Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-06-19
served, ore never troubled with vcrmin
Farm, Field and .Stockman.
PRUNING SHRUBS.

Ideas regarding the proper pruning o.
shrubbery have changed considerably
among landscape workers during the
past few years. For long time the
doctrine to "cut back" was 70 success.
July preached that most suburban and
country places had show of round
headed bushes as near alike US knife and
pruning shears could make them. While
close pruning benefits some kinds and
must be adhered to where space has to
be economical, and close, compact forms
are wanted, us in the case of dwarf ever
greens, catalpas, and others, the true
way is to study the nature and growth
OF each species, and trim accordingly.
| All shrubs should not be trimmed at the
same time. Those that bloom on last
years wood like tho lilacs, forsythias,
nowering currants, azaleas, and most
kinds that bloom early in the spring
should not be pruned until after flower
ing, II we want bloom. Much disaD-
pointment has resulted from disregard
OF this by persons who believed they
were taking the best care Of their shub-
berry in having the blooming wood annu-
ally cut away. A good rule is to prune
almost all shrubs just after their flower.
ing, but very late blooming kinds, like
the altheas, had better be left for the
spring pruning as they need their foliage
10 perfect their growth during late sum
mer; and, for those Towering upon wood
OF the same seasons growth vigorous
spring pruning is beneficial. Trimming
too late In the season induces a growth
that does not ripen and becomes winter
Killed. Rules cannot be made that will
answer in all cases, but it is safe to say.
prune those that flower on the same sea
sons wood before growth commences in
spring, and others soon after towering.
EverSrecns, and most dcciduous shrubs
that are cultivated for their foliage or
form alone, are best shaped by pinchinp
or cutting off the ends of superfluous
twigs just after they start in spring. 1t
Is true most OF. them will stund trimming
later but what is then cut away is lost.
while earlier attention would direct the
growth where it was wanted. The great
est shrub fancicrs work over their pets
more or less all the season and carefully
attend to their various requirements.
However delightful an occupation this
may be, most of us cannot devote as
much time to it. Two prunings a year
give most successful results in practice
and take no more of our time than if we
trimmed everything at once. Let us
time them so us to give good cutting
early in the spring before growth com.
mences, when we will cut back eyerv
thing that blooms on new wood, and clear
away all dead and weak growths, care
fully leaving all the flower buds we want
when they were formed the previous sea-
son. After the season OF most abundant
bloom we had better work over them
again, cutting back and shaping them for
another season, correcting hayward and
struggling shoots and tidying up gener-
ally. We shall be rewarded by iuxuriant
and abundant foliage the rest of the sea-
son if the shrubs are healthy, and lay the
foundation for an increase Of flowers the
next season. Rhododcndrons and few
other plants require little care excepting
TO remove the seed vessels, which will
induce them to form flower buds for next
year. a study of the beauty of the
natural growth of shrubs and how to de-
velop it serves as the best guide in shap.
ing them. Notifications will have to be
made according to position and circum-
stances, and of course any artificial forms,
made by grating or otherwise, will re-
quire special Observation-Disclosures -11ri.
culturiSt.