174 



AGRICULTURE 



in check. In the chapter on Crop Enemies you are told about some 

 of these pests and the best methods of controlling them. 



It is as important to destroy these enemies when there is no 

 crop as when there is a heavy one. They injure the trees and lessen 

 future crops. Fruit buds are formed one season for the next, and 

 the tree needs to be in a healthy, vigorous condition to store up 

 material and to provide for the next crop. 



Thinning. Where there is a heavy 

 crop, it is well to thin it by removing 

 some of the fruit while small. If all 

 be left, it is likely to split or break 

 the trees. Moreover, the trees are often 

 so exhausted by fruiting a large crop 

 one year that they form few fruit buds, 

 and the next season yield little or noth- 

 ing. A moderate crop every year is 

 better for the trees and better for the 

 farmer. 



Pruning. Experience has shown 

 that there are better results where tree 

 growth is trained. Hence, training or 

 pruning has become an important part 



The top branch on the left is prop- 

 erly cut, and that on the right is im- Ol Orchard WOrk. 



properly cut; observe the difference The Orchardist should decide what 



in the healing of the two. The lower . , . . , , 



left-hand branch is sawed from the shape he wishes his trees to have and 

 top, and its weight causes it to fall prune them accordingly. When trees 



^:ii: h oV;:^;rr:: P^ so as to g^ a i, spreading 



by first making an incision in the growth, they Suffer less from wind and 



from drought, because the low branches 



keep the ground moist. It is less troublesome to prune and 

 spray them and to gather the fruit. 



PRUNING 



