PRUNING— THE METHOD 431 



part of the tree, would show very irregular fruiting. In such trees, 

 though there is little vegetative growth in the general acceptation of the 

 term, nearlj^ all the energies of the tree are really being absorbed in a 

 slow vegetative growth of the spurs. The recognition of this condition 

 leads the grower to try dehorning or some other type of bulk pruning as a 

 remedial measure. That bulk pruning is only a partial remedy has 

 already been shown. Occasionally a grower tries the removal of a part 

 of the spurs from such trees. As the spurs possess a very large percentage 

 of the growing points and bear practically all of the leaf system of a tree 

 in such condition, a thinning of spurs is in one sense the equivalent of a 

 heavy pruning though the total weight of the wood removed may be 

 negligible. When treated in this way trees produce few or no water- 

 sprouts, though the removal of a few large branches with an equivalent 

 number of growing points leads to their formation. However, the re- 

 maining spurs grow more vigorously and the new shoots developing from 

 lateral and terminal buds are much larger and stronger. As a net result 

 though the tree is changed httle, if at all, in general form, the rate of 

 growth of nearly all its individual parts is accelerated and the ways in 

 which they function are materially changed. The tree as a whole has 

 been affected because nearly all its individual parts have been affected. 



Application to Practice. — A consideration of the points that have been 

 made leads unmistakably to at least one conclusion: namely, that the 

 radius of influence within the tree of any pruning (that is, the cutting 

 out or cutting back of any particular shoot or branch) is comparatively 

 small. Parts close to the pruning wound, or perhaps close to a space 

 left by the removal of a branch, respond to the pruning treatment. Gen- 

 erally speaking, other parts of the tree do not. In other words, pruning 

 does not appreciably affect the tree as an entity; it affects the whole tree 

 only indirectly through its effect on limited portions. To stimulate the 

 formation of fruit spurs pruning must be done close to the point where 

 they are desired and to increase the productivity of spurs already present 

 pruning must be done in their immediate neighborhood. This in turn 

 means light, or rather fine, as opposed to coarse, pruning. It is neces- 

 sary to avoid bulk pruning and give greater attention to detail. Theoret- 

 ically pruning should concern itself mainly with shoots, spurs and the 

 smaller branches rather than with older and larger wood. Practically 

 some exceptions must be made, particularly in trees that have been 

 neglected for several years, because the operation must be conducted with 

 due regard to economy. The finer and the more evenly distributed the 

 pruning the more expensive it is and the net returns become subject to 

 the law of diminishing returns. Therefore in practice the most profitable 

 kind of pruning is always a compromise between the type which is best 

 for the tree and the type which can be done most cheaply. 



Most of the trouble from fungous or bacterial infection comes from 



