Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1846-05-13
AGRICULTURAL.

Farmers are, we suppose, universally busy, at
TINS time, IN pruning their orchards. This habi,
OF early sprung pruning has been hauded down to
US from English customs, and farmers do it be.
cause It has always been done. Besides, but
this time, men have leisure. and would like to be-
gin the sason's work ; and pruning seems quite a
natural employment with which To introduce the
iabors Of the year.
II is not possible for American, but More en-
phailcally for Western cullivators, to do worse
than to pattern the example of British and con,i-
mental au;hortIes in the matter Of Orchards and
Vineyards. The summers of England are moist.
cool. and deficient in light. Our summers are
exactly the reverse; dry, fervd, aud brilliant
The stimuli of the elements with ihem are much
below, with US much above par. In consequence
their trees have but a moderate growth, ours are
inclined to excessive growth. Their whole sys-
tenn Of open culture and wall training, is founded
upon the necessity of outstanding all their resoul.
To avail themselves of every particle of light
they keep open the head of their trees, so that the
parsimonious sunshine shall penetrate every part
Of the tree. For the same general reasons the
English reduce the quantity OF bearing wood short
en:ng pat or wholly cutting it out. that the res.
idue, having the whole energy OF the tree concen.
tratea upon i, may perfect lis fruit. Our difficult.
~ being OF vitality, this system Of short
ching aud cutg oul, would cause the tree 10
send out suckers from the roo, aud trunk and fill
the head of The tree with rank Watersheds and
gourmlnds Wnat would be III ughi of the PEG
pie of the torrd zone, should they borrow their
customs of coihing from the practice Of Iceland
Ii would he rs rational IL is for nrchardIsis, in
"a land whose summers are long and "f high TEN.
peralure. to copy the customs of a land whose
summers are prodigal Of fog aud rain, but penurI-
of ligh, and heat.
Except TO remove dead, diseased, or interfering
branches, do not cnt al all.
g. BIT If pruning is 10 be DONE wait I'LL rler
planting. The best time TO prune is The time that
hesllng will u,iickest follow cutt.ng. This is not
IN early spring but IN early summer. The eie-
mcnis from which new wood is produced are not
drawn from that which descends between The bark
and the wood of the tree. The sap, called true
Sap, is the upward sap after il goes through that
chemical laboratory. the leaf. Each leaf is a
chemical contractor doing up lis part Of The work
of preparing sap for use, fast il is sent up TO
IL from the root ihrou IN the II terror sap passages.
H. the leaf, tue sap gives OFT and receives certain
properties. aud when thus elaborated, II is chang
ed with all lhose elements required for the iorma-
ton and saseIritioa of every par Of Vegetable fab
rc. Descending. gives out is various qualities.
ti IL reaches the roo, and whatever Is left then
pass IS ont iuto the so
Every man viii perceive that if IA tree pruned
in the spring. beiure II has leaf out hcr6 IS no
sap provided To repair The wound. slight gram
ualion may take place in certain, circ lmsanres,
IN some kinds of plants, irum the elements with
which the tree Was stored dariag The iorner sea-
son !; but in point of fact. cut usually remains
without change until the progress of spriug puts
he whole vegetable economy INTO ac;ioa.
l., yuung and vigorous trees. this process may
no. seem 10 occasion any njnry. But trees be-
coming feeble by age will soou manifest The result
of this ni:ldlcons rcaiment. BY biackened stumps,
bv caukered sores, aud by decay.
When tut trees are found TO have suffered by
the winter. pruning hardly be too early, nor too
severe. Ii left To grow, the heat Of the spring
days fermsnts the sap, and spreads blight through
out the tree whereas, by severe eating. there Is a
chance, at least, of removing much OF the injured
wood. We have gone over Inc pear trees IN our
own garden, and wherever the least affection has
been discovered have cut out every particle
of the las, summers wood and cut back until we
reached sound aud hea lthy wood. plih, and bark.
Western Farmer and Gardiner.