Pruning of Deciduous Trees 71 



pruning, left too much wood in their trees, chiefly 

 in not sufficiently cutting back the fruiting laterals, 

 and have therefore given their trees too much work 

 to do, with the result that in a few years their 

 growth becomes stunted through having too much 

 old wood to support. 



After having tried this system of pruning for 

 some years, the writer has come to the conclusion 

 that good results may be obtained from its appli- 

 cation upon vigorously-growing trees if the follow- 

 ing points are kept in view. 



Firstly. For the first three years all classes of 

 deciduous trees should be shaped and pruned back 

 according to the usual system of pruning, the object 

 being the formation of sturdy trees, with strong, 

 well-balanced limbs. 



Secondly. At the fourth winter's pruning strong- 

 growing trees should have their main limbs turned 

 to outward-pointing laterals, leaving their tips un- 

 cut, or if no such laterals are available the leaders 

 may be left with their tops unshortened. All 

 strongly-growing shoots not required as leaders 

 should be cut clean out, and a proportion of the 

 laterals either shortened or cut back to base buds. 

 This latter operation is most important, especially 

 with peach and nectarine trees, as it tends to keep 

 the fruiting wood close to the main arms by their 

 forcing out a succession of fruiting laterals which 

 prevent the lower portions of the limbs from becom- 

 ing bare. 



The varieties of trees that respond the best to the 

 system of "long pruning" are the almond, the prune, 

 the pear, and the apricot; while the peach and nec- 

 tarine will only give satisfactory results if the tops 

 are turned, wherever possible, to suitable laterals, 

 and have their fruiting laterals either cut back or 

 thinned out. 



