Show J J s l I rr b a n r P PRUNING APPLE TR TREES ES Some Suggestions as to How It Should Be Be Done by One Who Knows The trunk and and branches of trees and other plants form a sort of framework framework framework frame frame- work whereby the le leaves the leaves the lungs of the plants plants are are exposed exposed to the sunshine and air and upon which the fruit is borne To sp u e the best results each tree o of 01 ti 4 given siz size should have a certain amo amount nt of leaf leaf surface but no two trees of the same size have exactly the same form and I number of leaves Some are so thick that the sun cannot reach the fruit while the leaves are so numerous as asto asto asto to shade and smother one another others have but a a- a afew few straggling branches and are misshapen or poorly balanced Th The object of pruning is to aid nature nature nature na na- ture In securing an Ideal form for the trees In many cases the pruning is neglected while the trees are young 94 N s 3 1 l 2 lI I PROPER OF PRUNING G. G Fig 1 Cutting I.-Cutting Cutting small branches ba back k to a abud abud abud bud A cut too close C cut too long B properly cut Fig 2 Cutting Cutting large branches A A. A stub too long C wound too large larg B B. B cut making small wound and l leaving short stub Fig 3 Pruning a.-PrunIng young apple trees when the tops get so thick that something something something some some- thing has to be done the large branches are cut away In other cases the trees have not been pruned at alland all alland alland and the tops are a mass of water- water sprouts In most cases it will be impossible to thin out the top of the ilie tree by removal removal removal re re- moval of small branches only thus avoiding large wounds and the sun sun- burning of the bark which follows when large branches are cut away In the case of large trees it may be necessary to head back some of the branches in addition to thinning out the surplus shoots I ITo To prune a tree properly the work should commence with the nursery tree When planted only as many branches should be left as will be needed for the full grown full grown tree Each year after this the trees should be looked over and all surplus shoots that have started should be removed To do this wor work properly one should not only know what form of tree is best suited to that region but he must know the habit of growth of each variety so that he may work in accordance with nature and when possible correct any of the defects that are natural to the variety For young trees a str strong mg knife answers very well and for larger ones much of the work can cari be d done ne with hand shears Pruning saws are needed for farge urge branches and for for some purposes some of the lever shears may be used To secure the best results it Is Important important Im im- that the cuts should be mado made at the right point Fig 1 shows the method of cutting small branches back to a bud and also the improper places to cut them If It cut too long longa a bad stub will be I formed while if cut too close beneath the bud it will dry out The proper way is to have them cut 0 or oz the side opposite about bout s- s i 1 Y MEOW even with Its Us Up tip and with a It slant of about of-about about 30 degrees from a a cut ut at right angles come out Just above the bud bull Even greater care should be taken in cutting off large Sometimes Some Some- times the cut is made at right angles to the branch that is cut This This' leaves a bad stub which will be unsightly unsightly unsightly un un- sightly and the end of which will heal hf-al over over very slowly If at all As Asa a rule the Interior of the stub decays and a cavity is formed In the tree O On Ori the other hand the cut Is often t made parallel with t the e main trunk or branch This IS ts Sometimes all right but generally there is a large shoulder at the base of the br branch and a wound of considerable size is produced By cutting at Rt an angle of 15 degrees or 20 degrees from the thel thelast l last named last named cut the wound would often be reduced in size full fully one one half half and it would not project s sI so so I far but that the healing would b bI ba be even more rapid than with a parallel I f cut The method of or making the three cuts is shown In Fig 2 For the ordinary ordinary ord ord- inary planter an a apple tree should ba bEl two years old five feet high and threw thre quarters of an inch to one inch In di diameter ameter When It is planted it should ba bEl pruned so that it will have about four branches as h in Fig 3 The cross marks cross marks in the illustration show where these branches are to beheaded beheaded be beheaded headed back back back- backall all the others should be removed When the tree has a strong center shoot it is often desirable to leave this nearly twice as long as th theother the theother other branches If It the trees have large roots that have ragged ends or that have been broken in handling they should b be cut off smoothly This applies to trees of all kinds 4 yz The head of an apple tree should 3 not be more than three or four f feet et from the ground They can be so i pruned that It will not be difficult to work beneath them and when they t r have low heads there Is far less risk Ii of the trunks becoming sun burned further as the trees grow it will be I easier to prune and spray them an and r-r r 7 to thin and gather the fruit than when the heads are six or more feet foot t from the ground j During the first year the young appIe apple apple ap ap- I pIe trees will need but little pruning 1 but if tf the e heads art are very thick or q sprouts appear on the the trunk they S should have attention The second J Jand and third springs the surplus shoots in the center of the tree should be cut out giving particular attention t to those that cross and grow close close together If It the head Is is' poorly balanced balanced bal bal- bal bal- 4 an attempt should be made to r Improve its symmetry The branches branch iiI should be be left longest on the southwest south southwest west side that they may shade the tr trunk especially if if that Is the direction direction direction tion of th the prevailing winds 1 When the tres are of an open habit J JIt it is a good plan says Prairie y Farmer to head back the branches from one one fourth fourth to one one half This will strengthen the trunk and branches The same l rules lles les can be followed as the trees develop All t dead branches and the if not riot needed to fill up the head should be cut out and if the tr tree e becomes becomes becomes be be- comes too thick the thinning out process should be resorted to |