298 
during the winter and all of the bearing 
trees in Western Washington during the 
summer season. 
How to Prune 
Pruning is an operation that should not 
be done carelessly or hurriedly. The prun- 
er should study each tree as he prunes it 
and each branch as he removes. it. 
When heading back young trees or cut- 
ting off the tops of the last year’s growth 
out of older trees, the cut should be made 
slanting away from and _ about one-six- 
teenth of an inch above the first bud that 
is intended to grow. A longer stub than 
this will dry, crack and form an entrance 
for fungi, bacteria, etc. A shorter stub 
will usually result in the death of the 
first bud. 
When pruning trees that have a dense 
upright habit of growth, like the Wagener, 
Rome Beauty, etc., cut to strong outer 
buds in order to spread the naturally nar- 
row, compact top, but when pruning 
spreading or slender growing trees, cut to 
buds that point toward the center of the 
tree in order to throw the limbs inward 
and upward. 
Weak growing trees or weak branches 
in strong trees may be compelled to pro- 
duce strong growths by severe winter 
pruning. In the removal of. lateral 
branches from either young or old trees 
cut parallel with and close to the main 
stem. Never leave stubs from one to two 
inches long in hopes that they will devel- 
op into fruit spurs, since less than five 
The Left Hand Figure Shows Where Branches 
Should Be Cut in Pruning Apple Trees. Such 
wounds readily heal. 
The Right Hand Figure Shows the Perfect Heal- 
os oa a Wound Made by Pruning Away a 
sranch. 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
per cent ever become fruit spurs and the 
other 95 per cent die, dry up and leave 
excellent gateways for the ‘entrance of 
disease into the wood of the tree. Young 
lateral branches when? shortened back, 
specially after the spring growth has 
taken place, very frequently develop fruit 
buds and spurs. 
In the removal of large branches from 
old or bearing trees always make the cut 
parallel with the branch or main stem 
from which the one is removed. This 
frequently means a larger wound than it 
would make if the cut is made at right 
angles to the limb that is to be removed, 
but such wounds will heal quicker and are 
less injurious to the tree than the much 
smaller ones that leave the collar of the 
branch to be covered with healing tissue. 
Do not hesitate to remove large, useless 
or superfluous limbs from trees, but al- 
ways make smooth, clean cuts with a 
saw, and if necessary to prevent splitting 
the stem or peeling the bark, make two 
cuts—the first from six to twelve inches 
out from where the limb is to be finally 
cut off. Nothing can be applied to the 
wound to hasten the healing. Wounds an 
inch or less in diameter need not be 
treated, while large wounds may be ad- 
vantageously treated with a thick coat of 
lead paint. Cheap mineral paint or tar 
should not be used upon fruit trees as it 
kills the young, tender bark while graft- 
ing waxes crack and peel off before the 
wound has healed. Any antiseptic that 
will keep the moisture out makes an ex- 
cellent coating. 
The early training of young trees is 
very essential since it is necessary to de- 
velop a good frame while they are young 
if it is ever to be developed. It is almost 
an impossibility to make a first-class tree 
out of an old neglected tree. One of the 
differences between eastern and western 
fruit growing is in the method of the 
training of the young trees. In the East 
the high headed tree is the rule while 
in the West it is the exception. Prac- 
tical fruit men no longer strive to head 
their trees high enough for the average 
horse to work under, but head their trees 
low and then secure extension tools in 
order to till all of the ground. 
