. Better fruit. Fruit-culture. 1915 BETTER FRUIT Page r of pruning young trees becomes rnther simple, but unless they are mastered it is ditTicult to develop strong, well- balanced young trees. Lesson 1. To Choose and Space the ScafTold Branches.—If you grow an open or modified leader type of tree, four or five branches are what we rec- ommend. If you grow the typical leader tree it does not make as much difTerence, as from year to year new branches aie added. We prefer here in Oregon the four or five-branched tree. While it may be true that the three- branched tree will produce three branches
. Better fruit. Fruit-culture. 1915 BETTER FRUIT Page r of pruning young trees becomes rnther simple, but unless they are mastered it is ditTicult to develop strong, well- balanced young trees. Lesson 1. To Choose and Space the ScafTold Branches.—If you grow an open or modified leader type of tree, four or five branches are what we rec- ommend. If you grow the typical leader tree it does not make as much difTerence, as from year to year new branches aie added. We prefer here in Oregon the four or five-branched tree. While it may be true that the three- branched tree will produce three branches that average larger in diam- eter than if four or five are allowed to grow, nevertheless we feel that the three-branched tree is a dangerous one; that it is structurally weak; that if you lose one of the three branches you have practically a ruined tree; whereas, with four or five scaffold limbs, you can lose a branch and still balance the tree in such a way as to save it. The first lesson, then, is to choose four or five well-spaced branches, having them issue in a whorl around the tree, if possible, anil having them as far apart as they can be con- veniently spaced. The farther a])art they are spaced, the stronger and bet- ter will be the trunk and the better the tree obtained. To do this you must not neglect the tree as soon as it is headed, but must watch it very carefully the first month or two after it is set out. It will be necessary to rub certain un- desirable buds off, to remove certain undesirable branches, or possibly to suppress from time to time certain branches which tend to run away wilh the tree. By observing these simple rules you can build a stronger tree. It is for this reason that we often advo- cate that instead of cutting the tree at 20 inches al the lime it is set, cut it 25. Figure 28—At left: Five-year-old Wagener apple tree which was summer priinet! in July. Photograph taken the following January. Note the amount ot after-gro\\th, indicating that
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