The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-05-26
Pruning Fruit Trees.
'afnon an Pacific Ruoyql Press.

the Rur0t Press both for and against
the vigorous pruning of fruit trees.
Most OF the articles thus far appear
ing have either admitted or main
tanned that cutting the tree weakens
its vitality. have watched and
waited patiently for proofs Of this
position; bat, so far, / do not remem.
Der seeing anything stronger or bet
ter than the mere assertion, or per-
haps the statement that to cut a tree
severely does violence to its nature,
or that it is unnatural, and therefore
must be detrimental to it's life and
vigor.
Now, while cannot directly dis
prove this statement, must yet con-
TESS that it is not satisfactory to me.
OF course it is unnatural to prune a
tree at all. But, really, this fact can
have little weight with the intelligent
and progressive fruit grower, for he
sees many other things practiced
upon fruit trees which are just as un-
natural and which are yet undoubted
benefits, either to the tree or to the
fruit, or to both.
For example, it is unnatural to dis
turb the Seeding at all, either to
transplant it or to graft it, for trans
planting destroys the tap-root, and
grating takes away the entire top at
one fell stroke. Now it is plain that
both these processes are violently
unnatural-more SO, indeed, than
almost any amount of after pruning,
And yet we must practice them or
have no fruit of high excellence.
Again, it is unnatural to cultivate the
soil around tree nature does not
do it. 1t affects tree very power
fully to use plow or spade about it's
roots-stimulating every fiber of it's
being into double activity. There
can be no doubt that this is trying to
the trees nature. True, it seems to
enjoy 1T; it seems to flourish under
such treatment. But is not this
process Of high pressure growth and
living upon which the tree has en-.
tered, and which it seems so much to
enjoy at the expense of both hardi.
ness and longevity? ! think it may |
be laid down as very general rule
af9a=- De- ev-r causes the tree to grow
ID Taat %tgEs:z :!gy ys sz5, %
s...:9Sh otherwl,ooar Ilo.s, %.
higs.e N g fruit than it naturally
would do, at the expense Sc. Of long lite
shsS. ..- nh for the maturing of the
crop, and report upon it.-Ortando
Reporter.
On the 9th OF April the Picnic,
or Chinese Flat Peach, ripened at
Bellview, the beautiful place of A. L.
Yniestra, Esq, on the Escambia.
Some Of these peaches have been
brought to town, were mellow-rlpe,
beautifully colored with shaded red
from its deepest hue until it paled
off into a whitish tint, and they
measured from seven and halt 10
nine inches in circumference, and
were OF fine tlavor.-Z'enSac0t0
Gazette.
Mrs. NJ. D. Papy has in her flower
garden a flower rare i'll this section.
1t is the bloom of Sage Palm" and
must be seen to be appreciated. The
stem of the Palm is perhaps less than
two feet in height and some ten
inches in diameter. The long mar
row leaves have shot out about mid
way of the stem and form a perfect
collar, while on the top of the stalk
the flower has appeared. 1t will be
curiosity 10 those who have never
seen anything OF the kind and will
repav visit.-F2O1ididn.
About two hundred hands are
now employed in the different
branches of constructing the South
FLORIDA Railroad from this poin: TO
Orlando, and forty more were eX-
pected on the Geo. N, Bird last
evening. If the latter ones arrived, it
will make the largest number en-
ployed at any one time since the
road was commenced. The track
will be laid and completed to Shro
ders mill. seven miles out, by Satur-
day evening OF the present week.
SANFORD JOa07t0J.
We have seen many specimens OF
fine Irish potatoes grown during the
present season, but some that Mr.. K.
w. Gamble of this city has exhibited
to us surpass them all. They were
of the Early Rose variety, one OF
which weighed twenty seven and a
half ounces--nearly one pound and
three ouarters-with circumference
Of seventeen and a quarter by niue
teen and three quarter inches. Our
business neighbor MIR. Huntress, has
also produced some superior Specl'
..oa. from RronkS Sendlium nlan1 ed