The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-07-28

TREES IN SUMMER TIME.-Time is
always precious on farm. All hands
seem to have work awaiting their atten-
tion. From this cause, as well rs
others, work does not always get pro-
perly finished. II it is thought that "it
will do" many minor matters are let go
undone. Thus in planting trees, the
tree may be properly planted, but the
little matters afterwards, which do so
much to make the planting success,
are unthought of. Unless trees are re-
planted with all the roots they have
which they seldom are, they need to be
kept cool and moist for season at
least. A great many trees are lost
every year by not getting roots enough
to begin with, and not heading in
enough when setting them out; and
then prehaps forgetting to place stones
around the tree to keep it in place. and
mulch to hold moisture, and then again
hilling up around the tree, when the
ground should be little lower near the
tree in order to hold the rain and mois-
ture that fall. 1t is safe to say that
thousands of trees are lost every year
for want of care and good judgement
in setting Better take little more
time and see that the earth is well
packed under the centre of the tree,
and the time afterwards to place
mulch or hay or coarse manure around
them to pass them safely through the
season.
SUMMER PRUNING TREEs.-There is
great advantage in summer pruning
over that of winter or spring. as has
been shown before in our columns. In
the spring time, or the growing season,
the finger and thumb can do all the
pruning necessary. 1t does what the
saw and knife has to do later on. The
tree is easily brought into shape by
nipping off shoot or pulling one off
here and there. Fifteen minutes is as
good as an hour in the winter time.
1t seems that very many fruit growers
fail to appreciate the great advantages
of finger pruning. Pinching the young
and growing shoots has long been prac-
ticed as means of promoting growth
and shape of trees. French horticul-
turists long ago demonstrated its entire
practicability in the formation of beau
tiful trees. Barry and others in this
country have often called attention to
its great Importance, but yet the pro-
fessional fruit grower, as well as the
laity, seem to have overlooked its ad-
vantages to great extent. If sum-
mer pruning were more general, there
would be fewer half dead orchards and
shade trees than there now are.
ANNUAL CROPS OF FRuIr.-The man
who has large orchard, in time finds
his trees bearing every other year, 1t
may be that cold storm causes the
loss of all blossoms one year, thus throw
ing all the trees into bearing the next
year. The fruit trees are partly ex-
hausted by their fruiting, and do not
bear the season following as a conse-
quence. If any one would take the
trouble to take off all but moderate
lot of the young fruit as soon as set in
the spring, the trees would, no doubt,
bear well the following year. By shear
ing off all the blossoms, or the young
fruit when no larger than cherries, the
bearing year has been changed on
young trees. While the orchard is
coming into bearing, the change is
easily affected, and the labor is not
great. 1t would be too expensive and
laborious on old trees; the change on
these is more difficult, and the labor is
wasted. Sheep shears are the most
convenient for the work Knockino
the young apples off with poles bruises
the trees. 1t would be worth while to
try the experiment of removing the
young crop when in blossom, aud also
after the fruit has set, and observe
which answers the desired purpose best
One thing must bekept in mind, that a
tree loaded down with fruit cannot be
expected to bear crop the following
year. Tribune & Farmer.