PRUNING. 61 



length, the older branches being removed to make room 

 for the young growth, and to keep the tree sufficiently 

 open and properly balanced. They may be allowed to 

 spread low and to extend to large bushes. 



Raspberries. When the canes are planted, they are at 

 once shortened to within about nine inches or afoot of the 

 ground. This will cause them to throw up two or three 

 strong canes the following summer. The after pruning 

 required is the removal of all spent fruiting canes in 

 autumn. Then, during winter or spring, remove any sur- 

 plus young canes by cutting away close to the ground, 

 and shorten the remainder to about two to four feet from 

 the ground, according to age and strength of stool. In the 

 case of some of the taller varieties, however, it is neces- 

 sary to leave them longer, in which case they are usually 

 tied together for support ; but for open field culture, where 

 they are not staked, it is needful to keep them short, so 

 that they may support the weight of the fruit. 



THE BEST TIME TO PRUNE. 



There is some difference of opinion as to this point. 

 But theory has to give way to practice, and probabilities 

 to possibilities. To those who have large plantations to 

 deal with, it is not possible to do it all at one time ; but 

 the work has to be extended over a considerable period, 

 and to be performed according to labour available, and 

 as other work will allow. It is usually commenced 

 immediately on the fall of the leaf, and continued through 

 the winter months ; but where it is possible to get it done 

 in a comparatively short period, there is no doubt that 

 the safest time to do it is after the turn of winter, when 

 the severest weather is past, say about February. 



In some seasons, when the weather is favourable to late 



