The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-06-02
Girdling Fruit Trees to Make Them
Bear.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Boston J0ar-
nal Of Chemistry states there is no doubt
that the giroling of fruit trees is cause
of abundant fruitage, but it by no means
follows from this fact that general prin-
ciple can be deduced, that trees would be
improved, or the crop increased for a
series of years, by such treatment 1t is
well known that gardeners frequently CIR
die a branch by removing narrow ring
of bark around it, when they wish to in
crease the size and beauty of the fruit |;
but it is done at the expense Of its vitality,
and, unless the operation is ssillfllly per-
formed, will invariably destroy it before
the season of bearing the next year.
The crude sap, taken up from the soil by
the roots of the tree, ascends principally
through the vascular tissue of the albur-
mum or sap-wood TO the leaves Of the
branches, and there both this and the car
bon of the carbonic acid, absorbed from
the air by the leaves, are organized into
the proper substance for the growth of
the wood and fruit. 1t then descends on
the outside, principally through The sieve
tissue of the canibium layer, forming a
new layer Of wood and bark; while part
also goes to the nourisbment of the fruit.
| Ifthcre Is no obs ruction of the elaborated
sap N its downward course, it is equally
distributed to the branches, fruit, stem,
and roots; but, if the bark and cambium
layer are removed by girdling, it is stop
| ped In its descen mt, anu cons. Quenily re-
ceived into the branches and iruit in ex-
cess, and they are thus increased at the
expense of the part below. In this way
| we account for the increase of the fruit by
| girdling.
Professor John Lindley, when speak
| ing of this subject in his late treatise on
horticulture, quotes Mr. T. A. knight ap-
prOyi. ely, as follows: "When the c0ug sc
Of the descending current is intercepted
that naturally stagnates, and accumulates
above the Gec0Tticated space, whence il is
Iepulsed and carried upward, TO be ex
pended in an increased production of bios
SONS and fruit This theory is adopted
by the best psychologists of the present
time, and csn be demonstrated with al
most mathematical certainty. Therefore,
this unnatural development of fruit, III
stead of indicating an improvement of the
trees, must he looked upon as Fremont
tory symptom Of disordered physical &C
ton, aud of premature death.
If the bark and cambium layer have
been removed by ggrdling, as seems TO be
the case with the trees, the downward
CircdlatOry connection On the outside be-
tween the upper and lower part is de-
stroyed, ami the upper part at least must
! die. If, however, the cam5ium layer has
not been destroyed, and has been so COW
cred by wax ana bandages as to prevent
evaporation and drying Of the surface OF
the decoricated part, there is a chance
for some of them to live. 1t is true That
| some few cases are recorded OF trees
which have lived several years after the
bark and cambium layer have been re-
moved, but they are of very doubtful au-
| thOIiiy.
NJ Ernest Faivre, French Psychologist,
| gives a statement of his recent invest.ga
tons on this subject, published in the
Gdrdener's Chronicle, about two months
trees, as in al trees deprived Of latex, an
nular incisions generally produce the fol-
| lowing manifestations: l. Formation Of
a swelling or tissue restorer, at The upper
| lip of the wound. 2. Diametrical growth
of the parts above the zone OF bark taken
of. 3 Hardening of the wood in that
region. a. Stationary condition of the
parts below, if they are deprived of leaves
and buds; OF, if not, vigorous shoots from
below the lower lip of the wound. 5.
More easy, more carly, and more abun-
dant Towering and qualification. 6. De-
struction, after variable time, of all the
parts above the annulatiOn."
From the foregoing observations it sp-
pears that giIdling trees in any form is
ruinOus, and almost always fatal there
fore heartily concur in the advice given
in the Journal that Orchardists should not
experiment on their trees too freely be-
fore they see what the fnal result will be
with those already girdled.-iScientifc
| An6ric10.