228 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



The loss of so many trees in the ^-inch grade seriously affects the 

 number to be averaged as to total growth. The dried-out trees made 

 hardly more than a third of the growth that the stored trees did. 



The best average total growth among the dried-out trees was 

 made by the ^-inch grade. A comparison on the basis of pruning 

 treatment regardless of grade shows the following: The unpruned 

 trees made the poorest average growth; the 36-inch treatment re- 

 sulted in the next poorest growth; the 30-inch treatment resulted 

 in the best growth ; the 24-inch treatment resulted in the next best 

 growth. It was to be expected that the unpruned trees of this lot 

 would make the poorest growth, and one might expect that the more 

 severe the pruning the better the growth. This is true to a certain 

 degree, but it does not follow in regular proportion to the severity 

 of the pruning. Another factor appears to enter into the case. 



182. Studies with freshly dug nursery trees. The following spring 

 trees of the Belle of Georgia variety were secured freshly dug from 

 a local nursery and im- 

 mediately planted. The same 

 grades and pruning treat- 

 ments were used as in the 

 former tests. Two trees out 

 of 140 in the 36-inch treat- 

 ment died. One was of y%- 

 inch caliper arid the other 

 } / 2 -inch caliper. The results 

 of this test in terms of twig 

 growth show that the larger 

 the grade the poorer the 

 growth of unpruned, freshly 

 dug trees. The smaller the 

 grade the better is tin- 

 growth of 6-inch pruned 

 trees. Or expressed in 

 other words, the larger the 

 trees the more they are de- 

 pressed in growth by a 6- 

 inch stub pruning treatment. 

 183. Distribution and size 

 of branches. A free, vigor- 

 ous growth is desired the 



FIG. 194 first season the trees are 



WELL PRUNED AND OPEN HEADED set, but mere volume of 



Such a tree facilitates spraying, thinning growth is not the only con- 

 and harvesting and produces large crops of sideration in a commercial 



pVrTwith^g^u. 68 8 negIeCtCd treC ' C m " fruit Panting. The form 



and character of growth as 



related to successful support of a heavy crop of fruit later and to 

 the economical care and management of the trees are of much con- 

 sequence. In order to determine and show the effect of pruning 



