Pruning is Simple 
The chief requirement of good pruning is the making of a proper 
start. In fact, in the best pruning practices there is very little pruning 
recommended between the initial shaping of the tree and the time when the 
tree reaches bearing age. In other words, the less pruning a tree receives, 
provided it is properly started, the sooner it will reach bearing age and the 
better results it will give thereafter. Slight, corrective, annual pruning is 
best. 
Prune your trees as soon as you plant them. Head your fruit trees low. 
Apple and Pear. If head of apple or pear tree is already formed, re¬ 
move all except three to five limbs, which will form a well balanced head. 
Cut back each of these branches, leaving 10 to 14 inches long. (See dia¬ 
gram at the bottom of the page). 
Peach. Prune peach heavily — cutting back twenty to thirty-six inches 
above the ground, removing all except four or five branches which should 
be cut back to stubs one or two inches long. 
Sour Cherry needs only slight pruning — removing scarred or broken 
branches and leave balanced head. 
Sweet Cherry and Plum should be pruned like an apple tree. 
Authorities now recommend that only very light pruning be done after 
the first and second years, mostly corrective pruning. After the second 
year prune very moderately — mainly to remove dead wood, to take out 
crossed or interferring branches or to correct weak crotches. This light 
pruning work can be quickly done in several hours during the late winter 
or early spring months when farm work is not rushing. Remember, the 
most severe pruning a fruit tree should ever have is that which comes at the 
time it is planted. (See diagram below). 
Diagram to show method most popular for the pruning of an apple tree 
into what is called a modified leader tree. This drawing shows an ap¬ 
ple tree pruned properly for the first four years. At the left, the first 
year, at the time the tree is planted—it is merely cut back to within 
about 36 inches of the ground in the spring, removing all side branches. 
Second year shows growth made and cross marks show where leader and 
side branches are cut back. The letters A, B, and C on the four dia¬ 
grams rspresent the place where each year’s growth is cut back. Very 
little pruning is required after the second year, just enough to keep the 
top of the tree balanced. 
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