The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-01-15
WINTER PRUNING.

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Object in View, He Had Better Omit It
Altogether.
More pruning is done in winter than
at any other season, not that the colder
months are preferable, but because the
farmer can usually spare the time bet
ter. The two best seasons for pruning
all kinds of fruit and ornamental trees
are winter or midsummer. The winter
has some advantages, especially with
fruit and deciduous ornamental trees,
for at that season, when there is no
foliage to hide the branches. every part
Of the head of the tree is exposed to
view, and it is easy to determine how
much should be removed to admit light
and air to all parts of trees that are in
clined to produce a great number OF
branches.
In pruning the operator should look
well at the general habit and character
istics of each specimen, for some varie-
ties will require thinning out, while
others will need to be headed back for
he purpose of forcing a greater number
of lateral branches. Then it is we'll to
see that the head is well balanced, and
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left to grow on one side than on
another. If the trees are young
and growing vigorously, very little
pruning should be done, for severe
pruning only tends to promote rapid
growth, which had better be deferred
until the tree has been checked by a
few crops of fruit. Of course, if the
tree is not well balanced, or the branches
cross each other, and are otherwise be-
coming distorted, the pruning knife and
saw should be used to put the head into
proper form. By allowing trees to grow
freely and unchecked, merely cutting
away unruly branches, they are more
likely to come into bearing early thar
if severely pruned every year. 1t may
seem somewhat anomalous to say that
weak-growing trees, and especially
those that produce numbers of slender
branches, require more pruning than
| the stronger growers; but it is a fact
nevertheless, for by thinning out and
heading back we reduce the number of
branches and increase the strength of
those that remain.
Pruning, when properly performed, is
an operation that is more or less bene-
fetal to all kinds of trees and shrubs.
By pruning we not only bring the plant
into a better form, but we can in a great
measure control its vital forces, dis
tributing them through all it's various
ramifications, and giving each fruit Or
flower its due proportion. The great
secret of proper pruning consists in
knowing the nature of the subject to be
operated upon, the future use of each
shoot and branch, and how to provide
for circumstances hat may arise to
interfere with the particular plan laid
down at the beginning. Only a few
general rules can be given to guide the
inexperienced in such. matters, as the
particular treatment necessary for each
tree or shrub or part thereof must be
decided at the time the operation is be-
ing performed.
When a tree has been well furnished
with a proper supply of branches, care
should be taken to keep them free from
all superf1uous shoots, as they will often
throw out more than are needed. The
small shoots, when they first appear,
may not seem to be any too close to-
gether, but it should be borne in mind
that they will not only increase in size,
but in time will produce more or fewer
side shoots or branches, which will rap
idly fill up the space between them,
causing such an intricacy of small spray
that all will be prevented from making
a healthy growth. Some kinds of fruit
trees, like the apple, pear, plum and
cherry produce their fruit principally on
spurs of one or two inches in length,
which grow from the old or at least well
established branches. These spurs, if
not injured or broken off, will continue
in bearing many years, so that when we
have secured a proper number of main
branches regularly arranged, only SO
much pruning will be required in after
years as is necessary to keep the new
branches from coming in contact, OF
any particular one from taking the lead
of its neighbor, and thereby drawing to
itself more than its proper share OF
food. Trees of the kinds named, when
trained IS dwarfs, require constant
shortening of their branches as well as
thinning out, in order to keep them
within proper bounds, as well as tc
promote fruitfulness.
The peach, apricot and nectarine
produce their fruit mostly on one-year
old wood, and it is therefore necessary
to prune them in such a manner that Z
general supply of good bearing shoots
will be annually produced. This il
readily accomplished by cutting bach
the main or bearing shoots every veal
almost any time during the winter
months, or by carefully thinning our
during the summer the smaller anC
slender branches that are not needed
The cherry tree, however, should never
be pruned except when it is ABSOLUTELY
necessary, for it is one of the few hardy
fruit trees that are said to dislike the
pruning knife. When it is necessary tt
prune them it had better be done il
winter than in summer, for the reason
that the exposed wood becomes some
what seasoned before the flow of sap il
spring commences.
Pruning in spring, at or about thu
: time trees commence growth, shoul'
never be practiced, except on those tina
are being transplanted, for when tn
roots have been disturbed there is n,
danger of sap flowing from the wound
made in pruning. But with trees tina
f are disturbed it is quite different, and
any kind are made upon the stems o
= them, attracting nOXious insects, or tn
t which will prevent the rapid healing O
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the exposed wood, or covering tn
: wounds with wax, OF some similar ma
4 terial, decay may be prevented, but it i
better to prune earlier in winter; other
: wise delay these operations until tn
$ trees are in full leaf in ummer.
For general pruning of hardy tree
:. the winter months may be chosen. bu
t it can scarcely be said that trees ant
e shrubs require pruning only once a yea1
s for one pruning may create a necessit
for a second, and circumstances ma
=, arise that will render it necessary t
prune several times during the summer
n and if a plant needs it, it should be done
Summer pruning, as a rule, has for it