The manual pruning of crop trees consists of eliminating, by means of conventional tools, branches which project from the lower areas of the tree trunks and tend to touch the ground. This pruning is generally done to leave the area close to the trees clear and thus facilitate the subsequent harvesting or picking task, since the branches would otherwise obstruct or jam the nets or canvases which are placed in the lower parts of the trees when picking the fruits, for example the olives, by vibrating the olive trees.