Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-03-28
made 4 growth, as the young growth can
not cover the dead snag.

The proper cut is technically called the
~c,can cut, and Is made by cutting at an
angle Of a. deg, beginning at the back
Of the bud, and finishing slightly above 1t.
When pruned in this way the wound
readily and rapidly heals, and commences
to be covered with new wood as soon as
the young bud pushes into growth. Pruning
should always be done with 3 keen-edged
knife, holding the shoot in the left hand
and making one sharp, quick draw. The
knife is a far better instrument with which |
to perform the operation than pruning
shears and scissors, rs these necessarily |
bruisc the bark, at least on one side
Shears or scissors may DO for rose bushes
and common shrubs, but, for grape-ylnes,
fruit trees and greenhouse plants, the knife
is the only proper instrument. Many per-
sons advocate Fall and Winter pruning,
but We think the exposure of the bud after
pruning to the drying cold winds, the Sc
we're frost and the effect Of sleet and snow
cannot but be injurious, and will either
kill or greatly weaken 1t. Such has been
our observation Hence We recommend
that the operation be delayed until the
middle Of February and performed be-
tween that time and the middle Of
March.
The apple, rear, plum and cherry, as a
general rule, bear only on two-year old
wood or on spurs from older wood. The
wood should therefore be shortened back
but little say one-third or not more than
one-half-as otherwise it will cxpend Its
strength only in forming new wood. We,
have seen numerous instances in which,
because Of the ignorance of the primer, a.
pear tree, for instance, has had top as
thick as broom, and borne scarcely any
fruit, because the young wood had been
cut back, year after year, to three or four
buds. The tree should always be encour-
aged to commence bearing as soon as
possible after planting; as this has ten
dcucy TO prevent excessive growth, and
Is it is then comparatively easy OF control
and will not require much pruning The
object OF the pruning Is 20 prevent the head
from becoming too thick and TO induce the
formation Of fruit spurs. The Morello
cherry bears Its fruit on last years wood
and should, therefore, never be pruned
back severely. As a rule all cherries
should be but sparingly pruned, as the
use Of the knife has tendency 10 cause
them tolgum. When in the course OF time
the spnrs Of any Of these trees become too
long, they must be shortened back to the
eyes near their base. They will then
throw out new set of spurs.
The peach and the nectarine bear their
fruit on the last years wood. Hence all
the pruning they require Is to cut back
this wood about one-third Of It's length,
thinning out all superintendent wood but
retaining enough IN the centre OF the head
20 prevent the mass Of the fruit being
horne towards the ends Of the branches
in which case the branches may break or
split with the weight, 10 tse great injury
OF the tree. As the trees are thrifty
growers 4 little consideration will direct
US how 10 obtain a symmetrical and well
balanced fruitful head
OF all the fruits cultivated by man,
none has been so twisted about, so
tortured 10y systems OF training, pruning
and feeding a. the Grape Vine. Were II
not possessed Of constitutional yigor and
a power Of recgperation common to few,
II any other plants, it would long since
have disappeared from cultivation. The
booksithaihaye been written about il would
make a small library. Zach author in-
Weighs against every other system Of train
ing or pruning and declares his mode the
only correct one, and it alone the one
which should be universally adopted
Each forgets that the vine grows and pro-
duceS frnit in almost every soil and CHI
mate, whether on the rocky sides ofmoun-
taius where the thermometer goes down
to zero, or upon the ailuvial sayannahs OF
Demarara and subject TO It's equatorial
heats.
While the vine produces its fruit on the
new growth of the current season, the
main requisites for It's successful cultiya-
ton Is the formation Of moderate sized,
healthy, well ripened wood of the prev
ious year-such as will furnish one or
more strong eyes for the new years growth
All the systems Of training and feeding
that have been invented have this object
in view, and all the various modes of
pruning resolve themselves into the pro-
curing Of two ewes or shoots-one for the
production of wood for future use and
the other Tor the immediate production OF
fruit. This Is best brought out by the
spur method, in which shoot from q
strong cane has been pruned back so as
10 produce two shoots, the upper one Of
which was allowed 10 produce fruit the
last season, and the lower one not allowed
70 bear. This bearing shoot is the succeed
ing season cut back TO single eye and the
growing shoot to two or three eyes, and
so on alternately every year having a
growth-shoOt and fruit bearing bud a
shoot beyond.
In single article We can only give a
few hints, or general outline of how the
operation Of pruning should be performed.
Those who wish to learn the whole art will
seek extended instruction. The best book
on the culture of the Grape in this cOun-
try is "Fuller's Grape Culturist,' and for
other fruits Thomas American Fruit
Culturist :" both of which give very ex-
plieit directions for pruning as well as for
other operations necessary to the cultivs.