FRUIT GROWING 



303 



Second. — Remove all dead limbs, all limbs which rub 

 or injure others, and those which make the inner parts of 

 the tree dark and damp. 



In pruning apple trees, it is better to begin at the top of 

 the tree and work downward, opening the outer branches 

 so as to let the sunlight in and give the tree the desirable 

 vase-Uke form, than to begin at the bottom and simply 

 remove some of the large hmbs. 



Strawberries. — We do not ordinarily regard pruning 

 as necessary or desirable for strawberries ; yet there 

 are few plants which 

 really need it more, 

 at least while they 

 are very young. 



When a strawberry 

 plant is set out in the 

 spring, all its xdgor 

 and strength should 

 go to the develop- 

 ment of a strong root 

 system. The runners 

 which it sends out 

 and the blossoms which it puts forth should be cut 

 away. 



About the middle of the growing season, however, the 

 runners may be distributed along the row as they appear 

 and allowed to take root. After this, the space between 

 the rows should be kept cultivated or mulched, and the 

 runners should be kept out of them. 



If after two or three years the rows become matted, 

 the runners may be allowed to take possession of the 

 space between them, and the old rows may be plowed or 

 hoed out. In this way, we can virtually secure a new bed 

 with little effort. 



Fig. 137. — Strawberries. 



