ORCHARD MANAGEMENT 



chasing one's trees. If we have in mind the form and shape 

 desired and start with the right kind of a tree, it is a simple 

 matter to form the head as desired. 



(4) Pruning. 



The only intelligent way to get at this subject is to begin 

 with the young tree the first year it is set, and then each sea- 

 son thereafter cut out the branches not needed. This work is 

 probably most easily done during the dormant season. Where 

 this is done each season no large limbs that are not needed will 

 get in, and only an occasional broken or dead limb of any size 

 will be taken out. Summer pruning, or the rubbing off or de- 

 stroying of buds that come out on the trunk or branches of vig- 

 orous trees, should be practised. The time to do this is before 

 their leaves are fully expanded. Before attempting this, how- 

 ever, one must familiarize himself as to which are superfluous 

 shoots and fruit spurs. Fruit spurs are rubbed off only when 

 one desires to thin the fruit. Shoots that are inclined to go 

 beyond the line of symmetry should be pinched. Summer 

 pruning is not practised as much as it might be to advantage. 

 It is limited to rubbing off and pinching in, but will greatly 

 eliminate the labor of annual pruning if done properly. 



Pruning properly done will encourage the normal develop- 

 ment of the fruiting habit. It favors branching, and it is a 

 common observation that trees diverted by branching are the 

 ones most likely to form flower buds. The upright or vertical 

 shoots should, generally speaking, be discouraged. When suf- 

 ficiently thinned, leaving an open and at the same time well- 

 formed tree, we can expect results, other things being equal. 



Pruning is a remedy to overbearing, and hence is expected to 

 approximate annual bearing. Spasmodic and overpruning will 

 unbalance the tree, and is likely to do more harm than good. 

 Going into an old orchard and cutting out fire wood is not 

 pruning as Ave should know it. The trees should never have 

 been allowed to have reached the stage Avhere this is made nec- 

 essary. Where these conditions do exist much good can be 

 accomplished in renovating a portion of the numerous limbs 

 each year. Where Umbs are not over an inch in diameter, as 

 should be the case in annual pruning, they will quickly heal 

 over or doctor themselves. The cut should be made close to 

 the base, so that no stub shall remain. On large limbs, of 



