308 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Pruning. 



This is an important part of the work of developing a pear orchard, 

 and to do it properly requires a knowledge of the objects of pruning. 

 These are: to give the trees right form; to stimulate growth, also to 

 check it; to expose the foliage and fruit as much as possible to the 

 sun, yet to so protect the body of the trees that they are not injured 

 by the sun's rays; to check strong trees and to strengthen weak- 

 growing varieties, — so that pruning means much more than cutting 

 off a few branches at one time. It is applied to different parts of a 

 tree, at different seasons and for different purposes. 



But little pruning is required for standard trees after their form is 

 once well established. They should be branched low, the lower limbs 

 to be not over 2 feet from the ground. The tree should be trained in 

 a somewhat pyramidal form, though after it reaches 12 feet in height 

 the leader should be kept cut out, and the top spread, rather than 

 have the trees grow high. If the tops are not pruned the trees will 

 grow from 50 to over 60 feet high, which makes spraying and picking 

 of the fruit difficult. Excepting pruning the tops of the trees after 

 the side branches are well developed and balanced, but little annual 

 pruning will be required, and this makes the standard trees more 

 acceptable to most planters. 



Dwarf trees require much more, and annual, pruning. They should 

 be given a pyramidal form with a broad base, made by extending the 

 lower branches and shortening in those above them. To develop fruit 

 spurs close to the body of the tree, the annual growth should be pruned 

 back about one-half. This should be done in July, when the growth 

 is nearly made, which will check the flow of sap and distribute it 

 more generally through the lower portions of the tree. Dwarf trees, 

 from lack of judicious and timely pruning, are often allowed to grow 

 too high. Occasionally a branch or two and sometimes a leader needs 

 to be cut out of the tops to give the trees sufficient open form to allow 

 the sun to reach all parts of the trees. 



The form of the trees may be easily controlled by the manner of 

 making the cuts upon the branches. If an upward growth is desired, 

 the cut should be on the under side of a bud on the annual growth; 

 if a more spreading form is desired, the cut should be made on the 

 upper side of a bud, — that is, on the under side of the branch. By 

 following this method, either form of the tree desired may be produced. 



Summer pruning needs to be done with judgment. Its effect is to 

 produce fruitfulness, but it is by a checking process to the growth of 

 a tree. As the trees begin to bear fruit freely there will not be so much 

 growth of wood, when the pruning should be done more largely in 

 the latter part of winter or early spring, when the trees are dormant. 

 It is important to obtain some annual growth of wood upon trees that 

 are bearing, as tliis indicates a thrifty and vigorous condition, one 



