178 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



The pictures show how the trees looked in the following April at 

 the time of the first pruning. No. 1 had formed five vigorous 

 branches, No. 2 produced four and No. 3 but two. 



The five branches on No. 1 were saved to form a framework for 

 the tree and were cut back to about one foot. These are well dis- 

 tributed about the trunk, but are too close together. The lowest 

 limb might well be double the distance from the top. No. la shows 

 No. 1 after it was pruned, with the idea of making an open-centered 

 tree. 



In No. 2 the limbs are top close. All of these were saved to form 

 the framework of a tree, with a leader, as is shown in No. :>a. The 

 only difference between this and No. la is that the ti.pmost branch 

 was left longer than the others. The pruner of this tree carelessly 

 allowed three vigorous limbs to grow 

 from near the surface of the ground, for 

 they could serve no useful purpose, but 

 only rob the other limbs of plant food. 

 Such growths are best prevented by 

 pinching off the buds early in the season. 



No. 3 failed to throw out enough 

 branches to form a suitable top. The two 

 produced are nearly opposite, so a had 

 crotch would soon result. Both branches 

 were cut back to the second bud, as shown 

 in a, in hope of inducing dormant buds 

 to push out lower down. At the cbse 

 of the second season the pruned trees ha-1 

 made a growth respectively as shown in 

 lb, 2b and 3b. 



Pruning results are shown in 1c, 2c 

 and 3c. Tree No. 1 is shown in 1 .'. 

 One of the frame limbs seemed i-u er 

 fluous, so it was remove 1 and the ne v 

 growth, shown in lb, was crt back about 

 one-half. The few side shoots were ea.h 

 cut back to a single hud, with the id< a of 

 developing fruit spurs during the se ond 

 year, when numerous branches should de- 

 velop on all of the limbs. As a rule two 

 of the best placed of these secondary 

 limbs will be selected on each of the main 

 limbs to form additional framework. The 

 rest may be removed or cut hack to de- 

 velop fruit spurs as may seem desirable. 



The form of the tree, then, sh mid he 



developed at the beginning of the third WELL-BRANCHED NURS- 



season, and subsequent pruning should he 5 R A M B LIMBS ARE 



directed toward retaining this shape, cut- PLACED. 



