Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-11-15
Pruning Fruit Trees,

The following principles by cores
pondent Of the Gardeners Magazine are to
the point, except that In the West fruit
trees do not require 30 much pruning as
they do In the less sunny cline Of En-.
gland. The writer says
It is only those who still go on In the
old track who have to do much winter
pruning, because more extended knowl-
edge Of pomology has taught us how erro-
neous were some of the methods adopted
by our forefathers, especially the neglect
of summer pruning. Indeed, IL Is only
within few years that any real advance
has been made, for l can recollect several
instances where summer pruning was
hardly ever thought of and even when II
was practiced, 1t was done more for the
sake of neatness than for increasing the
fruitfulness of the trees 1t Is necessary
that this should be explained, because
there are still those who look upon the old
ideas of winter pruning as the acme of
perfection. But want to dispel at once
and forever the prevalent idea that all
pruning of fruit trees should be left until
the winter. This is especially necessary,
because Of the many improved forms Of
training fruit trees that are now practiced.
In days gone by, when the pyramid, the
Gordon and bush forms were unknown, and
none but trees of large Size grown, 1t
was not 30 necessary to practice summer
pruning but with these smaller
forms Of trees It must be judlciously
practiced, or the results obtained will be
far from satisfactory. Ifthese trees are
allowed 10 run wild, the energies Of the
roots will be taken up In the production
OF fruit buds, and the maturing Of the
fruit. am no advocate of pinchinR In.
cessantly through the summer, for that
extreme ls as bad as not stopping at all,
but there Is a medium course which any
one may work out with advantage. It re.
quIres certain amount of knowledge and
observation to do II properly, because in
dealing with any number OF trees there is
sure to be some weak, some vigorous, and
others moderately so, and all these re-
quire separate treatment The weak
trees must only be slightly pruned, but
the vigorous ones must have few of the
main leaders left to take up the ascending
sap, and prevent the buds on the shoots
cut back starting into growth and pro-
ducing useless wood. The moderate grow
ers may have every young shoot cut back
to spur of about three buds, but in
every case the leading shoot to every i'm
portant branch of the tree must remain
untouched at the first summer pruning,
(which should take place about the third
week in july, and not be cut back until
the last of August Those left on the
vigorous trees should not be cut back at
all until the winter
1t will thus be seen that when dealing
with these forms of trees in the only way
they can be dealt with to make them
fruitful, there is really but very little
winter pruning required, with the excep-
ton of removing here and there mis-
placed or faulty spur. / am sorry to say
that there are those who do not trouble
themselves to understand the details
necessary for the successful cultivation of
these forms of trees, and am quite salts.
fed there Is more to be done with them
than has ever yet been accomplished in
our gardens. All other things being
favorable, all that is wanted is common
sense treatment, and then they can be
made both profitable and ornamental.
There are two errors committed in con-
nection with summer pruning the first is
the incessant stopping of every bit of new
growth as fast as it is made, which results
in mass of weak, useless spurs, that will
not bear fruit enough to pay for the labor
The other error is not to stop ct all, and
the trees grow wild for want of attention.
1t would, indeed, be better to cultivate
only large trees than plant small trees,
and then either injure them by too much
stopping, or neglect them by allowing
them to grow wild.
The same principle of pruning also ap-
plies to the espalier trees, with the differ
erence that they generally remain long
time on the same spot, and are very rare
ly, even when they are very vigorous,
root-pruned. This should be done rather
severely for two seasons following, doing
one half at time. In the absence of
root-pruning, the summer pruning should
be deferred until later in the season than
the period advised for pyramids. The
first or second week in August is early
enough for pruning all strong growing
trees, and even then q young shoot at
every two feet length of branch should be
left to use up the sap, and then those buds
upon the spurs below the cut will re main
dormant, or, more properly speaking, they
will in all probability make fruit buds.
The principle of this system of pruning
can be explained in a few words, because
it is well known there must be reciproc.
ity of action between the roots and
branches of all trees; and If. we attempt to
materially interfere with the action of the
sap by divesting the srees of their growing
shoots when the roots are in full action,
the tree is bound to make fresh channels
for carrying off the sap, which it speedily
does by starting into growth those buds
nearest the extreme point left by the
pruner, which properly ought only to
have a sufficient supply of sap to quietly
develop itself into fruit bud. Let those
who doubt the rationale of this kind of
reasoning test its accuracy next year by
selecting vigorous growing tree and
prupe one half of it--that is, one side of
the tree, at the end of June, and the
other side in the middle of August fol-
lowing, and the short space of three
months will prove that it is right. The
same remarks and the same reasoning
will apply to trees trained upon walls.