The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-04-21

a large profit. We were taught several years
since that large limbs should be cut off from
the trunks Of apple trees; but modern science
now teaches us that this is bad practice and
results in the material injury Of the tree. Old
farmers, and I don't know but may say old
gardeners, made 1t a practice 10 cut off the
lower lateral limbs of the apple trees, and
what they did it for | cannot for my lite ina
gine, unless il was to plow under the tree for
turnips and potatoes. But modern science
savs 10 them; "You have mnde fatal havoc
among your fruit trees: first, you have caused
them to decay, by cutting off their most i'm
portant branches; and second, you have plow-
ed too much under them, which plowiny has
resulted injnriously to their roots and spong-
olcs. THE horticulture of the present day
teaches US that large limbs do not want re-
moving from frui: trees; that the spongioles,
or absorbent vessels, and the large roots must
not be plowed up if we would be successful in
raising thrifty apple and pear trees. 1t il
sometimes necessary to root pruue, but such
instances, in our estimation, are quite rare
and allowable only where the roots afford too
much nourishment 10 the tree.
The process Of pruning oflate has become
important to the fruit grower. Prune, but do
not prune too much. You can form tree
most generally to your own liking, by judici-
ous pruning. For instance, the apple tree
can be kept low by cutting off the top shoots
when it Is young, or it can be made to run
high up in the air by shipping off, the side
branches. But we should be careful, think
in cutting off lateral branches; for If we run
the apple tree up thirty feet high, our fruit
ss a consequence, will be jammed and spoiled
when il comes IN contact with the ground
As a general thing, we ought think, to keep
eur fruit trees down low TO tho ground, and
thus we would be enabled to gather apples
poars, &c, without thirty or forty feet lad
ders. And another thing; all trees should oe
rruned while they are young, for it is very
difficult to nip the ends Of the limbs off after
the tree nttains to the height Of twelve or fif
teen feet have tried the process, ant
found it to be very hard work for the arm
and neck. The grape vino no doubt, is great
ly benefited by judicious pruning; but som'
people say that it ought to be pruned but yer,
little, while others say that il ought to be pru
ned more than any other plant. 1t is sufici
ent to say that it requires thorough care t.
make it, profitable vine, as do all o,he
plants.
Modern horticulture teaches some new
things in relation to prop sgatng trees. Fo
instance, we learn that the grape vino.-th
native grape vine--may be grated by simpl
this process: cut it off below the surface Of tn
ground, then split it and insert the desire
kind ofgrape seions, baudage it tightly, Gus
wax II Thought 20 be necessary and the
close the dirt over it, and it is said its succes
cannot bo doubted. And our present expert
once informs US that in reality the "curran
bush"is wrongly named, FOR it ought to as
sumo the name of a tree, since, in fact, it cai
be made to grow with trunk and top like
the apple tree, and by thus pruning it, tn,
fruit, says Barry, as we'll as myself grow
twice II not thrice as large as 1t does whel
the bush Is left without culture.
These are facts for the millions. Prune
cultivate. and manage youf fruit trees In &C
cordance with the teachings of modern horti
culture.
w. TAPPAN.
BALDwISsvILLE, N. Y, February, 1854.