THE PRUNING OF FRUIT TREES 



The pruning of fruit trees is important for several 

 purposes. In the first place, by means of pruning fine 

 and better fruit may be obtained, and a more even annual 

 crop secured. Also the more regular development of 

 fruit over the whole expanse of the tree may often be 

 brought about, so that instead of producing fruit only 

 at the top, as neglected plum trees often do, fruit 

 branches may be made to develop throughout the full 

 extent of the tree. Lastly, by means of pruning and 

 training trees may be made to assume a form suitable 

 to the space assigned to them, and thus the whole space 

 of wall surface allotted to fruit trees may be profitably 

 occupied. The tendency of nature, in the case of most 

 fruit trees, is to produce a naked stem with a more or 

 less crowded head. This, in horticultural practice, is 

 rarely found to be the most advantageous form. Seeing 

 that sap is drawn up by the leaves, it is necessary, in 

 order to maintain an equal diffusion of sap throughout 

 the whole of the branches of a trained tree, and to keep 

 the wood of the latter, as it should be, perfectly 

 symmetrical, to prune the strong branches short, whilst 

 allowing the weaker ones to grow long. In other words, 

 upon the more vigorous parts we must suppress the 

 greater number of wood-buds, in order to deprive these 

 parts of the leaves which these buds would have de- 

 veloped. We must remember that the fewer shoots 

 upon the branch the fewer will be the leaves, and the 



