen and maintained as a leadef for a few 

 following years. In order to do this the other branches will require cut- 

 ting back. If it is not cut back, growing conditions must be favorable and 

 one should not be discouraged if rather poor growth is made the first 

 season; it may be expected to be as large as, or larger than a cut back 

 tree after two or three jears. 



During the three or four years while the leader is developing, several 

 permanent scaifold branches should be selected. These may well be a 

 foot apart even if on opposite sides of the trunk, for if too close they 

 will check the growth of the leader. Not more than two or three satis- 

 factory candidates for main scaffold branches can be expected during the 

 first season of growth. 



These scaffold branches should not be cut back except as necessary 

 to keep them about the same size. To insure this equality will require 

 some pruning, especially of the older, lower branches. Cutting back will 

 be more effective than thinning out where it is desired to hold back a 

 branch. It will be generally understood that these main branches shoidd 

 be well distributed around the tree as well as along the leader, in order 

 to produce a tree equally developed on all sides. 



The remaining branches not desired for permanent scaffold limbs may 

 be cut out where they are too plentiful or cut back if necessary to keep 

 them smaller than the permanent branches. They may then contribute to 

 the growth of the tree and some of them may serve for a few years as 

 fruiting branches, being removed when the growth from the permanent 

 scaffold branches weakens them by stronger growth and consequent shad- 



It is probably safe to urge that as little pruning as possible be given 

 the growing tree and that only for the purpo.se of directing growth. 

 We cannot in any practical way stimulate the growth of one part of the 

 tree beyond the rest. The only waj^ to keep the various parts of the tree 

 symmetrical is to prune the part that is growing too fast. Probably cut- 

 ting back is more effective than thinning out, when one is forced to check 

 the groM'th of a branch that is outgrowing its neighbors. 



