Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-10-18
DOWNING ON PRUNING.
"Pruning TO promote groacth or modify the
form of Fruit Irees''

DOWNING ON PRUNING.
"Pruning to promote groach or modify the
form Of Fruit Trees"
In The county, almost ell fruit trees are
grown as standards. 10 This way they de-
velop their natural forms, attain the largest
size, and produce the creates. quanti,v of
frui. with the least possible care. Our
bright and powerful sun, reaching every
par, Of the tree. renders the minute systems
Of pruning and training. which occupy so
large portion of lbe English works on this
suhjec. of litte or no momen, 10 The cul,i-
va,or here. Pruning is, thereto e, common
" resorted to only for The purpose Of in-
creasing the vigor of feeble trees, or to re-
gula,e and improve the form of healthy and
luxurisnt trees.
Pruning has the power Of increasing the
vigor Of tree in two ways. If we assume
that q certain amount Of nourishmen, is sup.
piled by the roots to all the branches and
buds Of tree, by cutting off one half of the
b'enches, al The proper season, we direct
the whole supply Of nourishment TO the fes
msining portion, which will, consequently,
grow with nearly double their former luxu-
rance. Again, when q tree becomes stun,
ed or enfeebIed IN Its growth, the lhinness
ol It's inner bark, with It's consequent small
ssp-vessels. (Which it mus, be remembered
are the principal channels for the passage of
the ascending supply of fond) renders the
upward and downward circulation ,ardy,
and The growth is small. By heading back
or pruning judicious7y, all The force Of The
nourlsbIng fluid is thrown into a smaller
. + 4 :.L Il
nrians shoots, larger sap-vessels. and which
ford a ready passage to the fluids, and The
Tree with these renewed energies will con-
time in vigor for long time.
This freshmen, is especially valuable in
The case Of small trees Of feeble or sun,ed
growth, which are frequently cut back to 3
single bud, end new shoot or shoots, full
Of vigor, gives q health, habit to The tree.
In the nurseries, the prsc'Ice Of heading
down un,hri('y trees is frequently pursued,
and small orchard trees which have become
enfeebIed, NAV be treated in the same man
ner; cutting back The head as far as the
place where il is wished that new shoots
should spring out. Older trees should be
headed back more spsringiv, unless they are
greatly enfeebIed; and their roots should q,
the same lime be assisted bv manure.
A judicious pruning 10 modify The form
Of our STANDARD rees is nearly all ,ha. is re-
quir+d in ordinary practice. Every fruit
tree groaUn in the open orchard or garden as
a common standard, should be allomed 10
take its natural form. Me whole efforts o. the
prumer going no fu1ther than TO take out all
1ceak and croacded branches; those which
are Fl ling u>eessly ,he interior Of the tree.
where their leaves csnno, be duly exposed
to the lsh, and sun, or those which inter-
fere with the growth Of them. All pruning
Of large branches in healthy trees 'hould be
avoided by examining them every season,
and taking ou. superfuous shoots while
small. Mr.. Core, the best American author
on fru, trees. remarks vefv ifuly, "when
orchard trees are much pruned, ,hey are spi
TO throw out numerous (snperfunus) suck
ers from the hnugh in The following sum-
mer; these should be rubbed off when they
frs, appear, or they NAV easily be broken
, off while young and bri,,le-cuting is ap'
! TO increase their number.
Where pruning is not required to reno
va,e the vgor of en- enfeebIed tree, or to re-
guIsle its shsye-ln other words, in The case
OF nebliuS lTee VulCU we " tSb W Itteiu
IN a stale Of the greatest luxurisnce, health
snd vigor. il may be considered worse 'han
useless. Bear in mind that growth is al
ways corresponding to the action Of the
leaves and branches, if these are IN due pro-
portion, and IN perfect health, she knife will
sIways be found rather detrimental to luxu'
rance aud constitutional vigor than benef-
cial.
The best season for pruning TO promote
grovih. ,heoleucalls, is III autumn, soon al.
Ter The fall Of The leaf. Next to This, acinter
pruning performed in mild weather Is best,
and in orchards this is The season ususlly
mos. convenient. In all parts of The coun-
try where The winters are not very severe,
(and al,cays in the Southern and Western
States.) he roots are collecting certain
stock of nourishmen, during The whole su.
umn snd winter. When Tree is pruned
in autumn or " inter, this hole supply goes
TO The remaining branches, while in the case
Of spring pruning j, is partly lost. Moth
of The 430 Of latitude, however, The winters