The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-12-14
FARM AND GARDEN.
The Season for Pruning.

A"c Se"HoH ior IEunInk'
1t is now admitted by all who have given al
tention to the subject, and it is in accordance
with both theory and practice, that to favor
free growth of the shoots and leaves, prunin!
should be performed while trees are dorman
or leailess, On the other hanc to chccl
growth, and promote frutiuiness, the prunin.
should be done on the tree in Leaf and growing
We know of no cultivatOr who dissents from
these truths 1t is commonly admitted also
that Summer pruning fvors more speedy
healing o. The wounds.
Each season, therefore, has lis peculiar adj
vantagcs. Unless the trees have supcrabun
dant vigor, the pruning should not be done at.
ter the buds begin to swell. Winter may be
better than early Spring for hardy trees, by al.
allowing the freshly cut faces to dry and close
the sap pores before the commencement of
growth But rs cutting away branches al
ways makes trees more susceptible to the eff.
tecls Of cold, The work should not be performed
much hciorc Spring on hali-tendcr trees.
Pruning al this season Of the year, they are not
checked in growth, as when the work is done
in Summer, when the trees must lose II portion
Of It's leaves and become thus suddenly checked
in the performance Of its functions.
Pruning in Summer, or while the trees are
In leaf or growing, may be practiccd If they
are IN vigorous condition. and but small pOr-
tlon Is cut away at Il time. There can he no
harm at any scasol in removing Il single mis-,
placed shoot i better way j. to rub of need
less shoes H. iAct an. >arlIHE or To pinch oil
the ends !" py,vci cvrl.ijn-, -, TIL, Is not at
tended W|'I e large n;,> OF ic,.ycS II trees grow
too last la bear IL gchcr.. .lncHtng over the
head, or "A summer th:u.,uL -! he SHOOTS OF
The Who'll iee, will ten1 3" SIrc trutiuIneN>
the second year.
As we have already stated Summer pruning
usually layors the more ,in,,,. dealing I'll The
wounds where limbs OF mi"n sine are cut oil.
But experiments do not prove that pruning at
this season Is always best Tor the trees. James
Ridpath, of Iowa, cut oil branch from an APP
pie tree in every month of the year. and at the.
end Of five years, when all had healed over, the
wood was found least dccayed, on cutting INTO
the trees in those pruned in February and
March, and most IN those cut in June and July
the latter having healed entirely over one
year the soonest. In another similar expert
ment, Ill were healed over IN four years with
similar result The decay from the Summer
pruning was about three times rs great as in
Winter.
The reason of this increased decay from
summer pruning, may perhaps be understood
by ObScrviHg the condition Of the wood IN both
cases. After the leaves (Which continue to-
pump the sap from the tree a> long rs they re
main) have fallen in Autumn the roots gradu.
ally absorb moisture from the soil and fill the
tree with 1t during Winter, causing ITS copinus
discharge on the approach Of warm weather
from such trees as the birch, sugar maple and
other trees, and from grapevines, and less
flow from other trees. If the pruning is done
before the discharge commences, so that the
sap pores may be closed by drying, the force
81 the sap will be directed to the remaining,
branches and buds, without check or derangc-
Acnt. But if the sap current is first allowed
10 set toward the leaves in branches already
growing, the sudden cheek by amputation de
ranges the watcry currents and disorder and
disease follow SO far as the wood is affected
while the flow eXpends itself in IA more speedy
formation Of wood at the exterior ofthe wound
The result suggests third mode OF pruning
a combination OF the two already described
and which has heen practiced by some cultva
tors. THIS is to cut off limbs intended to be
leaving stumps several inches long,
performing the work in Winter or before the
buds SWELL and then in summer cutting Off
this stump close to the tree or larger branch
The object OF this mode is to get the full beue.
tit of winter pruning, by avoiding the check of
growth produced by heavy summer Topping,
and at the same time securing the advantage
OF more speedy healing. But it is hardly
probable that we shall secure both to their full
cNttHt III HldIS leaves are lCli ON lIlc stump
some injury to the tree will result from their
summer removal; while the healing process
will doubtless be less rapid than ifthe whole
original foliage Of the limb were separated at
once. Yet We are disposed to regard this meth. TO-
ID with favor as avoiding in some degree both
evils.
In this connection, we offer practical hint =
Or the mechanical removal Of limbs which re :
luire the use of the saw. To prevent splitting
he bark on the lower side as the limb falls
irst make small cut beneath and opposite to
he main cut made by the saw above; or i'll
hey do not quite coincide, let the lower one he =
lightly nearest The tree This mode will not {
,nly leave smoother face, but will save time
md trouble To the operator who must other
wise hold the branch with one of his hands or
~ an assistant. The saving off of the stumps
hove mentioned is rapidly and easily done
without any such care.
Some of the preceding remarks may appear
90 conjectural in character TO be OF value; but
We have an important object in view, namely
o excite more CLOSE and careful examination
II tile effects OF each mode; ar Ia encourage an
ccuratc system ui experiments Tor hi, end
. Know best how Ia preserve orchards III the
est Bearing condition, and to prevent their
injury and decay, are objects worthy L
i slvy.aI "ltchli0n.--LoH.t5y GeHtltmdh. ST