The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-06-14
TERMS-s2 n year.-or, Q Z 80 paid within
month. from time efsa b.cribin
VOL. XVII.
few blisters, il thereby one keeps dyspepsia
and ill.health generally at distancc'-Am.
Agrieultarist.
Thumb and Finger Pruning.

Now is the precise season, say from june
18th to July 10th, to perform ono OF the
most important operations in the apple or
chard-that Of removing tho young shoots
which started in the spring, and have made
u growth Of from one to six inches in length.
These shoots start out mostly on the upper
side Of the large branches, grow with great
rapidity, and il not arrested early, form a
part OF the treo which it is the most danger
GUS to cut Of. If they aro allowed to grow
two or three years, they are sometimes an
inch through at their base, and cannot then
DO removed by saw or knife without leaving
an ugly scar upon the tree, and the wound
becomes dangerous one, unless made when
tho tree is in u favorable physiological cOndi-
ton. and il is treated with proper skill.
1t is natural for apple trees to throw up a
thick bushy head. Whoever saw one that
sprang from the seed in the pasture, and that
had never been fashioned by the hand of
man, that presented any other tOrm' This
original impress seems to retain something Of
its power even after the tree has been bud.
ded or grated, so that il requires the con-
slant watchfulnoss of the orchardist to train
his trees into those forms that make them
the most convenient for cultivation, and for
the harvesting Of their fruit. In order to
do this, it must DO remembered that all our
budded or grated trees are in an artificial
condition that they have lost much Of their
original character by the process of mould
ing them to the will and purposes of man.
1t is just 50 with the peach, plum, potato,
celery, and many other plants. In changing
them as we have, they have probably lost
something Of their native hardihood and
yigor, and will always require more atten-
ton than trees in their natural condition.
The summer pruning is a part of the arti-
fetal process.
There should be little use for the saw or
knife in an orchard less than forty years old,
unless in case Of accident after that time,
or perhaps ten years later, some of the limbs
begin to die, and then these tools become
necessary. The pruning should be per-
formed when il can be done with the thumb
and finger, and now is the time to do it.
Pass through the orchard, examine all the
limbs that start directly from the main stem
of the tree, and wherever young shoots are
found rub them OF, being careful to take
them SO close as to prevent an after growth.
They should oil como of, with q single ex-
ception, viz;
II the tree by accident, unskillful prun-
ing, force of wind, or any other cause, has
lost proper balance, OF if the top is open
and too much exposed, then leave one Of
these young shoots, and train it to occupy
tho very place you wish to have filed.
BY this process of pruning. you will rarely
have need to use tho knife the trees may bo
brought up smooth, and with symmetrical
form, and they will not bo full of internal
wounds to weaken them, and hasten their
decay in later years.
Let us urge upon the young orchardist, at
least, to try this method NOW, and If the
knife and saw are necessary, NOW is the time
to use them.-N. E. Farmer.