Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-01-08


inches Of the ground. Cut all branches
off--pot smooth with the trunk, put
leaving a very short stub-just the puiBe
or base Of the branch. This Is 70 secure
the more healthy buds which put forsh
pear the base OF the old branch. You
will he much more certain to secure
good. healthy branches in this way then
1ou will 10 cut smoothly. Allow hye or !
~ ~ these healthisst branches to grow,
sas;n q that the head is properly bal
.ncsd Do not grow them too near to- |
ether at the top OF the trunk, but dis |
,srce them within ten inches Of the top. |
psr,ove all other branches within this |
distance with your hands while they are
ou;ts Young. All branches below the |
head should be allowed TO grow about |
six inches long, then pinch out the bud,
allowing the foliage to remain. This |
protects the trunk until the head is |
large enough to do this, when these |
small branches must be cut of. You
should allow the four, FIVE or six
branches which form the top to grow
uninterruptedly the first season. The
following winter cut these branches of
within ten or twelve inches Of the trunk,
being careful to cut Just above q series
of healthy buds If the tree is an up
right grower cut to an outside bud, but
| if spreading grower cut to an inside
bud. At all times have an eye TO the
protection OF the tree from southwest
winds and sun. The second season al
low two or three branches to grow from
each one Of the parent branches. fon
thus have a handsome, symmetrical tree.
and your after pruning is suggested py
the foregoing. When branches pegin 70
decline they should be removed. And
after the tree begins to bear the pruning
should be mach more sparingly done, If
fruit Is the object A few general prin-
ciples Is all that can be given in an arti-
Gle Of this kind, which / hereby lay
down.
First-Closs pruning, when the tree
| is dormant, induces tree growth. Hence,
if your tree is feeble or has not grown
as well as you wished. trim 1t closely in
the winter season, always eating just
above healthy buds.
Second-A severe shock to the tree
either top or rockville the sap Is
flowing freely, causes the tree to throw
ou] fruit spurs and buds for the next
season. This is from the fact that the
law of nature 10 reproduction and tne
shock causes the tree to act thus upon
the principal that this will be its last
chance for reproduction. Pruning while
the tree Is in bloom causes that crop OF
fruit to set, upon the same principal.
And likewise deep piowing-which is q
system Of root pruning-has the same
effect. do caution fruit raisers upon
this point, however, for it is this motto
that has caused many Of the young trees
In this country to bear far beyond their
capacity. thereby injuring the young
tree.
Third-when tree growth Is desired,
prune while the tree Is dormant, and
when fruit is desired. pruns sparingiy
and when the sap is flowing.
Fourth--For plume, prunss and april
cots, leave all the ANAL spurs growing
near the trunk on young tress as well as
old, for these are they which bear the
fruit. "Head in" well from the outside
which tends TO fally develop these
spurs, and also strengthens the tree.
and causes the fruit to bear near the
trunk.
Fifth-Apples. peaches and pears are
inclined to bear nearer the tips and
young trees should be well headed In, in
the winter season, both to give the tree
symmetry and strength. and also TO in
duce q more vigorous wood growth and
prevent q premature bearing Of fruit,
which Is too much the case in this eli
mate.
Sixth--The principal is different in
citrus trees. The fruit and foliage are
both born at the extremities Of the
branches, hence never s'head in"
citrus tree, but as the tree develops cut
out from the inside all dead branches
and those which nature indicates are
past usefulness, ct no time making an
Questionable window or opening
through the umbrella-like foliage. After
. small branch has bore fruit. there is
another branch putting forth below this
one which overreaches it and which
will besr fruit in the future. Nature
thus prunes the old branches, but
should be aided by the husbandman's
knife.
Sevcnth-Ata all times remove all dead
branches and branches that interfere.
This should be done by making the cut
smooth, which will more readily heal.
Eighth-The best time for pruning Is
immediately after the tree has she'd its
leaves in winter, which Is the last OF
December or In january. This is with
deciduous trees. For citrus trees any
time is good while the tree is dormant
4 Nintb-The best tools for pruning are
|, saw, working on q swivel and with
spring back similar to butchers saw.
only set to cut ss you pull towards you.
and pair of first clans 9-inch pruning
shears: also q light ehisel and mallet for
smoothing rough cuts.
RENovArfNG ORCHARDS.
On this subject no rules of definite
action can be laid down, except perhaps
J on the subject Of killing scale bugs and
other insects. 80 different are the con-
ditions of neglected or diseased orchards
J that what would be needed in one
would be entirely improper in another.
} Then, also, fruit-raisers who planted or
J chards ten, twelve or fifteen years ago
were experimenters and made many
. mistakes, whereby they now have or
chards of varieties which need rsnovst-
! ing BY thoroughly uprooting and plant
} ing to different varieties suitable to their
soIl and locality. Likewise they planted
be unattr active and inconvenient. Many
orchards, and vineyards, too, were
. planted many years ago by the Span
\ f4fu1t VINO Woic tBuotohs " VIC NJ ~
. principles Of fruit culture, and now the
& trees and vines are In such a condition
( that no one can make oomsly home on
such property. Hence the consistent
. method of digging the thing entirely
+ out and replanting. While this method
. In many cases Of neglected and diseased
( orchards would be the best to advise,
{ vet there are few general principles
: that may greatly improve the condition
I of the orchard
VI First--Close pruning induces wood
9 growth, and can be employed TO great
1 advantage in renovating an orchard
+ which has been neglected in cultivation
e and irrigation. II the roots are sup
: posed to be healthy but the top dwarfed
. the pruning should be very ciose--ss in
i many cases on young trees, four or i've
I years oId--the entire top should be cut
i of and new top formed within eight
9 cen inches of the ground.
e 1t was the custom in my native place
. to cut the peach orchards down when
l. they were twelve or fifteen years old
o and allow . new tree to form from the
y principal sprout from the old root. This
would make very healthy and vigor'
l. GUS tree and would mature much quicker
b than q young tree Just from the nur
70 sery. My father thus renovated hii
peach orchard the second time and the
Is old roots continued to support hearing
a trees for over thirty years. Sometimes
sprout was allowed to grow TO tire.
% before the old one was cut down.
ie have seen no experiments Of this kint
q here and hence cannot recommend II
. Again, If young orchard has been al
u lowed to bear too heavily. which is eftel
II the case. and injury is the result. / d
y not hesitate to say in this case the onl]
ID method Of renovation il to cut back
4 form new head to the tree, Undue,
10 wood growth and discourage fruit-besr
ing.