Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-20

SINCE our connection with the FOrt
Worth GAZETTE we have had several
letters from parties III Texas stating that
there was something the matter with
their fruit trees-thev made q mBCnit =
cent growth in each season, but bore 10
fruit. In every case we answered the
letters personally, giving eur opinion in
the premises, but keeping the letters out
of our "Questiou department for the
reason, as stated In our personal re-
plies, that we were net entirely satisfied
in cur own mind Gs 20 what was the
matter. We now have before US an
article in the Practical Farmer which
probably covers the case, and we shall
give its substance as a sweeping reply.
The writer states that in ali fruits too
great u growth of wood cuts off fruitful
ness. III such case. where fruit is de-
sired, the pruning art must he brough !.
into action. One may work on either the
branches or the roots, or even on both If
thought necessary. 1t must te under
stood that when tree is growing fast it
will not fruit. To check the growth is q
step towards fruiting, and this is what
pruning is for, TO a great extent. 4 tree
in rich ground will grow larger and be
longer coming into bearing than one in
poor soil. This is why, with the same
variety of trees, one man may have fruit
from his tree long before his neighbor
has any, even though each should be re-
sorting to precisely the sane character of
management and culture-the soil Of the
two places are not identical in point of
richness. There is no good sense in long
waiting for tree to bear fruit after IL
has attained to the regular bearing age.
II it does not bear promptly there is
something the matter, and our plain
duty lies in finding out what the trouble
is and applying the correct remedy. That
remedy i'll vigorously growing trees will
usually rest III 4 check or growth, and
this can always be best reached through
pruning. Root pruning is apt to be the
best remedy. The earth should be dug
away unit. some of the larger roots are
exposed. and these should be chopped
away. Not many roots need be cut
away-two or three will check the wood
growth for one season. Heavy root
pruning might throw the tree into
decline.
Slight root pruning performed in fall
or late in summer seldom fails to cause
flower buds 20 set and to open the next
spring, and to be followed by develop
meat of fruit in a fruit season. In most
cases the fruit buds will set anyway,
even should there be no pruning, and
the flowers will open all right the next
spring, but when the vigorous and I'M
checked tree starts off on the spring
growth the fruit will be starved and Will
soon fall as result. 1t will probably
fall before attaining TO q size sufficient 10
be noticeable on the tree.
sometimes summer pruning OF the
branches will have the same effect. The
cutting off of the ends of growing shoots
ia done while the sap is still active, and
where cut, flower buds will often form.
This way will do where some fruit is
looked for to test a sort, but it is, some
times, at the expense of the shape of the
tree, and is not to be recommended as so
good a way as that OF root pruning.
Too great q formation OF wood is not
an uncommon thing with fruit trees in
Texas, especially if those trees were OBJ
tanned from some distant nursery located
in a region of naturally poorer land than
ours. On this account Texas grown
nursery trees are invariably the safest
trees to risk. They are naturalized to
pecuiiarlties OF Texas soils and therefore
ara not near so spt to start off with an
unnatural wood growth when trans planted
to where they are TO stay.