94 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



suit of ringing (98 to 103), girdling, notching, twisting or 

 bending the stems, because in such cases the flow of elab- 

 orated sap has been checked and the food thus held back 

 must find an outlet above the constriction. 



Doubtless the time of year when the pruning is done has 

 some influence upon the production of such growths. Com- 

 mon observation shows that t'^ey are produced mainly dur- 

 ing spring. Rarely do they appear after midsummer, be- 

 cause by that time the plants 

 are ripening up the tissues 

 rapidly formed early in the 

 season, there is little or no 

 food to spare and in general 

 growth has ceased. Ex- 

 perience also teaches that 

 plants pruned in mid- 

 summer rarely produce 

 water sprouts or suckers 

 the same season because of 

 the cessation of growth just 

 discussed. Even during the 

 following spring the num- 

 ber and size of those which 

 do appear will be smaller 

 than when pruning is done 

 during the dormant season. 

 This is because the plants 

 have ample time in which to make readjustment to the 

 changed conditions in their tops. 



The usual way in which any excess elaborated food is 

 utilized in such cases is in the increased development of 

 twigs already formed. Note the discussion as to summer 

 pruning in eastern Washington (80). The suggestion to 

 be drawn from this principle is that the fear of water sprout 

 and sucker production should never influence the pruner. 

 These growths are largely the result of previous neglect, 



FIG. 69— POORLY "PRUNED" PEAR 



The ends of the horizontal branches 

 were cut off, with the result that a lot 

 of "sap-pumping" growths developed. 

 No care was given these new growths, 

 or they would not have grown nearly 

 30 long and spindling. They have, 

 however, begun to bear fruit, as in- 

 dicated by the short, stubby spurs. 



