240 



The Principles of Fruit-growing 



redundant growth by withholding tillage and fertilizers, 

 rather than to produce it and then to take it off. 



If, therefore, the grower wants headed-in trees, he 

 should have them. He is then able to plant his trees closer 

 together. The habitual heading-in is practised only with 

 plums and peaches as a rule in the northern states. The 



fact that relatively 

 ^- » very few persons 



grow headed-in trees' 

 is indication enough 

 that it is not a gen- 

 eral practice and is 

 not essential to suc- 

 cess. For general 

 purposes, the free- 

 growing tree is to be 

 preferred, with only 

 such shortening of 

 some of the branches 

 as will keep the plant 

 in shape. The head- 

 ing-in is performed 

 at the same time as 

 other pruning. If 

 the annual growth is 

 vigorous, perhaps one-half of it is cut away by being 

 headed back. 



Dwarf apples and pears are always kept within bounds 

 — that is, kept dwarf — by heading-in. After the plant has 

 reached its full height — in five to eight years — ^it is not 

 allowed to grow any taller, or at least to increase in height 

 very slowly. This means that nearly all the annual growths 

 in length are to be removed, and the fruit-bearing is to 



Pia. 87. A sweet cherry at bearing age. 



