Pruning and Training 



if necessary ; then the weaker wood should be 

 removed where the branches are very close together. 

 All dead wood should be cut out, and also any 

 branches which cross or rub against others. Finally 

 the remaining branches may be dealt with some- 

 thing in the same way as described for young trees. 

 Again I should recommend the summer pruning 

 of young side shoots in after years. 



When dealing with hard wood in winter the cuts 

 should be made with a sharp knife and close to the 

 bud. If a saw is used, the wound must be afterwards 

 cleaned with a sharp knife. 



Pyramids are seldom planted now. The dwarf 

 " bush " type is usually preferred, the centre of the 

 bush is kept open, and fruit may be had from all 

 parts of the tree. 



It may be said here that " standard " trees are 

 usually trained after the first three years on what is 

 usually called the " extension system." The young 

 leaders and laterals are not shortened, but the centre 

 of the tree is kept open, and weak branches are 

 thinned out annually to admit light and air. On the 

 other hand, we often train half-standards on very 

 similar lines to those laid down for bushes except 

 that the leading shoots are not cut back so far only 

 by one-third at the most. 



PLUMS. 



The same principles which apply to pruning 

 " bush " apples and pears should also be applied in 

 dealing with plums, except that the pruning should 

 not be quite so severe. Excellent fruit is pro- 

 duced on two-year-old wood, and this -fact must be 

 kept in mind. Summer pruning is absolutely 



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