Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-12-05
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
When d Howto Prune Trees.


The question of the time for pruning
trees must be settled, in Il greater or less
degree, by the climate and nature of the
tree. As a rule, at the South. winter
pruning, performed directly after the
fall of the leaf, is largely practiced. In
the North pruning begins in many
orchards as early rs February and is
continued through the months of
March, April, and, in some localities,
later. Hardy trees there are which may
be pruned whenever the farmers find
leisure between the dropping of the
foliage and the second month of spring.
Trustworthy cultivators advise prun-
ing the peach just as the leaves begin to
swell, because the fruit and leaf buds
are then readily distinguished one from
the other.
Of all trees the apple is most benefited
by pruning: the ounce is also better for
judicious cutting back. Generally
speaking sweet cherry trees call for
sparse pruning only. All trees are liza
BILE to injury from the removal of large
branches; this statement holds espe-
cially true with the peach.
At a meeting of the Massachusetts
Horticultural Society, where the usual
| diversity of opinion was expressed in a
! discussion on pruning, one member ad-
vocated when large branches are to be
taken off, cutting the under side of a
limb part way through first, to prevent
it from splitting down the trunk and
leaving an ugly scar. A liquid grating
wax was also recommended for cover
ing the cut surface. The practice Of
cutting the limb twice-the first time
about foot from the tree-leaviug the
length specified to be taken off at tho
second saving, was advocated at this
same meeting. The first cutting was
| advised at any convenient season, anC
the last one to be done in summer.
The judicious pruning of fruit-trees
rests on several general principles which
should be thoroughly understood. First
the vigor of tree subjected to pruning
| depends in great measure on the equa
distribution of sap in all its branches
To accomplish this the following means
may be employed. Prune the branche,
of vigorous parts short and of veal
parts long. Leave large quantity O
fruit-buds on the strong parts and few
or none on the weak parts. Remov,
from the vigorous parts superhuou
shoots as early in the season as possible
and from the feeble parts as late as may
be. Pinch early the soft extremities o
the shoots on the vigorous parts anC
delay this process on the feeble parts.
Another principle to be regarded is
the sap acts with greater force and pro
duces more vigorous growth on brancl
or shoot pruned short than one prunet
long; hence the practice of prunin!
short when wood branches are desired
and long for fruit branches. Othe
things to be remembered in pruning
whether this be done to induce fruit O.
to diminish it, are-first, the sap tend
ing always to the eXtremities of tn
shoots causes the terminal buds to pusl
with greater vigor than the laterals
Second, the more the sap is obstructe,
in it's circulation the more likely it will
be to produce fruit buds. Third, th
leaves serve to prepare the sap absorbe,
by the roots for the nourishment OF tn
tree and the formation of buds on tn
tree-all trees, therefore, deprived c
their leaves are liable to perish. Lastly
when the buds of any shoot or branc
do not develop previous to the age c
two years they can only be forced int
activity by close pruning, and in som
cases, notably the peach, even this ofte
fails to bring about the desired result
Ne2O York World