The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-23
AGRICULTURE.
PRUNING,


is receiving much attention from pemol-
ogists. As might be expected from the
various experience or theories of OBJ
servers, and the standpoint from which
they draw their conclusions, there is
much diversity of opinion, some con-
demning it altogether, and others advo-
eating the free use of the knife. These
discrepancies are more apparent than
real, if we keep in mind the true and
ultimate object of pruning, and the
effect we wish to produce.
It may safely be asserted as general
principle in vegetable physiology, that
all pruning ia more or less injurious to
the well being of the living plant.
In a state of nature, or when a tree
or vine is left to itself, there is gradual
adjustment and equilibrium established
between the roots and branches. There
are roots enough to absorb and carry
| up the nutritive fluid, and there are
branches, with their leaves, enough to
work it up and assimilate the nutrition.
When this equilibrium is disturbed,
injury, disease, or death follows. The
degree of injury will depend upon cir
| cumstances, such as the mount of
pruning, the time when it is done, and
the constitution and habits of the par
ticular plant. Some bear pruning better
than others, and in winter better than
| in summer.
We may take lesson from the man
ner in which nature does her pruning
| It is always a sure and safe process.
| Take a young tree, pine, for example.
! There are a number of small laterals.
AS the tree grows upwards and the
| trunk enlarges, the sap has tendency
to pass on to the upper portion; these
laterals begin to lose their vitality, and
at length to die out and fall to the
| ground. In the old tree there is not
even a trace left of these primary
branches, and their very scars are
obliterated.
Very different is the effect when, by
'rtifcial means, a vigorous, healthy
limb is Topped off. The equilibrium
between roots and branches is suddenly
destroyed, and the plant receives a shock
to it's system, which impairs vitality to
some extent.
| But in all kinds of cultivation, whether
for ornament or for fruit, we find it
better to sacrifice somewhat The health
or longevity of the plant for some other
advantage to be gained, of greater
value. We prune our fruit trees and
| grape vines to keep them within bounds
and give them shape better to resist the
effect of too hot sun, or high winds,
and also by reducing the amount of
woody growth, to obtain better fruit. SO
also of hedges, or other atifcial shapes
we may desire to produce. A hedge
| is collection of stunted, half starved
| i'll conditioned individuals, but when
| taken as a whole, its general effect
| I'll III = 4In oh 81 &c
! ful or pleasing. Whatever may be the
| chief object in cultivation, whether it
be the perfection of fruit or flowers, or
usefulness as a hedge, or a ornamental
shape, We seek that, and not the longev-
ity of the plant. If the plant could not
furnish these requisites, it would not be
worth the cultivation at all. The true
end and aim of all pruning, therefore,
is to do just SO much of it and no more,
IS will give the best results, with the
| least injury. And this must be ascer-
! tanned by practical observation and ex-
| perience.
The above remarks are, of course, in
tended to apply to such things as are
growing and fixed permanently for life.
In transplantipg it is necessary to prune.
| NJ matter how carefully tree may be
| taken up, the roots are injured more or
less, according to the care used.
In proper ton as the roots are lessen
ed, SO must we lessen the branches.
Even in transplanting small things from
the nursery bed when all the roots can
be cured, it requires time for the alb
sorbing functions to commence their
supply of fluid, and so it is best always
to pinch off a portion of the leaves, and
thus restore the equilibrium.-H. W.
RaVe,leI, IN Rural CarOIiaaian.
THE PRACTICAL MAN AND THE THEORIsT.
"That looks very pretty and plausi-
BILE on paper" farmer Jones remarks,
as he lays down his agricultural journ-
nal, after reading one of Professor
Browns we'll written articles of rotation
of crops. cit looks well, and I'd like
! to see the professor try to carry out his
ideas on the cotton plantation. [ reck-
on he'd find out the difference between
theory and practice" Well, suppose
Professor Brown should attempt to
carry out his ideas in the field, and
should make a failure? Would that
prove his theory false? By no means.
1t takes something more than correct
theory to make a crop-gOod general
management and an experimental
knowledge of the details of field
work. Perhaps farmer Jones him
self, working on the same. plan,
would attain the highest success.
An inventor may devise machine
which is to revolutionize the industry
of the world, yet he may not be able,
on account of deficient mechanical skill,
to construct his machine in such way,
that it will work. The practical man
the mechanic comes to his assistance,
- l. - =
department. The man of ideas has the
force to move the world, but he needs
the man OF practical common sense and
skill to help him in putting his ideas
into working shape. Farmer Jones
40 his remarks seem to indicate.-RurGI
CarOLjrlGGri,
CHOOSING AND RAISING CALVES.
In choosing heifer calves, It is best to
select from undisputed good COW also
having an eye to the possibility of its
becoming a good mixer, and for this
we should examine the teats and udder,
which should always be of good size,
and in four distinct quarters. Should
all four cluster together, the calf must
be discarded at once, as a good COW
must have room for the milk and con-
NCulSGCSS IOI ODOdiuluS its we suOulO
be little particular about this, as it is
the foundation in making a choice. A
keen eye is as much to be admired in
calf as in bOrse, and also a symmetri-
cal and fawn- like appearance from head
to tail. 1t is not safe to select a calf
because it is large, as such will not
always make large cows. One that does
not cut up well in the throat should not
be selected. It should be well to notice
this in selecting a bull calf for breed
ing, as an animal that one could not
keep a halter on without choking, no
one wants.
The calves should have new milk for
two or three weeks, then add sweet |
skim milk, little at time, and by the |
time the calf is six weeks old land not |
before it should have all sour milk, 1t |
is unwise in feeding to set down a pail |
full for each calf to wallow in; they |
should by all means be sanctioned, or |
fastened so they can be controlled. No |
calf should be fed so much as to cloy it, |
nor enough to give it the scours. This |
summer | have fed the calves myself, |
and not one has been troubled with |