FRUIT TREES 



The systematic annual cutting back described above is sometimes 

 called winter pruning, but the best time for its per- 

 formance is February or March, because not only is Season for 

 it then easier to see what to cut out and what to leave, '''"' °^ 

 but also because the tree, at that season, is less likely to be exposed 

 to, and is better able to resist, frost and dry winds. The process 

 caJled summer pruning should take place as soon as the new buds 

 appear. It consists of rubbing off with finger and thumb all buds 

 which are not required, such as those which appear in the front of 

 the branches of a wall-trained tree and are in such a position that they 

 cannot be laid in on one side or the other. 



With all wall-fruit it is important to thin out both fruit and 

 leaves at an early stage. The amount of fruit retained . 

 must be a matter of judgment and depends, in some l "fTh ' 

 measure, upon the condition of the tree, but it is better ** inning 

 to remove too many than too few. With peaches, for instance, 

 3 or 4 to the square foot is as many as should be allowed to remain 

 if the full development of each peach is to be secured. With the 

 same object in view the leaves should be nipped off wherever they 

 shade the fruit and prevent its proper exposure to the s^n's ripening 

 power. 



The directions already given — ^which, though concise, are be- 

 lieved to be adequate, and which have taken the peach Qeneral 

 tree as a typical example — ^may be appUed to all wall- Application 

 trained fruit trees; but it is well to bear in mind that of Foregoing 

 fruit trees — even those pf the same kind — are not all Directions 

 alike in habit and growth. Differences are caused by many factors, 

 such as the peirticular constitution of the tree, the soil in which it is 

 planted, and the position in which it stands. It follows that the 

 individual needs of a tree must be met by an intelligent apphcation 

 of the general methods. 



It remains to consider how best to renovate wall-trained fruit 

 trees which, either through neglect or mistaken train- 

 ing and pruning, or from these causes combined, have 5*°P'5.''*"' "^ 

 deteriorated and become more or less untraitful. The '^'" ^^^' 

 old adage, " Spare the rod and spoil the child," may be paraphrased 

 in connection with fruit trees by " Spare the knife and spoil the 

 tree," but there is more hope of reclcdming a tree than a child. The 

 principles of training and pruning already indicated should be applied 



131 



