Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 209 



ing in mind that the tree will be stronger if 

 each limb is growing on one a year older than 

 itself. This is one thing against the practice 

 of summer pinching, as it causes the multipli- 

 cation of branches on a stem which grew the 

 same year they did. So if we expect to build 

 our trees for strength we should prune an- 

 nually from time of setting, until the tree, or 

 scaffold, is completed. 



The manner or style of building will depend 

 largely upon the habit of growth of the tree; 

 for instance, the Transparent with its upright 

 growth should have longer portions or parts 

 left in its building than the Mammoth Black 

 Twig, which is inclined to sprawl more like a 

 Burbank plum. If the cuts are made short in 

 the Transparent the top will be too thick and 

 close, while if they are made long in the Black 

 Twig its head will be even more open than is 

 necessary, and the tree will cover too much 

 ground and not have bearing wood throughout 

 its center, as it would if held in check by cut- 

 ting back. 



Purpose of Pruning. — ^The first purpose of 



pruning should be for the general welfare of 

 the plant. A good example of this would be 

 where the gardener practices shearing off the 

 tops of his celery plants two or three times 



