Better Fruit from Proper Pruning- By w. c. McCollom, ft 



SOME THINGS THE AMATEUR CAN DO NOW TO ENSURE BIGGER AND BETTER 

 FRUITS AS WELL AS TO KEEP THE TREES AND BUSHES IN PROPER CONDITION 



nd 



PRUNING is the most important work 

 in the fruit garden during March; 

 for, remember that if it is not attended 

 to now it must be left undone until next 

 year. I prefer March to December for 

 pruning established trees because, normally, 

 the vitality of a tree is at its lowest in 

 midwinter and severe weather , in late 

 winter will often, kill back the wood be- 

 hind the cuts, which means simply that 

 all the work must be done over again. 

 Don't wait until April when the sap is 

 flowing because then strength will be need- 

 lessly wasted on the wood which is to 

 be removed. In general we prune to 

 remove surplus wood and to give proper 

 shape and balance to the tree. But there 

 is another consideration for fruit trees. 

 The pruning one season causes an out- 

 crop of twigs the next. We remove these 

 to keep an open centre — to let in light and 

 air. Different trees require different hand- 

 ling according to their kind and their 

 vigor. 



The pruning of an apple tree is an im- 

 portant factor in its fruiting proclivities. 

 All poor, weak interior shoots should be 

 entirely removed. Use a saw for this 

 work and cut the branches clean. Leave 

 no shoulder and always paint the wound 

 afterward. This is the work of but a 

 second and is a very good habit to form. 

 Whether the tree is an apple or an oak, 

 painting the wounds keeps the wood from 

 decaying. Generally about one third of 

 the current season's growth should be 

 removed, but under no circumstances cut 

 back on the previous season's growth, as 



that is where the fruit buds occur. This 

 treatment, of course, refers to young 

 trees that are spending most of their effort 

 growing, and are about to the fruiting age. 

 On older trees the growth is less rank, most 

 of the force being spent in the production 

 of fruit. Then, necessarily, less pruning 

 needs be done. With trees in bearing, a 

 general thinning out of poor, weak inner 



Cut right 

 the 



down at the ground line when removing 

 old wood from gooseberry bushes 



This tree was top-worked last April by cleft graft- 

 ing to change it over to a better variety. More grafts 

 were put in than needed. It is time to thin out now 



shoots and sufficient thinning of the other 

 branches to admit air and light will suffice; 

 but it is proper training in the young stage 

 that produces good healthy wood in old 

 age. 



The pear requires very much the same 

 treatment as the apple; but being of 

 dwarf habit a little less pruning suffices. 

 Pear trees are naturally good bearers, and 

 while they will do reasonably well without 

 pruning, the fruit is improved in quality 

 if the tree is intelligently pruned. All the 

 interior branches of the pear should be 

 removed and when young the trees can be 

 pruned quite severely. Cut back the new 

 growth about one half and watch the wood 

 for the development of spurs; when this 

 occurs the pruning can be lessened, but 

 you can always safely remove a surplus 



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of branches. If the tree has begun to 

 fruit but also continues to make rank 

 growth, cut it back. I have some pears 

 which are trained horizontally and I cut 

 back each season the previous season's 

 growth to within three or four eyes. These 

 pears bear abundantly. They have de- 

 veloped spurs like a grape under this 

 severe pruning. 



Apricots, nectarines and peaches are 

 much alike — they all fruit on new wood 

 and the object of pruning should be to 

 cut out any old wood that is incapable 

 of producing good healthy young wood. 

 Always cut out severely from any tree 

 that shows a tendency to overcrowd itself 

 with branches, as all these trees (but 

 especially the peach), will actually kill 

 themselves by overbearing, if allowed to. 



The plum might perhaps be classed 

 with the peach, but I think that it re- 

 quires much more pruning even. It fruits 

 all over, from the main stem to the tips 

 of the growth, and to get plums of quality, 

 heavy pruning is essential. Cut back each 

 season's growth at least two thirds, even 

 though you thereby remove a number of 

 fruit buds. Always cut out any interior 

 branches and cut out any that are crowd- 

 ing one another. 



Grapes fruit on new wood and when 

 once up to the fruiting stage the current 

 year's growth should be cut back to two 

 eyes. This will produce fruit of a much 

 higher standard than you get from a lot 

 of scraggly shoots. Keep the suckers 

 removed and never allow a plant to sup- 

 port more than three canes. 



The old. useless wood of a currant bush is in the 

 centre. Cut it out 



