50 BIGGIE ORCHARD BOOK 



CUTTINGS. 



Drastic pruning strikes at the vitality of the tree. 

 Never hurt the bark, bore holes, or drive nails into trees. 

 Unpruned, uncultivated orchards are not money-makers. 



The orchard is not a profitable source of firewood, says Prof. 

 Bailey. 



A heavy pruning is always followed by a heavy growth of 

 suckers. 



The hatchet and the ax are not good pruning tools, says 

 Farmer Vincent. 



There is such a thing as having the head or centre of a tree 

 too open. A happy medium is best. 



Special pruning directions for each kind of tree will be found 

 in the chapters devoted to The Apple, The Pear, The Cherry, etc. 



Don't leave the pruning to ignorant or careless hired men. 

 Do it right. The more the pruner knows, the better he can 

 prune. 



It is a common notion that the branches gradually get higher 

 from the ground as the tree continues to grow. The apparent 

 gain in height is due solely to the increase in diameter of the 

 limbs, which soon begin to crowd if sufficient space has not been 

 left between them. The centres of the limbs will always remain 

 the same distance apart. 



tree presents a ainereni; prooiem. A micK growtn 01 new pranches 

 results in weak bearing shoots and spurs. When cutting back 

 limbs on bearing trees the cut should be made just above a strong 

 lateral, wherever possible. The tendency of the sap will then be 

 to flow into the lateral and thus prevent the formation of the 

 numerous branches which nearly always result when a so-called 

 stub-cut is made. 



The orchardist should become well acquainted with the habit 

 of growth of different varieties. A few kinds grow slowly and 

 will not bear heavy pruning. Others are erect growers ; and 

 some are spreading. One can not expect entirely to overcome 

 such tendencies, but they may be corrected to a marked degree. 

 The upright varieties may be spread somewhat by pruning to 

 outside laterals or buds, and the spreading kinds may be con- 

 tracted by cutting to laterals or buds which have an inward 

 direction. And by cutting back the vigorous growers each 

 season, the limbs are made stocky, thus in great measure doinjf 

 away with drooping branches. 



