250 ECONOMIC PLANTS 



a tree depends largely on the amount of water it re- 

 ceives from the roots, and since frequent branching 

 diverts the flow of sap, it follows that the part of the 

 tree that is divided by much branching is most likely 

 to produce fruit buds. Long, unbranched sprouts 

 (except in some cases the leader) should be cut back. 

 Branches should be thinned sufficiently to admit light 

 and air. 



5. Some new wood should be allowed to grow each 

 year to produce a new crop of buds, but a small amount 

 of growth upon all the branches should be the aim. 



Time of Pruning. If pruning is not too severe it 

 may be done at any time. It is better, however, to 

 prune systematically twice each year. The largest 

 part of the pruning should be done while the tree is 

 dormant in the winter or in the early spring before the 

 sap begins to flow. Summer pruning should be per- 

 formed before the shoots are covered with foliage. In 

 the spring very often a number of sprouts will shoot out 

 from the trunk or from the large branches. On the 

 mature tree these should be rubbed off as soon as dis- 

 covered. Other shoots that are not located favorably 

 may at this time be cut off. New growths that are 

 properly placed and are growing in the right direction 

 may be growing too long. Such should be pinched 

 back to retard their growth. 



Note. The older method of trimming trees allowed the heads to 

 form high in the air. The trunk was long enough to enable horse 

 cultivation to come close to the tree without interference with the 

 lower branches. The disadvantage of this method is that the cost of 

 harvesting the fruit is much greater than if the head were closer to the 

 ground, and the fruit that falls from the high trees to the ground 5h 

 bruised and usually spoiled. The later method of trimming produces 



