Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-31
Pruning Apple Orchards.

THOSE fond of abstract discussions are
writing out their views for the newspa-
pers in regard to pruning orchard trees.
The most contradictory opinions are adj
yanced, not only as to the proper manner
of pruning, but as to whether trees
should be pruned at all 1t IS quite GER
tain that any one who has had long eX-
perience in the management of orchard
trees knows that he could no more do
without the pruning-knife, nay, even the
his dinner without a knife and fork 1t
could be done, of course. AS the chill
dren say, fingers were made before forks,
and so nature gave us fruit trees long be-
fore we found out aught about culture.
One can get along without ever cutting
an orchard tree. There are some that
can be named that never had knife on
them; but it is just as true that the best
fruit and best trees generally will be
where the pruning implements are regu-
larly and judiciously used. One can, of
course, take his ladder and Ratchet and
saw, and go into his orchard and cut
away, to the great injury of the tree; but
this is not the judicious trimming that
sensible people recommend, but a sense
less practice-wOrse than letting them
alone. If there is to be choice between
murderous practice like this and prune
not at all, as advocated by some, better
by all means join the anti-pruning party
There are, again, some who say
if trees are properly seen to
when young, no pruning is re-
CURED in after life. This is not in &C
cord with experience. No matter how
we'll cared for there is always something
to be done as the trees grow. But so far
as this argument is concerned it does
not amount to much, as not one tree in
thousand in our average orchards get any
special treatment when young; SO that
the plea on the ground of being early in
clined holds good too seldom to weigh
much in general rules for practice.
At this season of the year, then, it will
be well to see that good pruning saw
has its teeth we'll sharpened and set, a
handy little Ratchet ground, and the
pruning knife honed up to a keen and
yet strong edge. Whenever an oppor-
tunity occurs through the winter, GO
through the orchard and see what IS to
be done. One thing to be seen to is that
every leading branch has full room to
develop all its branChlets perfectly. If
two of these go along together there
will be struggle for life between them,
in which both will lose something. Cut
one away. If this has not been going on
for more than year or so, the knife will
do all that is required, but if the strug-
gle is of many years standing saw away
at the worst one without hesitation
Such saving ought to be made close to
the main trunk, and the exposed part
painted so as to prevent decay until the
new bark grows over it. Then again
large branches will often in time get
decrepid through overbearing. The
growth will, perhaps, not be more than
an inch or two, and the fruit small and
sickly. In such cases there will often
be tolerably vigorous branches down
toward the main branch or trunk. In
such cases cut away the weakened por-
tons, leaving the healthier ones to come
on and take their places. Sometimes in
trees which have been bearing for some
years there will be a general decline in
vigor of the whole tree. In this case
cut away most of the bearing branches
all over the head, leaving some of the
younger sprouts to come on and form
head. This usually brings about great
revival, chiefly through the rest from
bearing which the tree receives. Some
people think they renovate cid trees by
cutting back and regrafting with other
kinds. But it is the rest, not the re-
grating, and mere cutting back does
Just the same thing.
Where not much of this severe work is