THE AVOCADO 39 



ducing a well balanced tree capable of carrying good crops of 

 fruit. 



The Mexican race usually shows a tendency to grow more 

 stiffly erect than the others, and make stout rigid branches 

 which are capable of bearing heavy crops. In order to keep 

 some of these varieties from becoming too tall and slender, 

 it is necessary to top them when young, perhaps pinching out 

 the buds of the main branches later on to induce branching. 



It is not desirable to have the crown so dense that light will 

 not reach all parts freely. When the crown is too thick, fruit 

 is produced only on its outer surface, and much of the fruit- 

 bearing capacity of the tree is thus wasted. 



Thus it can be seen that no specific rules for pruning, cover- 

 ing all varieties, can be laid down, other than that the object 

 should be to produce a tree having a broad, strong, well- 

 branched crown of good proportions and great fruiting capacity, 

 preferably headed low (about 30 inches above the ground), in 

 order to shade the soil beneath it. After the tree has reached 

 maturity little pruning is required, provided it has had the 

 benefit of careful training during the first few years. Experi- 

 ence along this line is meager, however, and the future will 

 bring out many new points of importance. 



In top-working old seedlings, it is often necessary to cut off 

 large limbs. The stubs should be smoothed off and covered 

 with a coating of grafting-wax. The same rule applies to 

 cuts made in the course of ordinary pruning with young as well 

 as old trees. When secondary branches are removed, they 

 should be cut as close to their junction with the main branch 

 as possible, and the cut should be parallel with the main branch. 

 The cut surface should be treated with a coating of grafting- 

 wax. Paint is sometimes used for this purpose, but in Florida 

 it has been found injurious, especially to young trees. If 

 the stubs are not waxed, they often allow fungi to start and 

 destroy the wood. The entrance of such fungi is facilitated 



