The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-04-29

Pruning Trees and Vines.
1t is common saying among practical
horticulturists that the best time TO prune
. plant is when such an operation is dis
covered to be necessary and man has
sharp knife in his pocket This should
not however be considered as literally
true, although volumes of nonsense have
been written in regard to particular DAYS
or months in which certain kinds of
plants should be pruned. 1t is not well
to prune vines or trees just at the time the
sap begins TO flow the most rapidly in
spring, because it is likely to issue from
the wounds, discoloring the bark below,
and making the plants look uAsightly,
even if no further injury follows. But if
trees or vines are pruned early enough
to insure good frosting of the wounds
for few nights before the sap begins to
flow there will be little danger of what is
usually termed bleeding. In many North
ern localities this may be done, and those
who have neglected pruning trees and SIM
liar plants requiring it should not delay
the operation, although it may be put of
with some kinds until the leaves are fully
expanded. But there appear to be many
erroneous ideas prevalent among those
who have had little experience in plant
culture, and the most common one is,
that vines and trees require pruning only
once year, which frequently leads to Sc
we're losses both in fruit and vigor Of the
specimens.
A man, for instance, concludes that his
old apple or pear trees require pruning,
the branches having become too abundant
for the free admission of light and air into
the center of the head, or because some of
the leading sheets have become too tall, or
the lower branches droop too much to adj
nit of working the ground underneath
He, therefore, proceeds to thin out, cut
back or trim up. seyering large or small
branches, as the case may require So far
the operation may be performed in a iu-
dicious manner. but in the months follow
ing 1t will usually be observed that numer-
Gus sprouts will spring from latent buds
near the point where branch has been
severed from the main stem or elsewhere,
and if these are permitted to grow it is at
the expense OF those an2 other parts of the
tree; besides, in most Gases they spring
from the points where no shoots are de-
sired, and will be removed at the next an
nual pruning. Examples of this kind NAV
be seen in hundreds of orchards at any
time during the summer months, the vigor
of the trees being wasted in these sap
sprouts, as they are usually termed by
farmers. Now, the proper course to pur-
sue is to visit the pruned trees once or
twice during the season, breaking or cut
| ting off these surplus shoots while theyare
young, thereby forcing the sap into other
channels
We think those who have had any expe-
| rience in the care of orchards will readily
see the importance of this operation in
connection with that of the regular annual
pruning. Of course we do not assert that
all trees require pruning every year, but il
| 1t IS done summer pinching and rubbing
off surplus shoots should always follow.
If trees are properly pruned at the start,
followed by judicious care in summer,
| there will be little need of removing large
branches as they become old A truittree
should receive its first severe pruning at
the time of planting in the orchard, and
there is little danger of reducing the top
too much.
| In planting peach trees, say one year old
and five feet high. We would cut back the
main stem to three or three and half, and
all the side shoots to within one or two
lbuds of their base, which, in ordinary va
rieties, would mean to within three inches.
| With pears, apples and plums less severe
| pruning will suffice; but we would reduce
all branches to about one-third of their
original length, and if the trees have been
transported to a considerable distance and
become somewhat dry during transit
| still further reduction will be beneficial.
| The ends of all roots severed by spades in
| digging should also be smoothed off with
a sharp knife before planting. This kind
| of pruning is the almost universal
practice with nurserymen and others
who have had extensive expert
ence in tree culture OF course
there are men who claim that it is wrong
in theory to reduce the natural number Of
buds and branches upon tree in order to
produce vigorous, healthy growth; but
We can assure our readers that it works
well in practice, even if it does not exactly
accord with some of the theories advanced
to prove that it is wrong.
| The next period in the life of fruit trees
when very severe pruning may be bene-
fetal is when they have reached an age Of
unfruitfulness, either in consequence of
having been permitted to overbear, or of
neglect of pruning or culture. Old or
chards which have become almost or
quite, barren may frequently be restored
to health and fruitfulness by removing
one-half of all the branches entire, and
then shortening the remainder one half, at
the same time adding fertilizers to the
soil. Considerable attention, however,
Will be requisite during the summer in re-
moving the young sprouts which will
issue from the severely pruned branches.
A few of the strongest should be permit
ted to grow, selecting those for this pur-
pose which start at points where new
branches are desired. Many of our old
and now almost worthless pear and apple
orchards might be restored by manuring
and pruning combined. In removing
| large branches from trees it is well to
cover the wounds with grafting-wax or
some similar substance which will prevent
the decay of the exposed wood.
What we have said above in regard to
! fruit trees is also applicable to grapevines
| If pruned before cold weather is entirely
passed there will be little danger of bleed
| ing. Summer pinching of the most Wig
orous shoots as well as rubbing off the
! feeble ones which always appear in greater
or less numbers upon all cultivated vines
are very important operations. Annual
| pruning of grapevines is generally con-
coded to be necessary, but the equally es-
sehtial manipulation in summer is far too
| frequently neglected; hence the numerous
complaints of failure to obtain wellripened
| fruit or vigorous canes for use the follow
ing season. A few canes, and those of
vigorous, sturdy growth, are far preferable
TO great number and all weak and slen-
der. The former are seldom secured with
out attention in summer, no matter how
carefully the annual pruning may have
been performed
! The lesson we would inculcate by the
| foregoing is that the first step in the i'm
provement of plants calls for correspond
ing care in their culture. The first prun-
| ing which may be considered as having
| been done at the time of taking the bud or
cion from the parent stocks makes sec
ond in the life of the tree or vine neces-
sary, because henceforward the plant is
placed under artificial conditions.-V. 7.
! Weekly Sun.