The Aim in Pruning 



231 



FlQ. 71. Fruit-spur forming at the side. 



begins the very year in which 

 the plants are put into the 

 ground. Trees alternately 

 neglected and heavily pruned 

 are kept in a condition of upset 

 that is Ukely to interfere with 

 the best satisfaction in fruit- 

 growing. 



The aim in pruning 

 is to keep the top open, 

 to remove superfluous 

 and interfering parts, to 

 maintain a size and 

 shape that admits of 

 easy spraying and fruit- 

 gathering and other labor, 

 to ehminate diseases and injured branches, to encourage 

 the fruit-bearing wood. How to accomplish these results 

 is to be determined by practice. A good pruner has "an 



eye" for the work, and 

 he xmdertakes it care- 

 fully as an artisan 

 skilled in the opera- 

 tion. Pruning is not 

 carpentering. 



It is easy to overdo 

 pruning. It is not 

 primarily the removal 

 of wood, but the work- 

 ing out of a purpose. 

 Pruning is mostly for 



Fig. 72. Shoot grown too long for probable training in yOUUg 



fruit-bearing. There will be an alternation of i << j.u 



fruit-bearing on this spur. treeS, and aS trie 



