2 1 8 Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands, 



have in mind when pruning, the importance of 

 renewing the bearing wood, as it is only on 

 wood of the previous year's growth that the 

 crop may be borne. So if at any time or for 

 any reason the tree should fail to produce new 

 wood there could not possibly be a crop of 

 fruit the following season. 



This is not so marked in the case of the apple 

 as it may extend its growth only a very little 

 at the extremities of its twigs and then form 

 fruit buds. While in the case of the peach 

 there must be at least a small switch growth 

 each year in order .„ have fruit buds. 'as de- 

 scribed under the head of ^Truning with Re- 

 gard to the Location and Formation of 

 Flower Buds." 



Pruning to Renew Bearing Wood in Old 

 Trees. — The renewal of bearing wood in old 

 apple trees is much more of a problem than in 

 the peach or young apple. Being a problem, 

 however, does not make it any the less impor- 

 tant We only have to look about the neigh- 

 borhood, and frequently on our own farms, to 

 find striking examples of its necessity. The 

 work of renewal should be carefully planned. 

 The individual tree should be studied. After 

 having decided upon the changes to be made in 

 that old tree which has not had a limb re- 



