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Show j Horticultural Points LITTLE PRUNING FOR PEARS Certain Definite Recommendations Now Believed to Be Justified by Geneva Station. How to prune pears to the best advantage ad-vantage 1ms occupied the attention of horticulturists at the New York experiment ex-periment station at Geneva for several years, and certain definite recommendations recommenda-tions are now believed to be justified justi-fied by the results of the station tests. The merits of high and low headed trees have been compared, and a study made of the effect upon tree growth and fruit production of much and little pruning. Low-headed trees receiving little pruning have proved most satisfactory satis-factory In all respects, declare the station sta-tion specialists. Experiments have been conducted with such well known varieties as An-jou, An-jou, Bartlett, Bosc, Clalrgeau, Keiffer, Sheldon, Seckelin and Lawrence to study the relative value of high and low heading. Certain of these varieties varie-ties have also been used In tests of much and little pruning for pears. "With regard to results secured In these experiments, It would seem that low heads were best for all varieties of pears, especially for the tall, upright-growing upright-growing types," say the horticulturists. "Low-headed tree? produced denser, larger and rather more symmetrical tops than did the high-headed ones. This would be particularly advantageous advanta-geous for unwieldy varieties of the Keiffer . type. Careful heading and early training are always desirable. "It can be safely recommended that all varieties of pears will respond more satisfactorily to little pruning than when severely pruned and thinned out. Little pruning seems to produce rather more symmetrical tops as well as larger bearing surfaces. Heavy pruning aupears to stimulate a greater wood growth which results in rather cumbersome, rangy, unwieldy branches and relatively smaller bearing areas." |