70 beginners' guide to fruit growing 



this time the young head is shaped, and if the sum- 

 mer pruning has been omitted, this spring shaping 

 is of exceptional seriousness. Useless branches are 

 cut away and then four or five strong branches are 

 chosen to be the framework of the future tree. 

 These should be as evenly balanced as possible. 

 Instead of all coming out at the same height from 

 the ground, they should start from different levels, 

 as far as possible. 



The extent to which these main branches are 

 now to be cut back is a grave question. Practice 

 varies considerably. But even the radical men who 

 believe in a policy of no pruning for bearing trees 

 generally believe that it is best to shorten this first 

 year's growth severely at the first spring pruning. 

 As nearly as this can be stated in a general rule 

 we may say that it is best to cut off one-half to 

 two-thirds the previous year's growth, leaving stubs 

 6 to 14 inches long. 



From these a large number of secondary shoots 

 will promptly appear, of which we shall eventually 

 wish to preserve two or three to each stub. If we 

 can afford to give the time and attention once more 

 during June and July, the summer will be the best 

 season for managing this part of the tree's develop- 

 ment. Otherwise the tree will need another 

 smoothing up with the hand shears early the second 

 spring. 



general methods 



Here a division of practice begins to appear very 

 clearly on the pomological horizon. One party be- 

 lieves in letting the trees pretty much alone, except 

 for such thinning out, removal of interfering 

 branches, and other minor corrections as are ob- 



