| Show Around Orchard 0 RAN RANDOM oM CUTTING IS NOT RIGHT BIGHT PRUNING The size site and color of apples are not ot greatly Improved by merely merell removing removing removIng re re- re- re moving the crossing branches cutting out ut dead wood and removing at random ran ran- dom om a few sized fair-sized limbs These are anI only the preliminary steps The detailed detailed de- de tailed ailed work of pruning then begins begin sale ays the fruit specialist at the New Jersey Jersel ersey State College of Agriculture Thin out also the thick clumps clump of small mall wood which develop at the ends of at f the larger branches for It Is here that hat an abundance of light and room rooms Is s needed to promote rapid growth It t Is Ie here too that the largest amount of f fruit Is generally borne bome Where portions of at these clumps dumps are shaded I most of ot the small green specimens which lower the quality average of ot the he trees are usually found These small mall all green apples draw heavily on the he strength of ot the tree lower the size of the other apples on the tree I and lessen the chances for tor the annual annual an an- nual crops Remarkable Increase in size of fruit was secured this p past st season at ata a pruning limning demonstration at the farm form of ot Senator Il Roberts berts 51 Moorestown Moores- Moores cores cores- town ton own N N. J J. where a block of at Home apple trees was thoroughly out and the results compared with the thick brushy trees On the well pruned trees 54 04 per cent of ot the apples were over 3 3 Inches In size while on the brushy tre trees s only 30 percent per cr cent were over 3 Inches Only S It per cent ent were less than thon 2 4 2 Inches In n size on 1 the he well pruned trees while e vent cent on the brU brushy hy trees averaged aver- aver aged less than thon 2 25 inches The total crop of ot the brushy trees averaged 54 bushels per tree while that of ot the he thoroughly pruned trees averaged averaged aver aver- aged 4 bushels per tree When It ItIs Itis Its Is s considered that these yields were were secured the first year after the heavy y pruning before fruiting wood could be developed on the Inner lower branches the reduction Is not as ns serious as It might appear and should grow less with each succeeding year It Is also considerably compensated for tor by the great grent Increase In the size anI and value alue of ot fruit A 25 per cent Increase of apples having 50 ro per cent or more red color also accompanied the Increase In size |
