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Shapin ^ and Thinning, the Individual Trees » 



Old neglected trees are almost invariebly unsymetri- 

 cal and too high, making it almost impossible to spray pro- 

 perly and more e^qjensive to gather fruit on these high 

 branches. To be an intelligent pruner, one should know 

 something of plant physiology, end the habit of growth 

 of the apple tree. He should know the effects produced 

 by priuiing at different seasons of the year, how to make 

 8 cut that will heal most readily, and the influence of 

 pruning on the fruit-bearing habit of the tree. Pruning 

 during the dormant season incites wood growth, while 

 pruning during the growing season promotes fruitfulness. 

 The first thing to be done is to remove all dead and dy- 

 ing wood, then the pruner can see exactly what he has to 

 work with. A tree that is over 30 feet in height may be 

 shortened to 15 or 20 feet and one between 25 and 30 feet 

 often may be cut back to about 15 or 18 feet. In heading 

 back the upright branches, the cut is usually made just 

 above a side branch that points outv/ard. This tends to 

 make the tree more spreading in habit. 



The severity of heeding in will depend largely upon 

 the vigor of the tree. Nothing will start a tree into 

 renewed vigor like severe pruning during the dormant sea- 

 son. The cutting-beck, therefore, should be more severe 

 with weakened trees. When a tree is severely headed back 

 a rank growth in the form of water-sprouts spring out from 

 the buds lower down on the trunk, and from these water- 



