244 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



which need renovation. In such cases they should be 



shortened to two or three good buds so they will form 



fruit spurs. If they do not so 

 develop they should be re- 

 moved. The easiest way to re- 

 move water sprouts is while 

 they are still succulent in mid- 

 spring, when they may IK- 

 easily pulled off by boys. 



5. Avoid cutting large 

 branches as much as possible. 

 Rather remove an equal 

 amount of wood by cutting sev- 

 eral small branches, say the 

 thickness of one's thumb, 

 mainly because small wounds 

 will heal quicker than large 

 ones, but also because the re- 

 moval of large branches leaves 

 big gaps in some places, where- 

 as others will be as dense as 



ever. Sun scald of the branches often follows the removal 



of too large branches. 



6. Cut back leaders which are over-developing and 

 threatening to injure the form of the tree, but always cut 

 back to some shoot which will take up the work and 

 also aid in healing the wound. In other words, never 

 leave a stub (Fig. 92). Following this rule will aid 

 in keeping the trees low-headed and, hence, also help the 

 work of spraying, thinning and harvesting. 



7. At least one of such limbs as cross or seriously in- 

 terfere with others, especially in the interior of the tree, 

 should be removed. When trees have been properly 

 trained, however, these limbs will be neither large nor 

 numerous before discovered. 



8. If necessary thin out the top. Usually, however, it 



FIG. 204 

 HOW TREES BURY STUBS 



The lightest colored wood is the 

 youngest. It is being used to try 

 to bury the stub. Decay has rotted 

 out much of the stub wood down 

 into the heart of the ^ree. In the 

 lower left corner, note that the 

 wood has healed in a small decay- 

 ing stub. No hope for trees 

 handled in this way. 



