The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-11
PRUNING.


der is that of pruning. Most shrubs only
require to be thinncd of irregular, straS-
Cling branches, or of the suckers which
spring up from the roots. Such shrubs as
bear flowers on the last years growth should
DE pruned back but very little, as otherwise
they could produce but few flowers. OF
this class are liacs, syringas, spirseas, vi
burnums, calycanthus, hydrangeas, deutzias,
magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas.-
Shrubs such as the althe, and roses, which
bear flowers on wood of this seasons growth
should have last years growth we'll cut
back, say to within three or four inches of
the old wood. Roses should have the short
wood of last years growth cut back to two
or three buds, and the long shoots short
encd from Une.third to one. half their length:
all wood Of over two years growth should
be entirely cut out, as it never produces fine
blooms. Honeysuckles are generally al
lowed to become too crowded in their
growth; they will bear good deal of thin.
ming out, and last years growth should be
pruned back to within an inch or two of
the main stems If they have from neglect
become naked at the bottom, aud only flow
ering at the top of the trells, one half of
the main stems should be cut back to with
in foot of the ground this will cause
new growth of young shoots to fill up the
vacancy. Wisterias should have last years
growth shortened back so as to leave only
four to six inches Of it, unless they are new
running stems aud it is desirable to retain
them; they may, however, be shortened
back one-third their length Ampclopsis
(Virginia creeper), bignonia (trumpet
crceper), and aristolochia (Dutchman's
plpe) only require the cutting back of the
swinging foreright shoots so as to give
then, a neat, tidy appearance. Akebia
and clematis scarcely require any pruning
all that is needed being to cut out auy in
terfering growth that cannot be laid in on
the trellis without overcrowdiug.
In pruning fiuit trees reference must of
course be had to the kinds, their mode of
growth and of bearing. Many people think
that all the interior branches must be cut
out, to give, as they suppose, plenty of light
aud air to the center of the tree. This is
nearly always carried to an extreme, and
the consequence is that the weight Of the
foliage and fruit is thrown upon the outer
ends Of the branches, so that i1 High winds
or rain-storms they arc broken off at the
trunk, to the eventual destruction of the
tree. Large branches should never be cut
OF If it can possibly be avoided when it is
absolutely necessary to do so, they should
be cut off close TO the trunk, without Law
ing any snags, and the wound should be
covered with grafting-wax or some similar
composition to keep out the weather. Ap.
pie, pear, cherry and plum trees bear fruit
Oh spurs, and care must be had not to cut
them off; the young growth upon which
the spurs are not yet formed should only
be shortened back about one.third of its
length, as rule, for, if shortened more
than that, the whole energy of the tree
will be expended in producing new
shoots instead of spurs. Ounce trees
produce their fruit on spurs which throw
out long shoots, On the ends of which
the fruit is carried; the fruit-bearing
shoots of the previous year should be
shortened back to only two or three eyes,
in order to produce new shoots for next
years fruiting. Pruning peach trees should
be delayed until the buds begin to swell, as
then the fruit buds can be distinguished
from the leaf buds. Very little pruning is
required beyond shortening the previous
years growth and cutting out any dead
wood. 1t is especially desirable to keep
them compact in shape, as the weight of the
fruit on the ends Of long branches causes
them to split off or break. Every care
must be had to so prune them as to keep
the interior Of the tree supplied with young
bearing wood, and this is done by shorten.
ing back the shoots sufficiently to cause the
buds at the base of the shoot to break and
form new shoots shortening back about
one.half will be sufficient.
There are two systems employed in prun.
ing the grapevine one is called the spur
system and the other the long cane
system. In the first the leading cane is
cut back to three or four feet, according
to its strength the terminal bud continues
the length Of the cane, and should not be
allowed to bear fruit the buds below will
throw out lateral shoots which will produce
fruit these are pruned back the next sea-
son to two or three eyes, which again pro-
duce fruit, the leader being shortened back
as before, and so year after year. In the
long cane system the canes are produced
by pruning back to within two eyes of the
main stem, and when they have made
years growth, leaving the strongest cane to
bear fruit, but shortening il hack tn three