428 



FUNDAMENTALS OF FRUIT PRODUCTION 



of but little better grade than before. There is nearly the same tendency 

 for their older spurs and smaller fruiting branches to become gradually 

 weaker and die. Apparently neither as whole units nor in their separate 

 parts have these lower branches been accelerated or retarded in growth. 

 In many cases they do not even produce watersprouts, such as develop so 

 abundantly on the dehorned branches above them. In other words, an 



Fig. 52. — A Bartlett pear tree, three years after a heading back of the main upright 

 limbs. Notice that the response to this pruning has been principally close to where the 

 cuts were made. 



important — often the most important — portion of the tree, apparently 

 has not been affected in any way by the dehorning. This is brought out 

 clearly in Fig. 52. The treatment has resulted merely in the production 

 of new wood to replace a portion of the old top. 



Even more striking evidence on this question of the distance to which 

 the influence of pruning extends is furnished by trees that have been 

 partly dehorned, that is, have had a portion of their branches cut back 



