The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-01-24
The Season for Pruning.

The Season for Pruning.
It's now admitted by all who have
given attention to the subject, and it
is in accordance with both theory and
practice, that to favor q free growth of
the shoots and leaves pruning should
be performed while trees are dormant
or leafless. On the other hand, to
check growth, and to promote fruitful
ness the pruning should be done on the
tree in leaf and growing. We know of
no cultiyators who dissent from these
truths. It is commonly admitted also
that Summer pruning favors more
speedy healing of the wounds.
Each season. therefore, has it's pecu-
liar advantages. n Unless the trees
have superintendent vigor, the prun-
ing should not be done after the buds
begin to swell. Winter may be better
than early Spring for hardy trees by
allowing the freshly cut faces to dry
ard close the sap pores before the com
mencement 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-tende1
trees. Pruned at this season Of the
year, they are not checked in growth,
as when the work is done in Summer,
when the tree must lose portion OF
it's leaves, and become thus suddenly
checked in the performance of it's func-
tions. IS
Pruning in Summer, or while the
trees are in leaf and growing, may be
practised if they are in vigorous con
dition, and but a small portion is cut
away at time. There can be no harm
at arr season in removing a single
nsisf9 fednshoot, A better way is to
rub Off needless shoots as they are
starting, or to pinch off the ends to pre-
vent extending, as this is not attended
with great loss Of leaves. If trees
grow too fast to bear, general pinch
ing over the head, or a Summer thin
ming Of the shoots Of the whole tree
will tend to induce fruitfulness the
second year.
AS we have already stated, Summer
praning usually favors the more speedy
healing of the wounds where limbs OF
much size are cut off. But expert
meRts do not prove that pruning at
this season is always best for the tree
James Redpath, Of Iowa, cut off a
branch faom an apple tree in every
month Of the year, and at the end of
five years, when all had healed over,
the wood was found least decayed, on
cutting into the tree, in those pruned
in February and March, and most in
those cant in June and July the latter
having healed entirely over one year
the soonest. In another similar exper-
iment, all were healed over in four
years, with a similar result. The de-
cay from the Summer pruning was
about three times as great as in Win
ter.
The reason of this increased decay
from Summer pruning, may perhaps
be understood by observing the condi-
ton Of the wood in both cases. After
the leaves (Which continue to pump
the sap from the tree as long as they
remaim have fallen in Autumn, the
roots gradually absorb moisture from
the soil, and fill the tree with it during
Winter, causingits copious discharge
CA the approach Of warm weather
from such trees as the birch, sugar ma
pie, and other trees, and from grape
vines, and less flow from other trees.
If the pruning is done before this dis
charge commences, SO that the sap
pores may be closed by drying, the
force of the sap will be directed to the
remaining branches and buds, without
check or arrangement. But if the sap
current is first allowed to set towards
the leaves IN branches already growing,
the sudden check by amputation deran-
ges the watery currents, and disorder
and disease follow SO far as the wood
is affected, while the flow expends it.
self in n ore speedy formation of
wood at the exterior Of the wound
Register Of Rat1az 4faiss. 7.i.