FRUIT RAISING ON THE FARM 143 



Pruning. Sometime before the opening of the spring 

 buds, each tree sheuld be pruned. The object of pruning 

 is to preserve a balance between the roots and branches. 

 Since many of the roots have been destroyed in transplanting, 

 there will not be enough to supply the branches with water 

 and food material if the branches are left as they were in 

 the nursery. Trees properly pruned have a much better 

 growth than those left unpruned. 



Trees should be cared for. Giving the fruit trees a good 

 start, as important as it is, will not insure the successful 

 production of fruit. They must also have good care; care 

 of the soil, care in pruning, and care in protection from injuries 

 made by parasitic fungi and insects. 



Soil. The soil should receive the same attention as that 

 given to any other well-cultivated crop. A good mulch should 

 be maintained to conserve moisture. From time to time, 

 manure should be worked into the soil in order to increase 

 its water-holding capacity and to add to the store of plant 

 food. The same results are often obtained by sowing a 

 legume, such as clover, and plowing it under. Orchardists 

 have lately found that sweet clover is valuable for this 

 purpose because of its extreme hardiness and rank growth. 



Pruning. It is difficult to do more in a few words than 

 to present merely the principles of pruning. The details, as 

 applied to different kinds of fruit trees, must be found in 

 special references. The object in pruning a young tree is to 

 control its shape so that sunshine may reach each part. It 

 is desirable that a fruit tree should have a low, spreading 

 shape so that the fruit may easily be gathered. In securing 

 this shape, the branches may be so developed as to let sun- 

 shine in to all leaf-bearing parts of the tree. It is also possible, 

 when the tree begins to bear fruit, to control the setting of 



