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Show WHAT GOOD PRUNING MEANS Principal Object Is to Foster More Thrifty Growth and Divert Energy Into Fruiting. Unless an orchard has been unduly neglected, and that for a long period of years, there should be very few large limbs cut out, writes William J. Cooper of Isabella County, Michi- ( V ) Cut Just Right. gan in the Farm and Home. Small twigs and water sprouts, dead and diseased limbs, also cross limbs, and "trailers" or limbs that hang down and scrape against other limbs should always be removed in any case. The principal object in pruning is to foster a more thrifty growth, as well as to divert more of the energy af the tree into fruiting. There is an-ather an-ather reason accounted very important impor-tant by the western grower, where :olor plays a larger part in the apple ;han in the east. That is, letting in more sun into the tree, for sunlight is what gives color to the apple. Enough of the limbs, especially at the top, should be cut out to allow ihe sun to enter and color the fruit. This is proved by the high color of western apples. They have nearly continual sunshine through the day during the whole growing season, and that's what makes much color. The greatest objection I have found to cutting off large limbs is the blight, as trees too freely pruned are much more subject to it, and seem to offer little resistance when disease is once established. When ihe apple blight is quite prevalent we should be mighty ' ; -s v ; Cut Too Much. careful in pruning, and always lean to the light side. Any time after the leaves fall it will do to prune. Where there are indications in-dications of blight or other disease the brush should be burned right away. Never give any more chance for contamination than possible. |
