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PRUXIXG 



severely than the other branches (Fig. 806). These branches, 

 being better spaced and coming out at a wider angle than 

 those of the open-headed tree, are less liable to split out when 

 crops are borne. Such trees, however, tend to become quite 

 thick and to continue upward growth. Unless special atten- 

 tion is given to these matters, the trees become very high and 



the fruit poor in color. 



The modified-leader 

 form affords the advantages 

 of the other two systems, 

 with few if any of their dis- 

 advantages. In this system, 

 the center or top limb is 

 left for 3 or 4 years before 

 it is headed to an outward 

 growing branch. Thus a 

 leader 4 or 5 feet in length 

 is the result. Plenty of 

 well-spaced limbs coming 

 out at wide angles from the 

 trunk can be selected to 

 form the main framework 

 of the tree (Fig. 81). This 

 results generally in a much 

 stronger tree than the open- 

 headed type (Fig. 82). 



Some growers who train 

 their trees according to 

 the modified-leader sys- 

 tem remove all undesir- 

 able shoots from one-year-old trees a short time after 

 growth starts. This method is explained later under peach 

 pruning. 



It should always be remembered that each variety of 

 apples has a characteristic growth, and that as a result, certain 

 varieties may be more easily trained to a certain form than 



{Mich. State College) 



Fig. 82. There is an excellent distri- 

 bution of branches in this six-year-old 

 Delicious tree. 



