PRUNING MATURE TREES 



269 



tree, primed in early June, and Fig. 232 is a Belle not summer- 

 pruned. The late-pruned Belle trees were no better than the late- 

 pruned trees of the earlier varieties. Champion gave results so 

 similar that it was not thought necessary to multiply .photographs. 

 Elberta is not included in this orchard, but in all probability its 

 action would be the same. 



To prune^any variety of later ripening season than Greensboro 

 after its crop is harvested would seem to be unprofitable. Is it 

 feasible to prune Carman and all later varieties before their crop 

 is gathered? What sacrifice of crop is involved? 



FIG. 231 FIVE-YEAR BELLE OF GEORGIA PRUNED IN EARLY JUNE 



Carman, Belle and Champion trees were pruned as described 

 above in early June, July and August. In every tree there are shoots 

 that do not bear, and others that grow so closely together on the main 

 limbs as to shade one another too much for good fruit develop- 

 ment. In the case of these varieties the barren shoots, and a part 

 of those placed close together, were pruned, leaving fruiting wood 

 the whole length of the main limbs. In this way all the trees pro- 

 duced as full a crop as they should. In all cases the early-pruned 

 trees developed fruiting wood in the lower part of the crowns, as 

 indicated in Fig. 231, The late-pruned trees and the unpruned trees 



