8 4 



THE APPLE 



pruning is but one of the important factors in the success or failure 

 of the orchard — spraying, cultivation, and the application of plant 

 food must each receive its proper share of attention. 



If we wish to make a tree more vigorous we remove a portion 

 of the top by pruning when dormant, so that the growth may be 

 concentrated in a smaller number of branches, thus developing a 



stronger tree and permit- 

 ting the nourishment to 

 pass to parts where it will 

 do the most good. We 

 also prune for other rea- 

 sons — to secure a low 

 or a high head ; to con- 

 trol the arrangement of 

 the framework or scaffold 

 limbs of the tree so that 

 they will not break under 

 a heavy weight of fruit ; 

 to avoid sunscald by hav- 

 ing the top low and the 

 trunk well protected from 

 the sun's rays by the 

 branches above ; to de- 

 velop a leader or to form 

 an open-centered tree, as 

 desired ; to facilitate the 

 operations of spraying and 

 harvesting. 



When to prune. There 

 is no one time that is 

 always under all circum- 

 stances best for pruning. Conditions vary, and the time of prun- 

 ing depends largely on conditions. In some cases pruning is 

 begun before the tree is set, by shortening in straggling or injured 

 roots. It should begin with the first year of the set tree and be con- 

 tinued annually. It is poor policy to let the pruning go for the first 

 few years and later find it necessary to prune heavily. Systematic 

 light annual pruning is much more satisfactory than an occasional 



Fig. 40. A very young tree 



Three months after the tree has been placed in 

 the orchard 



