ROBBING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



23 



height even if they are extra large and devoid of any 

 lateral branches below where the tree is nipped off, be- 

 cause of the plump, well developed buds on the stem of 

 the tree. Not more than four branches should be left 

 the following year after planting, having them as care- 

 fully distributed around the stem as it is possible to 

 get them. In the second year these branches should 

 have at least two-thirds of their growth cut off. This 

 severe cutting promotes not only a stocky well-balanced 

 tree but insures a vigorous growth and encourages a 

 compactness that cannot be secured in any other way. 

 In the third year the pruning should be far more 

 moderate, otherwise there is a tendency to make the 

 tree brushy to such an extent that many of the laterals 

 starting from the framework branches just above the 

 point where they diverge from the main body of the 

 tree are smothered out. In the fourth year the pruning 

 should be more a matter of shaping and controlling the 

 branches, making a rampant growth. The tree in its 

 fourth year should have a pronounced wide-open goblet 

 form and it will unquestionably, if the pruning has been 

 properly done. 



A six-year-old Apricot tree with a well developed head, the 

 result of regular and systematic pruming. 



One-year-old Apricot or- 

 chard-grown tree, with 

 lateral branches short- 

 ened in. 



This two-year-old Apricot tree is already giving evidence by 



its numerous blossoms on the main branches what may be 



expected of it when it reaches bearing age. 



There is no use denying the fact that the apricot is 

 distinctly a creature of environment. It is an open 

 question as to whether or not any benefit is derived, as far 

 as fruitfulness is concerned, from summer pruning. A 

 grower must determine this for himself. The results 

 obtained must be his answer. Some varieties after they 

 have reached bearing age if pruned heavily every year 



will not produce sufficient fruit to pay for cultivation. 

 This has been demonstrated to be a fact in the handling 

 of the Hemskirke, which if pruned heavily is a very shy 

 bearer. For size and flavor there are few apricots that 

 will compare with it, unless it is the Moorpark. This 

 variety has thoroughly identified itself as being so shy 

 a bearer that commercially it is no longer seriously con- 

 sidered. As stated in the introduction, I am solely re- 

 sponsible for any recommendations concerning pruning 

 in this booklet; at the same time, if I have any egotism 

 it is not so pronounced that I am not willing to give 

 credit to the successful men who practise the very meth- 

 ods which I champion. Furthermore, in my opinion, 

 although my suggestions may be of value to the reader, 

 nevertheless, wherever it is possible for a planter to per- 

 sonally visit a property and absorb from the owner the 

 methods that have been followed, there is nothing to 

 my mind which will be more conducive to success than 

 to follow along the same lines as the man who demon- 

 strates by an actual example that he is on the right 

 track. Possibly the largest acreage in apricot trees is 

 found in Santa Clara county. It is the exception to find 

 an instance where trees are not pruned. There are 

 very few, if any, properties in the valley in which 

 thorough and intelligent management is more manifest 

 than in the 500 acres under the control of Mr. H. E. 

 Losse, recently deceased. He had 120 acres of fifteen- 

 year-old apricot trees equally divided between Blen- 

 heim and Hemskirke. The annual production varies 

 from 750 to 1000 tons of green fruit. No finer example 

 of pruning could be found anywhere, for the trees are 

 loaded with fruit annually which is of the largest size 

 and evenly distributed from the framework branches 

 to the extreme top of the trees. The trees are never 

 summer pruned. Up to four years ago the treatment 

 of both varieties was the same, with the result that the 

 Hemskirke variety produced very light crops. Now 

 that the pruning of the Hemskirke has been confined to 

 the removal of interfering branches the yield has been 



