The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-05-28
1grfcuItura4.
ON PRUNING FRUIT TREES.

MR EpIroR-This is n subject which merits GU
deep rcgald to the neglect of this necessary ope
ration might be attributed many of the evils whicl
inies our orchards in the shape Of canker, blight
and rottcness, proving in the end the destruction
thousands ofour finest trees, have lately mad
some extracts from foreign work, which appea
10 contain much valuable instruction and many new
IDEAS on this very important branch of rural affairs
and by giving them place in the Cabinet, thinl
ycu would be serving valuable cause.
"Somo persons prune Off all the fbres of III,
main roots of the trees before planting supposins
that they must perish and become moudy; bu, tho
pruning is, to say the least, entirely useless but il
any large roots are bruised or acerated thc injured
parts must he removed, as they are too large ia
heal, although they might not wholly decay.
"To secure the proper direction of the roots,
every t:co must be deprived of those which tqp,
leaving those only which extend nearly at right an
giles with the sem the object being, to induce tho
roots to strike in u horizontal direction not more
than six or eight inches below tho surface of the
earth but the heading down of the trees before
planting, with ii view to give them figure in the
first instance, is often carried too far by those who
consider That by cutting them very low, they give
strength to the tree it is requisite ,however-should
the wish be to form an orchard of halEslandarJ
trees, which is strongly recommended in preference
to those of very lofty giow,h--,hata certain num-
Der of primary branches be found at short distance
from tho ground, and they mus, therefore be pro-
cured by pruning Suppose then, that only one
erect shoot, abont yard in length, he produced
from the graft; then it will bo necessary to cut il
back 10 the length Of six inches above its origin bv
which mean, three or four of the ,eyes remaining
will be excited to send forth as many shoots; these
might afterwards be shortened at discretion accor-
ding 10 their strength-the weaken to be cut closer
than tho stronger-and thus true balance will he
given to the members Of the tree. Gardeners diff.
Ter with respect TO the proper seasons of heading
down, some insisting that they ought no, to UNDER
90 the operation until they have passed over one
entire year after planting; but after trying every
method, the best appears to be, if strong young
tree be planted jus. before the leaves fall or have
quite changed color, it ough, not to be pruncd
during the autumn or winter, but in the following
spring; just when the buds begin to swell, it may
cut back with safety and more certainly than at
any season of the second year, and for this reason
if the pruning be performed a, the time of planting.
say October, the wounds remain exposed unhcaled
to the ckleness and severity of the winter but if
the tree at the commencement of the EIlo,,;,,
april, be sufficiently vigorous to enlarge lis hints
1t will be equally so, to effect the DEVELOPMENT or
three or four oiits lowest eyes, and thus to produce
as many branches, at season when the vital fin
ids oil the gandnlar coat of the bark will produce
healthy EXAMINATIONS over the wounded sufaces .bu,
were the shoot or shoots left wholly unpruned the
leading buds alone might advance and leave rre,,
length of wood or two different years. growths to
be cut back 10 the proper distance above the ura(t
6 The object of pruning young trees is TO pro.
dncc tree with regular, open head, with radia.
ting branches, as nearly as the habits of the tres
will permit, ffom ceniera stem, obliquely ascend.
ins 10 a center angle. Lindley's observations on
the regularity of we-pruned tree, are practicable
correct: he says, if this be effected at first. there
will be no difficulty in keeping it SO altsvard, bu,