Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-24
Pruning Trees.

TdU6SDAY 6N'0s 08A6SOo 81 40o4s
Pruning Trees.
A PAPER Read Before the Gormantown
Horticultaral Society BY Joseph Meehsn.
There is nothing more deserving Of ad-
miration than q well proportioned tree.
Trees, when left to grow naturally, usual
ly assume an outline that is pleasing but
where pruning is properly understood and
applied, the general appearance of trees
can be much improved. If pruning be
Judged by what is seen around us it would
be difficult to assert that it is generally
beneficial, for too often it has resulted in
the permanent injuryof trees and certainly
to the disagreement of nearly every street
in Philadelphia. On place where young
trees have been recently planted there is
room for the pruner's skill. There are
many small fruit orchards in our town
where pruning has been understood, that
contain pear and other trees, models of
symmetry, Pruning should commence
before tree is planted. In digging trees
there are usually some roots bruised, and
these roots should be pruned off, otherwise
funku will attack the diseased parts, and
fungus around the roots is the mortal en-
emy Of trees. If the trees that are being
planted are fruit trees, such as pears and
plums, the branches will generally need
pruning and here at the start, is where
the greatest amount of knowledge is
needed.
There may be two reasons for pruning.
The first is that in transplanting some
roots are always lost !; and a cutting away
of some branches is needed, because the
fibres, or feeders of these branches, have
been lost. It other words, the servants to
carry the provisions have disappeared, and
some OF the occupants of the house must
70 to enable the rest to be served. The
other reason for pruning is to form the
outline of the future tree. II the tree is
wanted with tall stem that youthful
depredators cannot easily climb, the lower
branches must be pruned away. If, how
ever, tho tree is desired with branches to
the ground, it is the proper time to prune
it. There is very general belief that fruit
trees are better for having their stems
somewhat shaded when young, but this
should not be considered where low
branched tree is not desired.
In pruning the tree on account Of loss
of roots, the weak shoots arc the ones to
take out SO FAR as possible, leaving the
strong ones wherever they have grown
out at desirable places to make a shapely
tree. There is too little care given to
forming the future habit of the tree at
pruning. The usual way is to prune off
the strong branches here aud there to
compensate for the loss of roots. with no
regard to whether the cut has been where
it was needed, and forgetting that the
weak shoots are the ones to cut out. 1t
not unfrequently happens that fruit trees
are cut back several feet with no good to
the tree, and making it year or two of
growth to gain the size it was.
A tree properly planted and pruncd will
need but little heavy work afterwards if a
little care be constantly given it. The
most of the pruning will he to regulate
the shape of the tree, and this can be
done mostly when the tree is growing in
the spring and summer time. A little at
tentiOn in the growing season goes great
way. II bushier growth be needed, the
pinching off of a shoot will cause the buds
along the side to burst and grow, and
very soon twiggy growth and a bushy
tree is the result. Summer pruning is the
only kind to be practiced to make dense
growth. In the winter time pruning
tends to make vigorous shoots but not
Justly OuCS. JuSb UClO" WIlcIC cut
one bud, and generally one only, will
burst out and grow up strong. Wherever
weak shoots exist, Writer pruning will
benefit the tree by giving a stronger and
cleaner growth the following year. To
know what We want is the point to be sure
of before we commence to cut tree.
The street trees of Philadelphia are
pruncd in a way that produces the very
,v,nov;to nf xxbof &c loc;,oI Tho t,onc
are generally poplars, naples and similar
desire is to dwarf them. Some one with
hatchct and SAW is called in, who speed
ildy dwarfs the tree by saving it almost
to the ground. The tree makes a some
what weaker growth the next year, but
the pruner thinks it neetls sharpening and
cuts again the next winter, and a season
or two of this treatment gives the owner
half-lead stump in front Of his house.
The mistake is that q tree growing too
tall was planted, and that it was not
pruned every summer to keep it dwarf
and bushy. Summer pruning takes but
little of the growth of the tree away. and
in this way there is no injury to the Vi
tality Ofsa tree. Repeated pruning of a
tree weakens and kills it. This is not
usually thought of, but it is nevertheless
fact that every branch removed from a
tree is a blow to it's vitality. Every green
house lad knows that the geranium which
is repeatedly cut for cuttings dies and in
the same way the tree that is repeatedly
pruned dies. This knowledge is turned
to good account by practical fruit grow
crs.
80 long as fruit tree is growing strong
ly it seldom bears well. 1t is only when
it attains some size and maturity com
mences that it begins to fruit. To take
away from tree or plant some of its
growing forces, is to make it flower and
fruit. This knowledge gave rise to the
practice Of root pruning to produce fruit,
and being founded on natural laws it has
proven successful. A tee that seems in
full vigor, making a strong growth with
healthy leaves, showing nothing ails it.
can be generally thrown into bearing by a
pruning of the roots. 1t is often practiced
and is generally successful. Some are sat
isfied with thrusting a spade down here
and there around the tree, but this is too
risky, as more roots may be cut Off than
desirable. The best way is to dig trench
on Onn side Of the free cuttinr off . feu, of