PRUNING MATURE TREES 



247 



One disadvantage of tall trees is that the fruits borne 

 high up are knocked off or rendered unsightly by wind; 

 another that spraying, thinning and harvesting are need- 

 lessly expensive. The form which the mature tree shall 

 maintain is mainly decided by the pruning of the young 

 trees. Heading back to outward pointing buds and twigs 

 will tend toward broadness of top, and if the erect lead- 

 ers are cut, the trees should be kept low-headed without 

 much trouble. To attain this form, the work should be 

 done while the trees are young, otherwise heading back 

 a tree which has grown at random will produce great 

 quantities of wood which will not bear. If the tree is 

 in good bearing when this 

 heading-in is done, the fruit 

 spurs will probably develop 

 long shoots instead of fruits, 

 and this will be all the more 

 pronounced when the pruning 

 is done in the "off year," for it 

 will force the development of 

 the branch buds. 



It is an erroneous notion that 

 the pear must not be pruned. 

 Some varieties, notably Anjou, 

 must be pruned severely while 

 dormant in order to get profit- 

 able crops of fruit. If not so 

 pruned, a large proportion of 

 the blossoms or the young fruit 

 will fall. Men successful with 

 such varieties cut out a good 

 deal of wood annually until the 

 trees begin to bear good crops. 



Tardy blooming varieties must not be pruned heavily 

 while dormant because they would thus develop wood 

 (83). Pruning in early summer is sometimes helpful. 



FIG. 209 HEALTHY PEAR BARK 

 SHOWING LENTICELS 



