DWARF TREE PRUNING AND TRAINING 367 



First of all, decision in the choice of trees was against 

 one-year stock because two-year-old dwarf pear trees 

 give better results. One-year trees have only a single erect 

 shoot 3 to perhaps 5 feet tall. If transplanted at this age 

 and the top cut back severely as it should be to bal- 

 ance the loss of roots, the tree will be so weakened that 

 fewer buds (perhaps only two or three) will develop 

 branches, and these in the most undesirable position, the 

 top of the stem, both on one side, or practically opposite 

 each other in Y-crotch form. The other buds will remain 

 latent and useless. By properly handling one-year trees 

 in the nursery without digging and then allowing them 

 to grow a second season a full complement of branches 

 may be developed. This Mr. Yeomans was able to do to 

 perfection because he was in the nursery business and 

 grew his own trees from grafts he made himself. As 

 good trees, however, may be bought from leading nurs- 

 erymen. 



In the nursery the one-year trees had the tops of their 

 shoots cut at 21 to 24 inches so as to have a short, 

 straight, smooth trunk, and of about 12 inches from the 

 ground up to the first branch. The buds on this lower 

 part of the stem were not permitted to develop shoots. 

 Growths which started from them were rubbed off as 

 early as possible. Above the disbudded part six or eight 

 plump buds usually developed branches, because all the 

 root surface was intact and there was plenty of sap to 

 make good growth. In the fall the tree resulting from 

 such treatment would be sturdy, have plenty of branches 

 to choose from, be of good shape and in every respect 

 desirable. 



Y-crotches, which usually form in the two uppermost 

 branches, were avoided by pinching the twig next to the 

 top when it attained a length of 8 to 10 inches (127). 

 Thus the uppermost braiTch became the leader and the 

 second a side branch. 



