PRUNING MATURE TREES 



249 



be developed to take the place of those that must be 

 removed because of becoming infected. The two im- 

 perative rules for preventing the spreading of blight are 

 (1) cut out and burn all infected parts, making the cuts in 

 healthy wood below the lowest point of discoloration of 

 the wood (as viewed in cross section of the twig or 

 branch) and (2) the thorough sterilization of all wounds 

 and tools after making each and every cut. (Figs. 183, 

 209 to 213.) 



197. The quince is trained either as a bush with sever," 1 

 stems or as a tree with only one stem. Each form has its 

 advocates. The points claimed for the bush form are 

 that damage from borers is likely to be less serious than 

 where only one stem is maintained and that there may be 

 a constant succession of new wood to replace the old. 

 The claims for the tree form are 

 that the plantation is easier to man- 

 age than where there are several 

 stems and that the likelihood of 

 damage from T)orers is less seri- 

 ous than it is believed to be, pro- 

 vided proper attention is given the 

 trees. 



To secure the bush form one 

 sprout is allowed to grow each year 

 from the base of tlie plant in the 

 same kind of way that currant and 

 gooseberry canes are allowed to 

 grow. The old stems are removed 

 after having fruited three to six 

 times, depending mainly upon the fig. 212 



health of the nlant Sometimes blight spread from 



acauu ui liic puuiL. ouiucluhc^ pruning WOUND 



there may be as many as six or jhis smb became in- 

 seven stems of various ages in a ^rJ'' t^ wighT'Ypr^fd 



bush, but four is probably the com- downward rapidly. As seen 



'^^, - J. , now the diseased tissue has 



monest number. 1 he tree form is been pruned away and the 



, 1 • ,1 • wound is ready for disin- 



produced m the same way as m fection. 



