Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 154, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1911 — The Second Pruning of the Young Apple Tree [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Second Pruning of the Young Apple Tree

By PROF. C. G. WOODBURY

Horticultural Purdue 7 Experiment Station

We had a word to say last time about pruning of the newly set apple tree. The picture showed that about four-fifths of the wood from a wellgrown two year old Akin was cut off when the tree was set in our orchard this spring. Now let us see what to do with that trap-mext year; or, what amounts to the same thing, let us see what to do this yea* 1 with a two year apple set in the spring of 1910. We have 150 of these pruned when set just as that Akin was pruned. These are Jonathan and Staym&n. A Jonathan is shown in the photo just before and after the second pruning; which it got this spring. The tiny leaves at the ends of the twigs show that we .were a little late about finishing this work. The trees are now, however, in line shape. The principle of the second year’s

pruning is simple. First, the crowding is relieved. Inside branches that threaten to make the head dense and bushy, or that grow in the" wrong direction, or that cross each other so as to nib when larger; such are removed

Same tree after pruning. It has been thinned out a little and headed la te make It more stocky for future fruh; ingentirely. Of the remaining branches, those which are long and “leggy" are headed In about a third. Stome of oar young Staym&n trees were so stocky that we didn't head them in at all. The Jonathan tends to be more slender and the beading in the second spring, makes it thicken op and grow stockier. ’ The method is not much more complex than the principle. When removing an entire branch .cut close and smooth. By bending a branch up Just a little It can be removed much easier. In heading in. it is usually better to cut to an outside bud. Don’t make the cut too slanting. Cut about a quarter of an inch above the bud with a short stroke. Most of us like a good sharp knife better for these little trees, than hand pruning shears. It Is possible to make a smoother, cleaner cut (after you learn how) with the knife than with the hand shears. Have the knlfe sharp Meat ttaw wejsflT

Jonathan apple tree set In April. 1310, before thto spring** pruning. Pick out last mmmefa granth and s** how It w. pnmed last rear when tort set.