PRUNING: CARE OF NEWI,Y-SET TREES 



READY TO PRUNE 



NEWLY-SET APPLE 



TREE 



two branches should come out exactly opposite each 



other, or a weak crotch will be formed which may 



break and split at some critical 



time. Severely cut back the 



chosen limbs and remove all 



other limbs. Bach of the re- 

 maining limbs should now be 



about six or eight inches long ; 



usually with the terminal bud 



pointing outward on each. (If 



the variety's habit of growth is 



naturally very spreading it is 



sometimes best to correct this 



tendency, by cutting to terminal 



buds which point inward. ) 

 FORMS OF HEADS. The 



apple, peach, plum, quince, sour cherry, and similar 

 trees, frequently seem best adapted 

 to the open -centre, spreading, 

 standard form. In such cases a cen- 

 tral leading shoot is not needed or 

 wanted. This matter is more or less 

 a matter of choice. Some folks 

 prefer a ' ' leader, ' ' others do not. 

 The sweet cherry, pear, etc., 

 often seem best suited to the up- 

 right, central -leader form. In 

 such instances it is usual to have 

 this main shoot a little longer 

 than the side branches, with its 

 terminal bud pointing toward the 

 direction of prevailing high winds. 



SAME APPLE TREE 



