FIELD, ORCHARD, AND GARDEN CROPS 175 



Growth should be directed as much as possible by rubbing off 

 buds and cutting off twigs that interlap and grow toward the 

 center. This will prevent the necessity of cutting large branches 

 later, will keep the center open to air and sunlight, and will lighten 

 the labor of spraying and of fruit-gathering. Except in old, neg- 

 lected orchards, severe pruning is rarely necessary. When a large 

 branch is cut, a clean, close cut should be made so that it will 

 heal without leaving a stump. The wound should be painted with 

 white lead to prevent rotting. 



Pruning in winter increases the yield of fruit, in summer increases 

 the growth of wood. The worst time for pruning is in the spring 

 when the buds begin to start. Wounds made then are slow to heal. 



EXERCISE 



1. You will find it interesting to try to bud and graft some fruit trees. 

 Unless you are careful about every detail, your buds and grafts will not 

 live. 



2. Transplant and raise one or more fruit trees, observing the 

 suggestions on pages 63 and 172. 



3. Compare the blossoms and leaves of the different fruit trees of 

 your section. 



4. Compare ripe fruits in order to see what forms the edible portion. 

 Take two apples and two pears. Cut one of each lengthwise and one 

 crosswise. The edible portion is the thickened lower part of the calyx 

 and the enlarged stem. Take some stone fruits the peach, plum, 

 and cherry and examine their parts. The edible portion is the soft 

 juicy part of the calyx leaves. The seed or true fruit is inclosed in the 

 stone in the center of what we call the fruit. Can you think of any 

 reason why these seeds are not edible and the seed covering is ? 



5. Prune a tree by cutting off two small branches that interlap or 

 grow toward the center. Cut one branch close to the tree trunk, and 

 leave the other two or three inches long. What difference is there in 

 the way that they heal? 



