THE ALMOND. 33 



The first pruning of the trees shoul'd be done at the 

 time of transplanting from the nursery rows, as directed 

 on a preceding page, and from the top of the stem only 

 three or four shoots allowed to grow the first season, all 

 others being rubbed ofE as soon as they appear, or when 

 they have made a growth of two or three inches. These 

 three or four upper branches are to become the founda- 

 tion of the future head of the tree, and should be allowed 

 to grow unchecked the first season ; the next spring cut 

 back one-half to two-thirds of their original length. 

 This pruning will force out strong side or lateral shoots 

 near the base, thus giving a sturdy foundation to build 

 upon later, the pruner keeping in mind that the weaker 

 the growth the more severe should be the pruning. 

 Better leave a few strong buds, from which vigorous 

 shoots will be produced, than a great number succeeded 

 by many feeble twigs. If blossoms and fruit appear on 

 the young two-year-old trees, a limited number may be 

 left to mature, although no considerable crop ought to 

 be gathered before the third year. 



In after years a somewhat different system of prun- 

 ing may be adopted, keeping in view the fact that the 

 fruit buds and fruit are always produced on the young 

 shoots of the previous season's growth, and for this rea- 

 son an annual renewal of such parts of the tree is abso- 

 lutely required, in order to secure a good crop on trees 

 of any age. In some localities and countries it may be 

 possible that almond trees produce a crop every year ; 

 but this is scarcely to be expected anywhere. Conse- 

 quently a system of pruning should be followed which 

 will conform to the variations of circumstances and con- 

 ditions ; and this brings us to the consideration of — 



The Proper Time to Prune. — If the growth of 



the trees and their fruiting were always uniform, then 



we might readily adopt some invariable system and season 



for pruning; but as we are dealing with uncertainties, 



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