182 



THE HOME ORCHARD— APPLE, PEAR, QUINCE 



7. Make all cuts close to 

 the axis, (Fig. 106). Never 

 leave a stub to die and cause 

 disease. 



8. Make all cuts as smooth 

 as possible and paint the 

 wounds of large cuts, to pre- 

 vent decay. 



9. Avoid cutting large limbs 

 if possible. This may be done 

 best when annual pruning is 

 diligently followed. 



Thinning Fruit. — Figure 

 107 shows young apples be- 

 fore and after thinning. This 

 work is done when the fruit is quite small. The clusters are re- 

 duced to single fruits. Removed fruit may be dropped to the 

 ground to be. eaten by pigs. 



Fig. 106. — Good and bad pruning contrasted. 

 Cut close when removing large limbs. Cut from 

 the under side first to prevent splitting down 

 the bark. 



Fig. 107. — Gano apples, before and after thinning. It takes courage to thin fruit, but the 

 size is increased enough to pay. (Ohio Station, Newark.) 



The objects of thinning are (1) to prevent the spread of rot or 

 other disease of the fruit; (2) to increase the size and quality of the 



