182 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



*"Head the tree about two and a half feet from the ground: 

 keep it shortened-in for three or four years, forcing a thick, 

 stocky basis for after-growth. The tree by this time is bear- 

 ing freely, and the fruit will pull or bend down the long shoots, 

 which will then put up or throw out small fruit-bearing timber 

 all along the upper side of the drooping limb. I think this 

 preferable to a continuous shortening of all long growth. A 

 dense, shady tree is' what is wanted, since the denser the shade 

 the more symmetrical and smoother the fruit will be. Limbs 

 that reach to and lie upon the ground may from time to time, 

 as needed, be tipped off." 



THE BARONIO METHOD OF PRUNING THE LEMON. 



The so-called "Baronio Metho'd" of pruning the lemon takes 

 its name from A. C. Baronio, an Italian gentleman who 

 recently introduced it into some orchards at La Mesa, San 

 Diego County, and who is now a resident of that locality. 

 While this method of pruning is not new, it is practically new 

 as applied to the lemon in this State. Gallesio, in his treatise 

 on the citrus family, written nearly a centur}' ago, mentions 

 "the lemon of Genoa as a vigorous tree which will also extend 

 itself en espalier (on a trellis) and bear an abundance of fruit." 

 He also mentions other varieties "that will not submit to be 

 trained en espalier." This system partakes of the principles laid 

 down by Du Breuil, Barry, and Downing in the Espalier and 

 Cordon systems of pruning long in vogue, but applied to decid- 

 uous trees. ]Mr. Baronio claims that the present method as 

 practiced hy him on the lemon is the outcome of a series of 

 years of personal tests and practical experience as a matter of 

 study, which led him to the conclusion that it is preeminently 

 suited to the lemon, especially in various sections in the south- 

 ern part of the State. Whether this method, and others that 

 have come into general use of late, will ever be pronounced 

 eminently successful, time can only determine. SufBce it to 

 say, however, that they are much believed in and are applied 

 in many orchards. The method is described as follows by 

 A. C. Baronio: 



The method of pruning the lemon as practiced by lue, 

 although having been mistaken for the old vase, or the "tronco 



*Dr. W. B. Wall, an extt-nsive leinori-growcv ni Tustiii, befnre Suutliern 

 California Ponmlogical Snciety, .Tune, 189f). 



