Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-30
THE PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING.
Paper read before the Grand Isle Meetin
OF the Heard OF Agriculture, &C.
ny c. q. PRINeLE, ESQ.

To enter into full discussion of the sub
ject of pruning, considering ut length its va
rious objects, and giving explicit directions
for the performance Of its operations in all
their details, would carry me much beyond
my present limits Therefore, | will only
undertake to present the most obvious prin-
ciples Of pruning,--such as are dictated by
vegetable anatomy and physiOlogy,--a clear
understanding of which, added to little
experience and the usual endowment of COM
mon sense, will be sufficient guide in all
ordinary operations.
The Object.
Pruning, the removing for good purposes
of portions of living tree, presents to the
horticulturist several distin,t aims, Of which
the following are the nest important
|. To restore the balance between the roots
and the head Of the tree, which must una
voidaby be disturbed to a greater OF less
extent in transplanting.
2. To assist the tree from the start to
form u symmetrical head.
3. To promote more vigorous growth,
whenever a subject has become in any meas
ure feeble or stunted.
A. To induce fruitfulnsss.
). To remove supsrnumerary branches,
and particularly the feeble growth Of the in.
terror of the head.
6. To dwarf and mold trees into various
unnatural forms adapted to special purposes.
! Let US consider these several objects sepa-
rately and in detail.
Cutting back at Transplsnting.
/ As ordinarily received from the nursery,
the young tree IL possessed Of little more than
the stumps Of its roots aud this remains in
some sense true, even when the utmost care
has been exercised in lifting the tree from
the soil, and its roots are found TO be numer-
GUS and not less than twelve or eighteen
inches 10 length. Long before the end Of
the third season the roots Of trees in the nur-
sery have permeated the whole soil, striking
deep intu the subsoil and extending literally
in all dir, ctions some four or six feet,-in
very light and porous soil, even q much
greater distance. True, they cannot be
traced out to such an extent; hardly could
their utmost extremities be secured entire
by the most careful washing away Of the soil
40 infinitely numerous and minute are their
subdivisions, but their long and 6brous root
lets are Of moro consequence to the life and
growth Of the tree than are the main roots,
branching primarily from the crown, for it is
principally from these remote rami6cations
that spring the soft, new roots abnndantly
endowed with hbrils, or root-hdirs, through
which, rather than through the thiekened,
CO rtical coats Of the roots Of former seasons
the tree absorbs from the soil nearly all its
required moisture and nourishment. Now,
when in digging tree, the spade il thrust
ruthlessly into the soil but twelve or eighteen
inches away from the crown, is it not safe to
say that from three-fourths to nine-tcnths Of
the roots are cut away from the tree2 In
the case of trees four or five years old the
proportion is still greater.
Next, let us turn our attention to the top
of cur nursery tree. 1t comes to us with all
its branches spread intact. These are sup
piled with countless buds, nearly all Of which
had the tree remained undisturbed, would
have expanded, few of the upper ones on
each shoot to form new branches, and the
lower and intermediate ones, frightening but
little, to form rosettes of leaves. The tres
had provided itself with the roots necessary
to accomplish this result Now, though the
tree be transp!anted, the buds will 60 on il
the usual manner to expand, the spring-tim'
moisture Of the soil and warm humidity o.
the atmosphere lavOriug this But the put
ting forth OF so many leaves will consume
the reserve forces of the tree, and the growth
of the shoots, which may begin to push out
and even that of the leaves, will be early
arrested. But worse than this, as soon al
the drouths Of summer begin, the evaporation
from the superintendent foliage will be to-
great for the slowly recovering roots, and
If the the tree does not perish outright be
! fore the heat of summer is over, its organ
will hardly be able to perform their function
in healthy manner, aud much less will il
be able to make any growth.
But if, instead Of planting the tree will
its head entire, We remove most OF the bud
, by cutting away one-half, at least, Of eacl
, long shoot Of the previous year, which we de
sign leaving to form a main branch, and re
moving nearly all the smaller twigs ant
spurs on the sides of the larger limbs,
there are any, the few buds which we leave
! appropriatng to themselves the whole o
the assimilated food stored up in the WOO,
, and bark the previous season, will develop
: into healthy foliage. In reduced amount o
> first the leaves will not overtax the roots, bu
will in the performance Of their function
| work in harmony with these, and each viii
} aid in the formation Of the other 30 tina
not only may healthy condition Of the ire
: be maintained the first season, but consider
able growth, even, may ensue.
, Because it would appear that nineteenth
/ Of the roots are often lost in taking up
, tree, would not be understood to advis
, cutting away nine.tenths Of It's top. w
already understand that tree is chiefly fe
! by its fresh, white roots. II is from tn
. stores Of assimiated food that these pus
, forth 50 freely at the beginning Of the sea
|, son, and, because the larger, primary roots
which are for the most part secured in tn
taking up Of tree, are the chief repositC
ries Of this prepared material, new feeding
! roots are emitted from them abundant
when their connection with the exterior ROOT
lets, which would naturally have claimed an
f, made use Of this material, is severed. Bu
l do advise the removal Of one.half or two
}. thirds of the top. Advantage will usual
accrue from the practice, and, II such is nc
the case, scarcely can harm ever result.
4 Pruning 90 Form a shapsIy Head.
Il l have spoken Of assisting the tree
form its head, instead of proposing that W
: should take the task entirely to ourselves
o and endeavOr by chOpping or straining OF
|. subject to conform it 10 the Procrustean bee
stead Of some arbitrary fashion; becaui
Nature has appointed to all the species {
. her trees, and even to the different yarietie
d distinct and peculiar forms, and has su
IS rounded them with physical influences whic
4 are calculated to aid them in their realizi
/. ton of her ideals. Left to itself in the fiji
. air and open sunlight, each tree, of whatev'
y variety, tends to assume proportions of syn
q matrv and heautv 90 rather than 10 mo-