£S TTRUIT CULTURE IN GENERAL 



1. To relieve it of its dead and decaying branches. 



2. To promote the growth of the tree. 



3. To encourage the production and increase the size and quality 

 of the fruit. 



4. To change its shape. 



Now, the above being all the objects for which a tree onglit to 

 be pruned (except as Jieretofore stated, under the head of "Trim- 

 ming," to preserve an equilibrium between roots and branches in 

 transplanting), it is evident that while a permanent vigor and pro- 

 ductiveness are maintained without it, the less pruning the better. 

 Many planters insist that a tree should never be pruned except for 

 the first of these objects; because, as they allege, if a tree be faith- 

 fully kept free from all dead and decaying wood, its growth and 

 productiveness will both be promoted. This is doubtless true to 

 some extent with some sorts of fruit, and unless some peculiar form 

 is desired, it is better to do but little other pruning. Yet with all 

 it is sometimes necessary to prune more freely. Some varieties of 

 the apple, for instance, will grow, if left alone, to too thick ahead, 

 and require thinning out ; others grow so straggling that it is fre- 

 quently necessary to cut away drooping, or crooked and deformed 

 branches, to give the tree some symmetry of appearance. After 

 the first object is attained, the apple, the pear, and the cherry, as 

 standards, require little more, except in the cases last alluded to. 

 Other trees require much more, which, will be treated of in the 

 proper place. 



PEOTEOTION. 



All orchards and fruit gardens, whether of old or young trees, 

 should be carefully protected against the depredations of cattle or 

 other animals. Good fences to secure them are indispensable, as it 

 is ^jtter folly to expend time and money in planting and rearing a 

 fiue orchard, and then allow animals to disfigure, maim, and destroy 

 the trees. Cattle, horses, or sheep should never be allowed to run 

 in orchards; nor should swine be admitted except at intervals of 

 very short periods, in order that they may have time only to eat up 

 the fallen fruit, and not to bark the trees or root uj) the ground. 



In some sections birds are great depredators upon fruit, but as a 

 general thing they do more good in devouring the insects than harm 

 in consuming the fj-uit. If they become too numerous, they can 

 be frightened away with guns. 



