Pruning the Pear 193 



it off early the trees will stop growing and ripen their 

 wood before the arrival of cold weather. 



Pruning the Apricot 



In the East the apricot is headed at a couple or three 

 feet from the ground, while in the West the head is placed 

 a little lower. One or two-year-old trees are the best for 

 planting. Where yearling trees are used they should be cut 

 off at about eighteen inches from the ground. This will 

 start out several good strong branches. The lowest one to 

 be retained should be about a foot from the ground, and 

 three or four others selected which are well arranged around 

 the stem, and at a distance of a few inches apart. This ar- 

 rangement will make a strong head, and one which is not 

 as apt to be broken down under a load of fruit as if the 

 branches came out close together. It may be necessary 

 to go over the trees a few times during the first summer 

 and pinch out those shoots which are not desired so as to 

 throw the strength of the plant into those branches that 

 are to form the permanent framework of the tree. 



Apricots come into bearing early, and by the third year 

 in most places they will produce a crop. All of the pruning 

 that will be needed after the trees come into bearing will 

 be just enough to keep the tree in shape and growing 

 thriftily. 



Pruning the Pear 



The habit of the pear tree is usually more upright and 

 compact than with most varieties of apples. On account 

 of this habit it needs to be pruned in such manner as 

 to open the head and make it spread out. This can be 

 done by starting the work early in the life of the tree, and 

 prune in such way as to direct the new branch outward 

 rather than upward. Select a bud that points in the desired 

 direction and cut to it. 



One or two-year-old pear trees are most desired for 

 planting and they will have much the same appearance 



(7) 



