36 
House & Garde 
THE WINTER PRUNING OF FRUIT TREES 
Spot-lights on a Subject That Is too Little Understood—Methods Whereby the Crop Can Be 
Increased and Brought to a Higher Standard of Quality 
M. G. KAINS 
F or convenience in discussing the 
problems of pruning, let us divide 
fruit trees into four general groups: 
those newly planted; those that have 
been planted from one to three or four 
years; those comparatively young trees 
that are bearing; and old trees that 
have been more or less mismanaged or 
neglected and are therefore in need of 
renovation. 
When trees are planted in the fall it 
is a wise policy to postpone pruning 
the branches until spring. Of course, 
if branches have been broken in transit 
from the nursery or in handling they 
should be trimmed immediately below 
the break, but preferably no farther. 
The fewer and smaller the wounds, the 
more remote from the trunk in young 
trees at this time of year, and the less 
the wood below the bark is exposed 
during winter the surer is the tree to 
survive. So, even though it may ulti¬ 
mately be necessary to remove 
half or two-thirds of the top 
to make a well shaped tree, 
postpone the cutting until 
spring when the tree will be in 
most active growth and can 
easily heal its wounds. 
So far as pruning is con¬ 
cerned, March will be season¬ 
able for autumn set trees. At 
this time cut out superfluous 
branches so as to leave four to 
seven if possible with at least 
a hand-breadth between them. 
If twice this distance can be 
secured so much the better. 
The advantage of having six 
or seven branches is that in 
case of accident or poor devel¬ 
opment of some there will be still enough left 
to make a good top; for it is far easier to re¬ 
move a branch than to develop one. 
The object of having considerable distance 
between branches is that strength is gained 
thereby. Branches placed nearly opposite each 
other on the trunk pull against each other when 
loaded with fruit or ice, with the result that 
they break down sooner or later. Because of 
the importance of this point, to say nothing of 
others equally important, it is therefore advis¬ 
able to start an orchard with one-year-old 
rather than older trees; the branches are much 
easier to secure where they are desired and the 
trees can more easily be trained in the way 
they should grow. When trees are planted in 
the spring they should be pruned immediately 
afterward. 
Subsequent Work on Young Trees 
The March or early spring pruning of newly 
set trees should be supplemented by a little at¬ 
tention during the early summer of the first 
year when any twigs that start to develop lower 
on the trunk than the lowest desired branch 
should be cut off, but every other twig and 
every leaf ought to be allowed to grow. These 
are necessary to help develop the tree. Re¬ 
member that trees know their business better 
than any pruner; they need only direction. 
During the second winter — any time 
between November and March—^the 
pruning should consist of removing 
first only those small branches that are 
certain to become a menace to the de¬ 
sired ones, and second, of shortening 
only those branches that have devel¬ 
oped out of all proportion to the others. 
In brief, the more pruning of young 
trees that can be avoided during the 
dormant season the better. 
Here is where many people make 
their mistake; they prune not wisely 
but too well every year, and cut off too 
many twigs—the very ones that the tree 
intended to develop into fruit-bearing 
branches. When over-pruned during 
the dormant season trees figuratively 
grit their teeth, dig their heels harder 
in the ground and develop more 
branches, so their work becomes branch 
production rather than fruit bearing. 
Can you blame them? 
Trees Approaching Bearing Age 
If one wants fruit, the saf¬ 
est place for the pruning tools 
is beside the “unloaded” gun, 
under lock and key in the at¬ 
tic! When this “hands off” 
policy is followed and where 
rational fertilizing is prac¬ 
tised, especially the sparing 
use of nitrogenous materials 
such as nitrate of soda, the 
trees will begin to develop 
blunt ended little twigs along 
the branches. The age when 
thes'e start to develop varies 
with the kind of fruit and the 
variety. Cherries and plums 
often start the second year 
after being planted and bear fruit the third; 
some varieties of apples and pears start as 
soon, but many wait until five or even ten 
years old. Gyves upon the hands that hold 
the pruning tools will shorten these maxi- 
mums ! 
Peach trees bear fruit upon a different prin- | 
ciple. Their fruit buds are not borne upon 
perennial spurs but upon exterior branches and 
slender interior twigs, mostly biennial, devel¬ 
oped the previous summer. These buds are 
easy to recognize during winter because of 
their position and form. They are rounded 
more or less and are borne mostly near the 
bases of the last season’s growths. Generally ' 
they are in pairs with a usually smaller pointed 
“wood” bud between. As the tendency for the 
peach is to develop most growth from the ter¬ 
minal and near terminal buds and thus both 
extend the spread of the tree and increase the 
leverage and consequent risk of breakage, it is 
the practice of successful growers to cut off 
one-half to two-thirds of each twig and also 
reduce the number of twigs. This plan not 
only keeps the tree within bounds and helps 
to strengthen it, but it reduces the number of i 
fruits and consequently improves their size | 
and quality. While the pruning of apples, 
pears, plums and cherries may be done at any 
time during the winter it is best to wait until i 
Winter pruning and spraying may be done at 
the same time. A tree clipper is best for the 
upper small branches 
A frequent residt of allowing branches to develop too close 
together is a disastrous splitting which ruins that part of 
the tree 
This three- 
branched tree 
may appear 
strong, but it is 
really weak be¬ 
cause of the Y 
crotches 
When branches 
are removed, the 
cuts should be 
made cleanly 
and close to the 
trunk with a 
sharp saw 
