The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-02-21
farm aud 6arden.
SeaSonable Hints.

theoretically, trees should not be
pruned before severe cold weather is
past, as it is supposed that the fresh
wounds do not heal readily during freez-
ing temperature, causing disease and de-
cay. Practical orchardists and nursery
men, however, pay little attention to this
precept, and "prune when the knife is
sharp, as the old adage says. We have
pruned great number of trees, old and
young, during mild January and Feb
ruary days, without having found any in
furious effects to follow.
Pruning Fruit TreeS.-There is no
operation connected with fruit growing
about which there exists so much misap,
prehension and diversity of opinion as
about pruning. Many prune too much,
others too little, and very few Just right.
Every owner of fruit-trees should under
stand the object and principles of prun-
ing, so that, if he does not do the work
himself, he may direct and supervise
those who do it for him. Ordinary hired
men, competent to prune trees and vines
Judiciously, are exceedingly scarce; and
in many cases the trees and their pro-
prietor would derive more benefit by
paying the primers for staying away,
rather than to admit them to the grounds
and permit their mutilations. We have
seen so-called professionals" divest
strong, thrifty pear trees of nearly every
one of their fruit-spurs which had been
many years in forming. They were igno-
rant of the fact that trees required bear
ing-buds to produce fruit. PRUNING,
without thorough understanding of its
objects and purposes, is like blind
man s-bluff, you may hit the right
one, but generally it is the other way.
old Trees which have remained un-
cared-for during many years, and pre-
sent dense, lncongruous mass of dead
and living branches, have to be handled
with considerable caution. 1t will not
do to cut out all the badly placed and
superfuous branches the first year. All
dead wood should be removed at once
but to remodel an old tree completely re-
qulres several years, cutting out an
nually only the most crowding and i'll
shaped limbs. In the majority of cases.
old orchards need manuring more than
pruning. Although old trees may some
times be renovated and brought back to
II uAIl ulnOSoi GAe WlSeSU pan TO pursue
for those who have declining orchards is
to plant young trees, and with these to
be sure to start right from the beginning.
Young Trees are pruned with view
to divert the sap from the end of the
terminal branches and direct its flow to
the weaker side-buds, so as to produce a
well-proportioned, symmetrically-shaped
form. At a height of four to six feet
from the ground, according to the de-
sired length Of the body, the main stem
is cut off, and three equally diverging
buds are allowed to grow, while ali
others are rubbed off. The following
year the three shoots of the previous
seasons growth, which are to form the
framework of the top, are cut back to
about one-half, directly above point
where there are two side-wise diverging
buds. The following years a uniform
growth Of these six branches should be
maintained and the side branches thinned
out so as to produce an open and we'll
balanced vase-shaped head.-Ame,7can
Garden.