Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-04
The Season for Pruning.

The following scasOnable article is
from our valuable cotemporary, the
Country Gentleman.
1t is now admitted by all who have
given attention to the subject, and ii
is in accordance with both theory and
practice, that to favor free growth
of the shoots and leaves, pruning
should be done while the trees are
dormant or ,lcailess. On the other
hand, to check growth and to promote
fruitfulness, the pruning should be
done on the tree in leaf and growing.
We know of no cultivators who dis
sent from these truths. tits common
ly admitted, also, that summer prun-
ing favors more speedy healing OF
the wounds.
Each season, therefore has its pc
culiar advantages. Unless the trees
have superabundant vigor, the prun-
ing should not be donc after the buds
begin to swell Winter may be bet
ter than early spring for hardy trees,
by allowing the freshly-cut faces to
dry, and close the sap pores before
the commencement Of growth; but,
as cutting away branches always
makes trees more susceptible TO the
effects of cold, the work should not
be performed much before spring on
half tender trees. Pruned at this sea-
son of the year, they are not checked
in growth, as when the work il done
in summer, when the tree must lose q
portion of its leaves, and become thus
suddenly checked in the performance
Of its functions.
Pruning in summer, or while the
trees arc in leaf and growing, may
be practiced if they arc in vigorous
condition, and but small portion is
cut away at time. There can be no
harm i'm any season in removing a
single misplaced shoot. A better
way Is to rub off needless shoots as
they are starting, or to pinch off the
ends to prevent extending, as this is
not attended with a large loss OF
leaves. Iftrees grow too fast to bear,
a general pinching over the head, or
a summer thinning Of the shoots of
the whole tree. will tend to indnce
fruitfulness the second year.
AS we have already stated, summer
pruning usually favors the more
speedy healing Of the wounds where
the limbs of much size are cut off,
But experience does not prove that
pruning at this season is always best
for thetree. James Redpath, of Iowa
cut off a branch from an apple tree in
every month in the year, and at the
end of five years, when all had heal
ed over, the wood was found less de-
cayed, on cutting into the tree, in
those pruned in February and March
and most in those cut in June and Ju-
ly-the latter having healed entirely
over one year the soonest. In an 9TH
er similar experiment, all were heal
ed over in four years, with q similar
result. The decay from summer pru-
ming was about three times as great
as in winter.
In this connection we offer a prac-
teal hint for the mechanical removal
of limbs which require the usc of the
saw. To prevent splitting the bark
on the lower side as the limb falls,
first make small cut beneath and
opposite to the main cut made by the
saw above; or if they do not quite
coincide, let the lower one be slight
ly nearest the tree. This mode will
not only leave a smoother face, but
will save time and trouble to the op.
orator, who must otherwise hold the
branch with one of his hands or by
an assistant The saving of of the
stnmps above mentioned is rapidly
and easily performed without any
such care.