PRUNING FRUIT TREES . 221 



LESSON LXV 

 PRUNING FRUIT TREES 



Time to prune. Before the buds of the trees begin 

 to swell and the leaves to appear we must prune our 

 vines and fruit trees. Perhaps there are old trees that 

 should be renewed, young trees that have dead or crowd- 

 ed limbs to be removed, or mild prunings to be made 

 on very young trees and vines. Proper pruning requires 

 much skill and study, and each tree is a separate problem 

 in pruning. 



Reasons for pruning. We prime for the following 

 reasons : 



1. To modify the vigor of the tree. 



2. To produce larger and better fruit. 



3. To keep the tree within manageable shape and 

 limits. 



4. To remove superfluous or injured parts. 



5. To facilitate spraying and harvesting. 



6. To facilitate tillage. 



7. To produce new wood growth. 



Mild pruning every year tends to maintain the bal- 

 ance of the tree, aids the fruit grower more easily and 

 surely to shape the tree to his ideal, and makes the 

 tree more fruitful. 



Pruning young trees. In pruning very young trees, 

 that is, one- and two-year-old stock just set out, two 

 methods are usually pursued: 



First, the method of cutting off all the side branches 

 to one or two buds, leaving a straight central stem which 



