38 



SUCCESSFUL TKUIT CULTURE 



Fis:. 20— Droopins: Branches 



1. To improve the form of trees that become one- 

 sided from the influence of prevailing winds or other 

 causes, they should be pruned at the ends of the branches, 



shortening in those 

 that are outgrowing 

 their neighbors. Cut- 

 ting off end shoots 

 tends to an increased 

 growth of the lateral 

 branches and a close 

 head; too much head- 

 ing in may be done, 

 but more orchardists 

 prune too much from 

 the inside and too 

 little from the outside. Figure 4 shows a perfectly 

 formed tree twenty-five years old. Figure 8 shows a 

 perfectly formed tree twelve years old, pruned; Figure 

 9 the same in bloom. 



2. If we insist on training our trees high enough to 

 enable the team to drive close up 

 to the base, the cutting of large 

 branches from the main trunk is 

 sometimes necessary; but this 

 result may generally be avoided 

 by cutting the drooping ends as 

 in Figure 20, a a, at the dotted 

 lines. If large branches must be 

 cut off, the cut should be made 

 at dotted line h. Figure 21, and 

 not on line a. As has been pre- 

 viously stated, the practice of 

 many of the best orchardists is to 

 train the trees low and depend upon the modern 

 orchard harrows to keep the land cultivated under 

 them. 



/ 



Fig. 21— Manner of Cut- 

 ting Large Branches 



