234 TRINCIPLES AN'D PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



to start well, especially if llicy have become somewhat dried out be- 

 fore being set. The J/-inch grade cut to 24 inches easily forms 

 trees with short trunks and well-placed branches. The growth upon 

 unpruned trees is not desirable commercially even if the trees 

 should make a fair to good growth. 



From the results of these studies it is evident that should a fruit 

 grower prefer to cut his trees back to 6-inch stubs at planting time, 

 lie should purchase trees of a f^-inch caliper. Small trees suffer 

 most if they are allowed to become dry at any time previous to 

 planting. Trees cut to a height of 36 inches when set make a better 

 average top growth than trees cut more severely, if the question is 

 considered broadly and regardless of grade. 



186. Summary. — One-year-old peach trees of a H or J^-'nch 

 grade made the largest average total growth. The larger the trees 

 the poorer the growth when unpruned at planting time. The smaller 

 the trees, the greater the damage if the trees are allowed to become 

 dry before planting. 



The largest a\'erage total growth regardless of grade was made 

 by trees cut to a o6-inch trunk when set, except in the case of dried- 

 nut trees. Trees cut to 12-inch trunks when set made the next 

 largest average total growth. The smallest average total growth 

 occurred when trees were cut to 18-inch trunks wlien set. Trees of 

 ■1 8-inch grade made the largest amount of growth when cut back 

 to G-inch trunks when set. Trees as large as -M inch or larger were 

 depressed in growth when cut back to 6-inch trunks. 



Trees in general failed to develop branches well upon the 12 to 

 24-inch section of the trunk. Very few well-developed buds occur 

 upon this section of the tree under average conditions. The largest 

 total number of branches occurs in the lengths from 7 to 12 inches. 

 The largest average total number of branches of all lengths oc- 

 curred in the 36-inch treatment, with the ]2-inch treatment second. 

 The number of branches of all lengths is, therefore, apparently 

 correlated with the amount of growth. The unpruned trees de- 

 veloped the smallest number of branches more than 24 inches long. 

 The 36-inch trees developed the largest number of branches that 

 were more than 24 inches long. The 6-inch treatment resulted in 

 the formation of the largest number of branches, 40 to .50 inches 

 long. The 12-inch treatment gave the largest number of branches, 

 37 to 40 inches long. The 18-inch treatment gave the largest number 

 of branches, 25 to 30 inches long. The 24-inch treatment gave the 

 largest number of branches, 25 to 30 inches long. 



We may then conclude that the more severe the pruning the 

 greater the tendency to produce long branches (83). It should be 

 noted further, however, that so-called main branches are reduced 

 in number when the trees are cut to 6 inches. One-year peach trees 

 from the nursery start into growth best when planted in the or- 

 chard if there are well-formed buds just below the point where the 

 tree is cut back. The number of such Ijuds varies at different points 

 along the trunk of a nursery tree. Liuds are found to be most 



