Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-02-24
APPLE PRUNING FOR
THE FIRST FOUR YEARS

]. w. Mills in California Cultiva-
tor After the young apple trees are
planted they should be cut to uni
form height of about eighteen
inches. Should there already be
branches at about that height and
the branches are evenly and widely
distributed, there is no reason why
the proper ones should not be select
ed and left to form the head of the
tree. In selecting these branches
imagine as nearly as possible what
their position and appearance will
be when the tree is five or ten years
old. Never allow branches to deve-
op opposite each other on the main
stem. This makes two knots at one
point, which weakens a tree. II one
branch happens to split off, the OPP
posite one is sure to go as soon as
a heavy load comes on it.
If the apple tree is only straight
whip when il comes from the nurs-
cry, cut it off about eighteen inches
high and select three or four (no
more) branches located as described
above, and rub off all the others
which start so as to throw all the
growth into the permanent branches.
These should never be pinched back
in order to make them branch the
first year. All young trees should be
allowed to make as much growth as
possible, and If the branches are
nipped the growth is checked Just
when it should be most active. EX-
pertinent with apricot trees showed
that summer pruning retarded the
growth more than one-half.
At the time of pruning after the
first summers growth the perman-
ent branches should be cut back to
eight or ten inches and all others re-
moved entirely. Trees OF spread
ing habit usually require pruning to
inside buds in order to keep them
from spreading too much. The idea
is to secure the proper spread and
carriage OF the head, and pruning
to inside buds at one time and out.
side buds at another may be ne
cessary. Sometimes an open space
in tree requires pruning to bud
pointing in that direction. Trees OF
the Northern Spy type usually re-
quire continual pruning TO outside
buds.
At the third and fourth pruning
the branches should be left couple
OF feet long, as IL is on these the
fruit spuds will develop later, and
the tree will be old and strong
enough to bear. At all Of these
prunings no more than two branches
should be left to each branch OF the
previous years growth. Subsequent
, prunings should be confined to keep
the head OF the tree properly thinned
and stocky. II the tree is properly
pruned till II is four years old there
will never be any need OF taking ou,
large branches, at least not until The
> tree is so old that II requires severe
cutting back in order to rejuven
ate Il.
The small short branches or twigl
|. that grow on the older wood should
0 never be trimmed or broken of, FOL
they are the fruit spurs.
Pear trees should be pruned II
= the same way, the idea being to Sc
s cure a stout, well-balanced head tha
i will admit sunlight TO properly riper
e and color the fruit and at the same
= time hold up heavy load.
y The chief difference betweer
e pruning the apple and pear is tina
o the latter requires TO be pruned &
spread the top In most cases whil
y most apple tree, are Of spreading
/, nature.
" There are a few exceptions In Ger
tain varieties. Winter Nellis, for in
d stance. should be allowed to hav
y about it's own way till II gets owe
Its rampant growth.