46 



BIGGIE ORCHARD BOOK 



7. To correct a too compact or a too spreadin 



growth of top. 



The "ideal" pruning, says W. N. Hutt, woul 



consist in removing not branches but buds ; not i 

 checking growth but in dired 

 ing it. It is less shock to th 

 tree to pinch off buds here ani 

 there, than a few years later t 

 saw off large, misplaced limbs 

 From the sap is manufacture* 

 both wood and fruit ; it is better 

 therefore, to direct the energ; 

 of the mature tree toward grow 

 ing fruit which goes to the cella 

 and market, than in making 

 wood which goes to the brusl 

 pile. It is largely a questioi 

 of the proper direction of th< 

 Many trees may be so formec 



and shaped when young that in later years pruning 



need be only slight, and it will never be necessary t< 



cut out large limbs. Few of us, however, are able t( 



live quite up to this ideal method, and so we ofter 



resort to the saw and shears. 



WHEN To PRUNE. The time that 



pruning should be done is determined 



by the purpose such pruning is intended 



to serve. Pruning of trees to encourage 



fruitfulness should be done in summer 



when the trees are in active growth, 



preferably in Tune. Pruning for wood 



, - , LONG-HANDLE! 



growth, on the other hand, should be TOOLS 



THREE PRUNING TOOLS 

 MOST USED 



energies of the tree. 



