PRUNING VOL'NG TREES 



195 



}'oung- trees depends upon three great fundamental prin- 

 ciples. If these are mastered tlie problem of pruning 

 young trees w'U become rather simple, but unless they 

 are mastered it is dillicult to develop strong", well- 

 Ijalanced young trees. 



161. Choosing and spacing the frame branches. — For 



an open or a modified leader t}'pe of tree, four or five 

 branches are recommended. \ln eastern practice many 

 growers start with six to eight, but prune out some of 

 these after the head has been fairly well de\-eloped : say 

 ^\'hen the trees are 5 to 10 )'ears old.] Fur the 

 tj-pical leader tree it does not mal<e much difference, as 

 from year to year new branches are added. In Oregon 



FIG. 159 



GOOD VEGETATIVE RESPONSE FROM THINNING BARTLETT PEAR SPURS 



Note the tiumerous fruit buds at s on spurs vshich did not push into long branches; 



terminal buds at t and axillary fruit buds at a on one-year shoots. 



the four or five-branched tree is preferred. \A'hile it may 

 be true that the three-branched tree will produce three 

 branches that average larger in diameter than if four or 

 Ih'e are allowed to grow, nevertheless, the three- 

 branched tree is considered a dangerous one; that it 

 is structurally weak ; that if one of the three branches is 

 lost the tree is practically ruined ; whereas, with four or 

 five frame limbs, one may lose a branch and still balance 

 the tree in such a way as to save it. [This is the main 

 idea with the eastern growers who start with more than 

 the required number of frame limbs.] 



