The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-19
FARM And ORCHARD.
Summer Pruning---Its Objects and
Its Best Results.

California VS.. Foreign Fruit-Preserv-
ing Manure-Eggs in winter-How
to Fatten notwithstanding Eggs
Recipe for Cooking Dried Fruit
Sound misunderstanding Corn
California Potatoes-Miscellaneo
Items.
Intelligent pruning is one of the most
important points of a garden and orch
ard practice, and when judiciously pruned
a tree or shrub can be made to work
wonders. Pruning in the garden is for
two-fold object-to give beauty and shape
20 the shrub and trees, and to increase
their fruit and foliage. The FIST depends
upon the taste and inclinations of the
owner, but the latter are subject to the
immutable laws of nature. Too much
pruning will rob the growths of their
strength and vitality, and too little pru-
ming will probably permit them to over
grow in useless shoots and wood. Ignor-
ant pruning will kill; intelligent pruning
will give life.
If shrubs and trees are pruned for flow
ers and foliage, summer pruning is good
practice, for then all the surplus wood
and suckers can be cut out. Wounds
which are cut clean in midsummer Will
heal more quickly than those made IN
frosty weather. Naples, birches, yellow
wood and many other trees bleed copi-
ously when their branches are cut when
in full leaf. Where there is an extensive
collection of shrubs and trees constant at
tention, and it may be constant pruning,
will be required. This is especially true
where tender and coarse growing plants
are growing together, or the latter VIII
soon kill the tender ones by their great
growth. The true way TO prune shrubs
is to give a thorough, intelligent pruning
at the outset, and then the stronger shoots
should be pinched back with the thumb
every summer. This will hasten the
growth of the Towering buds, and it will
also ripen up the wood and leave 1t IN
good condition to stand the cold of Win
ter. Trees that are naturally tender can
often be found comparatively hardy by
this summer pinching process. This is
especially true in wet seasons, when the
branches continue to grow until the frost
kills them.
In the fruit orchard the same principle
holds, and many of the tender truit trees
could be hardened a great deal by more
of this summer pruning with The thumb
and finger. Another advantage is OBJ
tanned in this way: If the new growth Is
stopped once or twice in the summer on
young trees, the apples, peaches, plums,
1ilberts and many others can be made to
To produce large quantities OF fruit when
very small. Peach trees five or six feet
high viii produce loads of peaches SIM
ply as a result of this summer pinching
back. If the trees are growing vigorously
all Of the strength and vitality OF the
growth goes to form new wood and
foliage, while the flower buds suffer. The
summer pinching checks flow of sap, and
it causes the buds to be developed.
A great many of our fruit trees ripen
their fruit when ali of the strong shoots
above the fruit are stopped by pinching,
and this'is another point which is Of great
advantage TO young trees. The size OF
the trees in the end may be permanently
dwarfed by this process, II carried on to
any extent, but this loss Of size Is more
than compensated for by the superior
hardness and toughness OF the wood, and
the superior quality and quantity of the
fruit. Size in fruit trees is not always
desirable, for too often nothing more
than that comes with 1t. The true way
to train the young fruit trees is to begin
with them early, and see that all of The
wood formed is good, solid, substantial
and useful. Keep up the process of ripen'
fng all of the new growth every season
and a grove of fine fruit trees will soon
be produced. In short, summer pruning
and pinching back are Indispensable, fol
they give new vigor and nourishment tC
the trees and shrubs.-S. w. G. in Wis.
consin Agriculturist.
CALIFORNIA VS.. FOREIGN FRUIT.
Trade in foreign fruit appears to bt
gradually leSSening, says the New ORR
Commercial Bulletin, the competition o
domestic having been so sharp the pas
season that the importers have become
really discouraged with their experience
of the past six months, and also the IN.
ture outlook. California will undoubt.
eddy go on increasing its output, anC
will push experiments into lines that are
not as yet recognized as the products o
Pacific Coast soil. Raisins and prunes o
California growth have forced their way
into the affections of the people, and art
given the preference, even upon term:
slightly higher than imported of CORE
spending grade. California growers con
fidently expect to become competitors il
other departments OF the trade, and arr
looking forward 10 the time when they
can lay down figs, also walnuts and al
monds, in sufficient quantity and of prim,
quality to attract the attention OF buyers
ana decrease the dependency Of this
country upon foreign products. The
raising of cUrrants on the coast will prob
ably never be accomplished, as a pecu
liar SOIL anu cllIlldle are nbCGSSdTy lOr TIT
production of that class OF goods, and this
soil and climate, it is believed, cannot b,
found outside of Greece. To overcome
this obstacle, however, the enterprisins
Californians are placing upon the West
ern markets the small dried raisins which
in some sections are sold as 'Californi;
currants," and appear to .'fill the bill'
without much objection from the consul
mer, the goods being put up in bags ant
offered at low price.
PRESERVING MANURE.
1t is not often that the farmer finds leis
ure to attend to the manure heap in sum
mer, but at no season of the year is it NOR
important TO watch the heap in order t
prevent the manure from overheating, OF
"fire fanging," as il is styled. The hea
created within the heap, intensified by thu
surrounding temperature, is such as Il
destroy its value entirely, burning il III
as with fire, and in this manner a loss oc
ours that cannot be estimated by any pro
cess.
All manure should be composted il
summer. This does not mean that sucl
absorbent materials as straw or othe
substances used in the stalls should b.
used only, but that the manure should bt
so preserved as to avoid heating eXcep
by gradual process. For this purpcs
nothing is superior TO dry dirt, the rak
ings of the farm, turfs drawn out by TIL
harrow, and even sawdust. Dry dirt j
probably better and cheaper than any
thing else, as it is not only an eXcellen
absorbent but also serves to finely diyid
the manure. Make foundation of dir
and over this throw the fresh manure
adding more dirt as occasion demands
1t will be but short time before quit
q heap will be accumulated. upon whicl
all the urine and soapsuds may be thrown
while peck OF land plaster OCCASIONAL,
will be of assistance. Should the com
most become heated Ii will he Int littl