38 THE APPLE-TREE 



sometimes even well-pruned trees must be shaped, cor- 

 rected and improved by the cutting of larger branches. 



Pruning is usually best performed in early spring. 

 The branch should be cut close to the main limb or 

 trunk and parallel with it, leaving no stub ; the healing 

 process is then likely to proceed more rapidly. The 

 wound should be smooth and clean, without breaks, 

 splinters or splits; the knot-holes in logs and trunks are 

 usually the consequence of long "stubs" and torn injured 

 parts. The tree is to be left shapely, with a uniform dis- 

 tribution of branches, plenty of fruit-bearing wood, easy 

 to spray and from which to pick the fruit, of the form 

 characteristic of the variety. 



In all the usual customary pruning of the apple-tree, 

 dressing of the wounds is not necessary. It is much more 

 important to give the added attention to the proper mak- 

 ing of the wounds and the thoughtful choice of the parts 

 to be removed. Wounds two inches and more in diameter 

 may be protected with good paint, so that they will not 

 check and therefore not hold water, until the callus covers 

 them. Good judgment in pruning is more profitable than 

 recipes to repair damage. 



Fruit-pruning, or thinning, is the removing of so much 

 fruit, when it is small, as will allow the remainder to 

 mature to its best and constitute a maximum yield; it 

 reduces the quantity of inferior fruit, lessens the number 

 of culls and the labor at packing time, conserves the 

 energy of the tree by preventing the maturity of great 

 numbers of seeds, diminishes diseases and pests. The 

 overloading of the tree not only imposes a heavy tax on 

 its vitality but is likely to break the limbs and to work 

 much physical damage. 



