SHAPING THE YOUNG TREE 221 



G. Yeomans & Sons, of New York, most success- 

 ful fruit-growers, but who start the limbs of 

 apple trees uot less than six feet from the ground: 

 "The trees should be carefully examined, and all 

 broken or bruised roots carefully pruned; and 

 with apple, standard pear and peach trees not 

 over seven feet high, every side branch should 

 be cut away, leaving the tree a straight stem. 

 The reasons for this are: (1) this pruning will 

 reduce the top to correspond with the diminished 

 capacity of the roots, so .that they will furnish a 

 full supply of sap, and cause it to stand and grow 

 vigorously; (2) it will stand more upright, and 

 not be so liable to be swayed about by the winds, 

 and allows one to dispense with a stake, which 

 many recommend for holding the tree in an up- 

 right position, but which commonly injures, if it 

 does not destroy, the tree; (3) the buds on the 

 last year's growth of the upright stem will form 

 all needed branches, of better form and more 

 vigorous growth than the old ones would if left 

 on, and will be at the necessary height from the 

 ground, as cannot be the case where they are 

 spurred." 



We have already discussed the importance of 

 priming near a bud (Figs. 82 and 83), because 

 the part which projects beyond the bud dies and 

 remains a dangerous part. We have also found 

 that trees which are planted in the fall should not 

 be cut back severely, because the roots, not hav- 



