56 TREATISE ON FRUIT TREES. 



& to renew the tree. That's why branches that are very low always must be chosen for this 

 purpose & to prune long several branches in order to obtain fruit. But they must be cut off 

 when they grow too long and could spoil the beauty of the tree, or when they've been 

 exhausted by the quantity of fruit that they've produced. To get good fruit, try to select 

 vigorous branches for this purpose; if it's necessary to take those of average strength, they 

 must not be pruned very long. It should be concluded that all stunted branches ought to 

 be cut off except for the small short branches that are especially destined to yield fruit. 



"All branches that arc thin, worn out, & insufficiently productive should be 

 entirely cut off. However if such a branch can't be replaced by another vigorous one, to 

 avoid leaving an empty space it can be cut back hard above the better branches that it will 

 produce and that would need to be pruned short, just like branches that are intended to 

 yield fruit. Care must always be taken not to overload branches that aren't very vigorous. 



"According to my method of pruning, on branches in good condition two 

 branches among those that they've produced are saved. The strongest & best situated, 

 usually the lowest one, is pruned short to generate wood branches. The other one is 

 pruned long in order to yield fruit. Of course this rule can be set aside if the tree isn't very 

 vigorous & there's a gap to be filled. In that case, one can forego getting a lot of fruit & 

 prune both branches to obtain more abundant wood. 



"As to trees that begin to decline early instead of growing further, all stunted 

 branches that wear out the tree & only yield poor fruit must be cut off even more 

 rigorously. 



