106 



Fruit-growing in Arid Regions 



FIG. 29. Two-year- 

 old Peach Tree 

 well Pruned. 



properly pruned as a yearling will be in the top of the 



tree. Figure 27 shows the style of pruning that must be 

 adopted to leave even a few of these 

 buds. With such pruning it is impos- 

 sible to grow a well-shaped peach tree. 

 The result of such practice is well 

 illustrated in Figure 28, which shows 

 the same tree after one year's growth. 

 Note the tall, " leggy" tree with very 

 little spread. While the tree may not 

 have been an ideal two-year-old, there 



is no excuse for growing it into such an ill-shaped three- 



year-old. Figure 29 shows a two-year-old tree pruned for 



shape rather than fruit, 



while Figure 30 shows 



the same tree before 



pruning, and Figure 31 



after one season's 



growth. Before prun- 



ing, this two-year-old 



stood 5 feet high, after 



pruning 30 inches, and 



at the end of the third 



season it stands 6 feet 



in height. Compare 



this broad, well-formed 



top with the one pruned for fruit. Had it not been for 



severe injury from attacks of twig borers, this tree would 



have made a much better top ; the figure shows many dead 



stubs, and a close examination will show that the upper 



arm, as shown in the center and to the back of Figure 29, 



FlG - 30 - - Same as 29 before 



