Framworking is of interest to me mostly for better winter hardiness and is a direction I’m going more often. But mine has been of quite a “mild” sort compared to what they are talking about in this 1946 publication I recently ran across.They are talking about changing over large, older trees. I’m sure I won’t be going nearly as far as they did but it has made me consider a somewhat different approach. Anyone done something similar? Sue
“Frameworking Fruit Trees” by R. J. Hilton, Ottawa Canada 1946
"Frameworking is the practice of grafting or budding in such a way that most of the original framework of the tree is retained, only branch ends, small or poorly placed laterals, spurs and surplus larger branches being removed. The well-established methods of topworking (top grafting) call for the cutting away of most of the tree top, and it is usually at least six to eight years before this top can be regrown to its original size. "
“Figure 10. — Stark tree, 30 years old, frameworked to Crimson Gravenstein in kute May, 1942. Five hundred and fifty scions inserted, being waxed. Note useful and inexpensive ladders.
Figure 11. — Fourteen-year-old Red Stark tree frameworked by bark methods only to Crimson Gravenstein in May, 1942. One-half the scions are 8-bud length, one-half are 4-bud. About 325 scions in all.
Figure 12. — Fourteen-year-old Red Stark frameworked to Crimson Gravenstein in late April, 1942, using cleft methods only. About 250 scions. Photographed July 11, 1942. Compare with Figures 13’ and 14.”