Trimming the Young Tree 



189 



tree. One foot is planted firmly at the base of the tree, 

 and then with one hand the branch to be removed is 

 bent upwards and with the other hand the knife is 

 applied to the under side and the cut is made neatly 

 and easily (Fig. 40). Never cut downwards on a limb, 

 for a ragged wound nearly always 

 follows. 



In fall-set trees it is some- 

 times thought to be inadvisable 

 to prune before spring because 

 the cut surfaces are liable to 

 dry out. It has been shown 

 by Howard, however, . that the 

 evaporation from wounds is not 

 so great as from the branches 

 of unpruned trees; and fall- 

 pruned trees in his investiga- 

 tions started to grow better 

 the following spring and made 

 more growth in the summer than 

 unpruned trees. 



In shaping or starting the 

 future top, care should be taken 

 to avoid crotches or the joining of branches at the same 

 level, for the tops are likely to split later on, with ice or 

 fruit. The framework branches should alternate on the 

 trunk and should start at different levels and preferably 

 several inches apart. 



The height at which to start the top is largely a matter 

 of personal preference. In the East, apple and other trees 

 have undoubtedly been started too high; and the tendency 

 is now to start very low. Three to 4 feet of trunk for 

 grown trees is the author's preference for apples east of the 



FiQ. 39. Trimming the grape at 

 planting. 



