PRUNIi^G. 67 



After orchards have borne full crops, there are many 

 broken limbs to be removed, which should be done as 

 soon as the fruit is gathered, and the brush taken away. 

 Trees which appear to be ruined by breaking down, 

 caused by overbearing, are often entirely restored by ju- 

 dicious pruning. 



If the object of the pruning be a more vigorous wood 

 growth, it is done soon after the fall of the leaves in au- 

 tumn, as at this time, in mild climates, there sets in a 

 vigorous storing up of nutriment in the cells of the tree 

 to be expended on the next year's growth. The process 

 is kept up during the winter, and this plant food is dis- 

 tributed among all the branches. It is evident that the 

 fewer the limbs among which this material is to be di- 

 vided, the larger will be the portion which each is to re- 

 ceive, and the greater the consequent growth during the 

 ensuing year. Hence, if a portion of the branches are 

 removed early in the fall, a larger quantity of this life- 

 giving substance will accumulate in those that remain 

 than would be the case if all were left till spring. Much 

 can be done toward obtaining a vigorous growth of fruit 

 trees by proper pruning. When all useless branches, 

 such as are not necessary to the form or equality of the 

 head, are removed, and all branches are cut back which 

 are growing so rapidly as to destroy the form or detract 

 from the growth of the other parts of the tree, a proper 

 balance is maintained, the sap is evenly distributed to 

 every portion, and a strong, healthy growth is the result. 

 In most instances it is desired that fruit trees maintain 

 a vigorous growing condition, but it sometimes occurs 

 that after trees have become of sufficient age and size to 

 yield abundant crops, they are still unfruitful on account- 



