The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-09-09
THE FARM AND HOME.
PRINCIPLES OF THE SCIENCE
OF PRUNING.
Impossible to Tell in Print How to
Prune Trees-The Breeds of Geese
horticultural Notes and
Home Hints.
Tho Science Of Pruning.

does not know why the work is to be
done in any special manner. And in
the pruning OF trees and shrubs there
are several things to be considered as
to the various methods practiced as
circumstances may differ And these
are so varied that it is impossible to
lay down any rules that will meet all
cases or that may not be mischievous
when wrongly applied.
The art Of pruning is intended to
change the natural manner OF the
growth of trees or shrubs, so rs to
render them more useful or beautiful
says the London horticultural Times.
The natural growth of tree is to
form sections each of which is the
result OF one years growth. and these
consist Of central stem and diverg-
ent branches preceding from the ter
minal bud of the preceding year
growth. This form is not convenient
for an orchard of fruit trees, or for
towering shrubs which are all more
desirable when they have low
spreading growth on which the fruit
or flowers are borne, And to secure
this form we have to begin with the
young tree and train it into shape and
confine the growth in such a way us
will be most desirable for its special
purpose.
Tn 8 may be done to large extent
by disbudding, or pinching of the
soft young shoots as soon as may be.
In this way large amount of future
work may be avoided. and tho UNI
slightly hacking OF trees which is so
frequently seen and which is so in
furious is prevented. In fact if we
take the trouble, we may do all the
needed pruning in this way. but gem
orally it is more convenient to permit
the wood to grow and shorten or cut
it out when it is small at a cOnven ent
season. which is usually in the spring
1t will be easily realized that to know
how this is to be done, the manner Of
growth of the trees and shrubs is to
be studied, and this may be done
most conveniently and usefully
through the growing season.
1t is impossible to tell in print how
to prune trees because they differ so
much in habit and form that each
case will require special treatment.
Then every one must learn the
principles on which the work de-
ponds and make rules for himself,
and for each tree. Generally there is
sort of fitness of things about trees
that appear to the common sense of
any intelligent person. so that one
may take careful look at tree and
soon conceive what should be done,
having some clear idea of what is
wanted.
And this we learn from ,he knowl-
edge how fruits are grown 10 the best
advantage. A fruit is closely analo-
gous to ~ leaf and it has some of the
functions of leaf It.grows only in
the sunlight 1t Celebrates starch
from the carbonic acid OF the atmOs-
phere as a leaf does, and this only in
the sunlight 1t changes the starch
into sugar under the influence OF the
suns heat and as the season pro.
crosses to its termination tho fruit
ripens and changes color, as the leaf
does, by the decomposition OF the
chlorophyyl or the 'leaf-green," as
this term really means. This result
is such that where the aggregate heat
Of the summer is more than excessive
fruit ripens under this influence so
rapidly that the winter apples and
pears of the north ripen in the au-
tumn in the south thus showing, as
will soon be seen, that the mode Of
pruning changes even as to the lati =
tude, and where the sunlight should
be let into the trees in the north. to
ensure sufficient heat to ripen the
fruit In more southern localities this
heat is to be modified by a more
shaded form OF the tree.
All this being so We have then as
the first idea OF pruning to open the
tree to the light and the sun. keeping
the centre free by lessening the quaint
ity OF wood there. The next idea is
that an excess Of fruit will not only
deteriorate the quality but exhaust
the tree. That it is necessary to keep
the fruit buds In subsection to the leaf
buds for it is the function OF the
leaves TO change the sap into starch.
and distribute the elaborated fOoi
through the tree and on the other
hand it is necessary to prevent any
excess OF leaf bearing wood, and to
encourage the formation of fruit buds
This is done by late pruning by
which a too vigorous growth OF leaf
is checked. and the buds that would
have grown into branches and borne
leaves are turned into Towering buds
and so bear fruit.
The object OF these few observa-
tions is not to explain the whole sub
ject that would be impossible in tho
space available. for it is an extensive
subject but to show how this common
practice OF the fruit grower is based
upon certain scientific principles and
also how it depends upon these prin-
ciples for success In practice. But
One important point should not be
omitted; this is the manner OF prun-
ing some lowering shrubs in regard
10 which mistake Is very commonly
made to the disappointment Of those
concerned Some shrubs have the
habit OF producing flowers on the last
years wosd. and others on wood OF
the spring growth. II must be clear
that If one indiscriminately cuts away
the wood OF both kinds OF shrubs In