40 FRUIT FARMING 



are more protected from the wind, and the crop can 

 be thinned, they may in pruning carry longer shoots 

 than standards. Apples upon the Paradise stock may 

 be cut back the first season if planted early. In all 

 cases prune the roots as advised on the previous 

 pages. Much controversy has arisen as to the wisdom 

 of pruning or not, the first year of planting, but I am 

 convinced that the system here advocated is the best 

 for orchard and plantation work, where every tree 

 cannot have that special attention which can be given 

 in a garden. 



In Soft Fruits^ the prevailing custom of cutting them 

 hard the first year cannot be improved upon ; but in 

 case of late planting (say February or March) the 

 resulting shoots are so thin and sappy that it may be 

 best to let them stand a year to establish themselves 

 before pruning. It is most desirable that they should 

 be planted before December, as in that case the 

 rootlets push and get a firm hold of the soil before 

 winter sets in. In planting Raspberries for market, 

 they must be shortened, before planting, to about 

 2 feet. 



Old Trees. \ now come to a more important point 

 in pruning^ namely, that of old and neglected trees, 

 which are far too prevalent, and where faggots must 

 be taken out to make any impression on the mass of 

 useless wood they contain. In dealing with such 

 examples, one need be very careful, for it is well 

 known that where large boughs are sawn off, the 

 remaining end of the bough will sometimes rot away 

 and decay, and in that case the tree suffers loss by 

 heavy-laden boughs giving way at a weak spot. I am 

 of opinion that it would be well not to cut these so 



