Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-10-04
Typical Facts About South
ern California Farms.
A Valuable Paper on Proper
Tree Pruning.
Information Cleaned ON a Variety
of Farm Topics.
n. o. Clarks Paper Read at the Pomo-
logical sOciety's Meeting.
other Items and News
Notes.

At buC luCCbtlS Va bAAO NOOOASAA Val
fornia Pathological society at Pasadena
on Thursday, Mr.. B. o. Clark, of this
city, read paper on tree pruning,
which was in substance as follows
| would commence at the nursery by
selecting good medium-growth buds of
one years growth, in preference to
older ones, those that have developed
side branches or that have not had
them trimmed off closely would prefer.
Trim off all broken roots and your trees
are ready for planting. After this has
been done properly, cut your trees down
to from sixteen to eighteen inches from
the ground, or lower, but never higher.
Make a slanting cut, leaving a good
prominent bud on the longer side OF the
cut. If there are any well
developed branches on the stock
after the top has been cut off, shorten
these back to the first bud next the
body Of the tree on the upper side. All
ter your trees have made from six
inches to one foot of growth, remove all
the branches except those you wish to
form the future top; generally from
three to five should be left, and If any
of these are growing very much in ad-
vance of the others, pinch off the ends,
which will check them and thus equal
ize the growth and preserve the SYM
metry of the trees. This, with the re-
moval of all suckers or sprouts OCCASION
ally, is ali the pruning needed during
the first years growth.
The second year cut back all the
branches about two-thirds OF the pre-
vious seasons growth, while they are
dormant in the spring, leaving the
lower limbs little longer than those
above. If the trees are of spreading
habit, as the apricot and peach, cut
with bud on the upper or inner side.
If on an upright compact growth,
as the pear, and some kinds
of apples and plums, cut with the
bud on the outer or lower side OF the
limb. Always make slanting cut with
the longest side (where the knife comes
Quit toward the bud. The manner of
cutting off branch is Of the utmost i'm
portance, as simple as it may seem, as
with sloping cut as above mentioned
the terminal bud will start to grow more
vigorously and maintain growth in adj
vance OF the succeeding buds below 1T on
the branch, thus maintaining the sym
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cause cool, healthy, lateral growth !;
while the square cut will produce a
bushy terminal growth or "broom top"
SO undesirable in producing symmet-
rical tree, and in few years the out
ward surface OF the tree will present a
hedge-like appearance.
During the second summer your trees
will make vigorous growth, and any
rampant growth should be checked by
pinching off the ends of the young shoots
If necessary to maintain the symmetry
OF the tree. Allwater sprouts should be
removed.
The third and following years your
trees will require shortening" in about
one-third to one-half of the previous
season growth, all interlacing branches
should be removed and the lateral
growths should be shortened in at least
one-half, causing fruit spurs to develop
along the entire length OF the limbs.
Never cut out these small branches,
unless they have served their purpose
and show they are on the decline and
are ready for removal. Also remove
any branches which have grown out on
the lower sides of the main limbs,
dropping down in the way of proper
cultivation.
Ii the foregoing instructions are
carried out carefully, you should
have an orchard the main limbs
of which will stand at an angle
of about forty-fve degrees to
the trunk of the tree, which will
allow the free use of pillow and cultivator
as close to the body as there is any occa-
sion to use these implements and with
less rick of injuring the tree than by the
\ - l.. ~h ~ io
established fact that high pruned trees
make horizontal growth of branches,
which are not as able to support their
weight OF fruit and foliage when they
come into bearing as the tree with the
branches radiating at an upward angle.
Consequently they break and bend down
ward in the way OF the pillow or culti-
,vator. also causing great loss in the
bearing surface of the tree each year.
To recapitulate, the low pruning of
fruit trees has the following great adj
vantages over the old method Of high
pruning:
First-There is no danger OF the trunk
and larger limbs becoming sunburned
and infested with borers, which will IN
time destroy the usefulness OF the tree
If not kill it.
Second-The fruit is nearer the
ground, not requiring so much labor, a
saving OF 50 per cent. in the cost OF har-
Vesting the crop.
Third-The lower branches are the
Oldest, and produce fruit first. Ii cut
away to raise the head Of the tree it
does not come into bearing as soon.
Fourth-A low-branched tree will fur
nish the largest bearing surface In
given time. It will always be the larg-
est tree at a given age.
Fifth-It is less at the mercy OF winds,
not co likely to have its branches
broken. and will never blow over.
Sixth-When the outward inclined
branches OF the main limbs are
trimmed off as they should be, the pillow
and cr1itivator can work as close to the
tree as is possible under any other
method of pruning.
geventh-The low branched system OF
nrnning has the support OF the largest
and most successful fruit growers OF the
atafe ali of whom are converts from the
old method.
Eighth-High and improper pruning
has been the cause Of more loss and
disappointment to fruit growers OF
California than any other one cause.
THoMPsoN's sERDLEss GRAPES,
The Thompson seedless grape is at
tracing good deal Of attention among
ff,e viticulturists OF late. IT what is SAID