The Lambertville press., 1859-08-25
Prune Fruit Trees Now.

Not excessive pruning, and indiscrminate
cutting and slashing after the practice Of the
newly arrived Englishmen, who are making
openings to let the hair n," but more or less
pruning must needs be DONE especially in or
chards which have not received proper care in
former years. If fruit trees are properly trained
from the time they leave the nursery until they
arrive at maturity, common pruning knife will
be the only impment needed, except in aeciden
tai splitting down of branches. But taking
things as we find them-with the crosss growth
chaling the bark, a compact and two crowded
head, limbs already beginningto to deeay-there
are branches from three to four inches in diane
ter which must needs be removed, for the future
best interests of the orchard.
To doctor such an orchard, we would during
the latter part Of July or early in August, take
light ladder, narrow fine toothed saw,
sharp pruning knife and pot Of shellac dis
solved in alcohol with paint brush in it, and
commence operations. 1t is unless to attempt
to make a full grown orchard, whose pruning
has been neglected, look like the well formed,
evenly balanced and short jointed trees which
have yearly received judicious cutting out,
and shortening-in from the time they were first
planted This is ONE Of the question In cases
of doubtful expendiency, we would give the tree
the beLeft of the doubt by leaving the branch,
or in other words we would leave somewhat
thick top, rather than make too many wounds to
heal over.
Select limb, saw it off close to the body of
the tree or larger branch, being careful that
its weight does not cause it to split down just
before falling. Pare the wound smooth and
coat with the shellac to keep out water and pre-
vent sun-cbecking When done this month
(July) the later growth Of the season will COM
mence to roll over the smooth cut and in few
years the new wood will unite upon the two
sides und scarcely leave scar. If an axe is
used leaving stub of some six inches in length,
the new growth fails to cover this cut the stub
begins to rot and let in water, which still further
hastens decay even towards the heart of the
tree.
Again, there is no free sap in the tree to be
both lost and converted into poisonous acid
protects the wounds, which without shade or
covering of some kind would crack in the sun
shine
We know that early Spring pruning has strong
advocates, with many of the old school cultiva-
tors, some contending that their fathers and
grandfathers pruned at that season, and conse-
quently it must be the best time Others ask
why let the tree grow from May to July, and
then throw away this very growth, and still others
say July is busy month, while we have plenty
of time in February and March.
Answering the last first we say if you can
not afford the needful time to attend to fruit trees
you can not expect success, and may as we'll give
up fruit growing. Again, it is not always found
that the practices of our forefather brought with
them from an entirely different climate are best
suited to our wants, and they are gradually
abandoned or changed. Let US also ask what
is gained in point of growth by cutting off
limb in Spring and allowing the sap to escape
or let that same sap form wood which IN turn is
cut away? With small shoots ofbut one years
growth the time of pruning is not very essential,
The old directions to "prune at any time when
the tools are sharp" may answer for these
Bnt on large limbs, give US July and August for
pruning in this latitude.-Ameracan Aq7Tc1tZ
turast