ECONOMIC PLANTS 249 



so that no stubs are left. The cut should be made with 

 a fine-toothed saw, and the cut on the tree should be 

 covered with grafting wax to prevent rotting and to 

 encourage healing of the wound. 



To prevent stripping the bark from the tree, the 

 branch should be sawed from the under side part way 

 through the branch first, then completed by sawing from 

 the upper side. 



Smaller branches may be pruned with a sharp knife, 

 cutting upward. 



Standing trees which run to branches and foliage 

 instead of flowers and fruit are sometimes root-pruned 

 to encourage bud formation. This is done by digging 

 a circular trench around the tree from three to six 

 feet from the tree trunk, cutting off all the roots en- 

 countered. The soil is then returned to the trench and 

 packed firmly. 



Pruning for Fruitf ulness. - - The chief object in 

 pruning orchard trees that are in bearing is to increase 

 the production of the best grades of fruit. There are 

 certain principles that should be observed if the or- 

 chardist wishes to accomplish this end : 



1. The fruiting habit of the species or variety should 

 be studied and thoroughly understood before pruning 

 is attempted. He should know where the fruit buds 

 grow and when they are formed. 



2. Pruning should stimulate the normal growth of 

 fruit buds well distributed over the branches. 



3. Since the parts of the tree that grow the most 

 rapidly usually produce the least fruit, pruning should 

 check the rapid growth of parts that are expected to 

 bear fruit buds. 



4. Since the rapid growth of any particular part of 



