The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-15
Pruning.

Pruning is one of the skilled arts OIL
the orchard. 1t is the most important
part of the culture Of fruit tree. II
begins with its first planting and does
not end until the tree is dead or as bad
as dead. And thus beginning and going
all through the life of the tree, it is
now timely subject for consideration.
We will begin with the tree newly
planted or one that is but two or three
years transplanted, and, as we have be-
fore mentioned, we will 90 back to the
first principles involved in the work.
When we examine the point of branch
of young tree we find there q strong
bud, from which q vigorous new growth
always starts, prOlonging the branch
unduly. The vegetative vigor of the
tree concentrates in these terminal buds,
and unless it is checked all the buds be-
low it remain dormant or merely throw
out each a single leaf. If this growth
is continued for few years there will
be number of long, slender, weak
branches hardly able to support their
own weight. To prevent this, these
young shoots, or in a younger tree the
main stem, must be cut back One-third
or one-half the length to a strong bud
on the outside of the branch. The
whole strength of the sap will then be
directed to these buds that are previ-
ously dormant, and which are thus ex-
cited TO new growth. They then pro-
duce new wood and leaves, and send
new layers of woody fibre to the stem.
which thus increases rapidly in dame
ter, so that by the time the branches
have reached their former length the
stem and the lower parts of the branches
have been considerably strengthened.
The leaf buds are also forced by the
larger supply of sap to develop into
fruit buds, in still older trees, and thus
fruitfulness is FASTENED by directing the
sap from the production of wood to that
of fruit. This same result is produced
upon any weak branches whose growth
has been checked by the exhaustive
flow of sap to the stronger ones, and by
cutting these back the current is d.
verted to the weaker parts, and the
balance of the whole of the tree is
equalized.
Sometimes young trees are stunted
and make very slow growth, the sap
vessels becoming contracted and the
whole tree appearing dormant. BY
pruning back such trees the whole force
of the sap is concentrated in the few
buds left; these are stimulated into
active new growth, and throw out leaves
and vigorous young shoots, and these
in turn send down new woody matter to
the stem. and to form new roots, and in
this way the whole tree is renewed and
invigorated.
Pruning of young trees may also be
controlled very much by pinching, and
the tree-grower will be able to greatly
change the direction of growth by
pinching off the buds and young. tender
shoots that are forming in undesirable
places, and thus force the growth
where it will be more serviceable. In
this way much after use of the knife
will be avoided. Some trees are tardy
bearers, and are naturally given to
producing wood and leaves in great
profusion. This is unfavorable to the
production of fruit. In regard to this
point the time of pruning is as i'm
portant as the manner, for it is only
after vegetation has begun that this
change in the direction of the sap can
be made, and when tree is severely
pruned Just after the leaves have been
put forth the formation of wood is pre-
vented, the tree is checked, and those
buds which would have made new
shoots are stunted in their growth and
take the form of fruit spurs. On the
other hand, some trees are too profuse
bearers and become covered with fruit
spurs, which produce bloom and fruit
and exhaust the vitality of the tree so that
it fails to make new shoots and leaves apd
adds to its woody substance. This evil
is avoided by pruning to stimulate wood
growth, which is by cutting back early
in the season and before the leaves APP
pear, so as to force the buds to make
new wood. Thus the cultivator of an
orchard has it in his power to train his
trees from the very first, to form their
shape, to direct their growth, to pre-
vent waste of vital force and substance |
by avoiding unnecessary production of
some and to stimulate fruit-bearing |
wood, to check exhaustive fruit-bearing |
IN other kinds, and all his work is done |
by virtue of the simple principles here !
set forth. When these are understood |
a simple study of a tree will be suffi-
cient guide to the kind of work that
needs to be done.-Renru Stewart, in N. |
Y. Times.