62 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I907. 



by the conditions under which it grows — the soil, the surround- 

 ings, the treatment. Other things being equal, therefore, s; 

 far as an injurious effect upon the tree is concerned, it makes 

 little difference whether a large limb or numerous individual 

 small limbs are removed in the process of pruning. It is always- 

 advisable, however, to paint the wounds made by the removal 

 of large limbs, and thus exclude the spores of parasitic diseases- 

 which may cause decay and death of the tree. 



It is astonishing to find how little the average orchardist 

 thinks, when pruning his trees, of the actual problems at issue. 

 The important effect of pruning upon the vigor of the tree has 

 already been suggested. Pruning is also practiced to produce 

 larger and better fruits and flowers ; to keep the plant within; 

 manageable limits; to remove superfluous or injurious parts;, 

 to facilitate spraying, tillage, and harvesting; to train the plant 

 to some desired form. One of the noticeable effects of severe 

 pruning, and the consequent disturbed equilibrium of the plant,, 

 is the formation of water sprouts. The appearance of the water 

 sprouts seems to be influenced more by the vigor of the plant 

 and the amount of pruning than by the season of the year in' 

 which the pruning is done. It is probable, however, that fewer 

 water sprouts will arise if pruning is done after midsummer,, 

 since at that time the growth of the season is completed. In 

 any case, water sprouts may be regarded as weeds in the tree 

 top and should usually be treated as such. In some cases, how 1 

 ever, in old trees with long, bare limbs, a few of these sprouts 

 may well be left as a protection to the limbs and as an aid in: 

 harvesting. In a few years these sprouts will usually develop' 

 into bearing branches, — although there is a common notion that 

 water sprouts never bear fruit. 



The tendency of plants is to grow from the uppermost buds. 

 By pruning in one way this tendency is augmented, in another 

 way it is checked. As a rule, in dealing with fruit trees, the 

 latter end is desired, since the principle that "checking growth 

 induces fruitfulness" is universally recognized. The heading 

 in of young growths tends to develop lateral and dormant buds, 

 or to thicken the top; so that the question of heading resolves 

 itself into a question of personal ideals. To secure thick topped 

 trees, heading is necessary. It has, however, the further very 

 marked advantage of inducing the development of fruit buds 



