40 THE APPLE-TREE 



thrown into heavy growth of adventitious shoots. The 

 tree may not produce more pounds of substance, or even 

 more total feet in length, but new energy is developed in 

 certain parts. 



In the restoration, or so-called renovation, of old 

 neglected trees, the two primary considerations are to 

 prune vigorously and to till and fertilize the land. Some- 

 times old trees must be mended as explained in Chapter 

 XIII. Of course they must be sprayed for what ails 

 them. If the variety is poor, the tree may be top-grafted 

 (Chapter XII). In some cases, it is hardly possible to 

 make neglected trees bear satisfactorily, for they were 

 never of value : there is nothing to restore. It may be a 

 question of soil and location, of lack of pollination, of 

 trees so weak or so misshapen that effort on them is 

 wasted. But tillage, pruning, spraying, should produce 

 worth-while results in most cases. 



In the care of the fruit-tree there is no practice which 

 brings the grower into such intimate knowledge of the 

 plant as that of pruning and thinning. The operator sees 

 the tree as a whole, taking it all in; then he sees it in 

 small detail in all its parts, even to the spurs and buds. 

 With simple good tools, sharp and keen, and with a 

 practiced eye, he applies a deft and swift handicraft, cut- 

 ting true, making a fair clean wound, leaving the tree 

 comely and ready for its highest effort. The pride of 

 good workmanship may find expression. The operator 

 feels also the sense of mastery that is in him, whereby 

 he corrects the tree, removes the wayward parts, keeps 

 and encourages all that is best. To engage in this kind of 

 education requires that one approaches the work with due 

 preparation of mind and I think also with consecration 

 of heart. 



