88 



POMOLOGY 



Table XIV 



PROBABLE RESULTS FROM DIFFERENT METHODS OF PRUNING ONE HUN- 

 DRED SHOOTS, EACH HAVING TEN EQUALLY SPACED LATERAL BUDS 

 (AFTER GARDNER) 



Not only is it concluded that thinning-out has a beneficial 

 effect on fruit-spur development, but also on their vitality 

 and longevity. The trees that are headed back have a strong 

 development of new shoots, mostly on the outside and top 

 of the tree and, as a result, the spurs on the inside suffer 

 and become non-productive, if indeed they do not die. On 

 the other hand, thinning-out tends to strengthen the spurs 

 already formed as well as to develop new ones. 



79. Relation of pruning to nutrition. — That the relation 

 of the stored food materials and the soil nutrients and 

 moisture may be profoundly affected by pruning as well as 

 by cultural practices has been emphasized by Kraus and 

 Kraybill. Any one of four sets of conditions may be en- 

 countered, similar to those described in Chapter IV. 



1. A marked reduction in or limitation of carbohydrates, 

 even though there were an abundance of available moisture 

 and nitrates, would result in a depressed vegetative condition 

 as well as a reduction in blooming and fruit production. 

 This condition would result from heavy pruning as well as 

 lack of photosynthetic activity, and, therefore, additional 



