I am removing a double leader from an apple tree. If I left this double leader in time, the fruit load would have split this tree, as you can see when I show you the weak point in the growth. This may be a wild apple tree that I had grown from seed, but by age 5, this tree has become very productive, and if I let this go as I have in the past in other trees, I know what will happen. The tree will split at the weak point. As with any trees that I grow for wildlife, I pruned this tree to a central leader, removing limbs growing towards the central leader while creating a scaffold of limbs to grow. This creates airflow and allows sunlight to hit the tree. I could have done nothing but never allow a double leader to form. It's just bad news in the end.