The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-01-28
An Interesting Paper by 1. O..
Wood.

An Interesting Paper by 1. Q.
Wood.
Moreno Indicator. / came into posses
zion OF lemon grove in June, 1890. II
had then been set six years, and had
very fair care so far as blowing, cultiva-
ton irrigation. etc, was concerned, but
very little pruning. The varieties were
Lisbon. Eureka, Genoa, together with
half a dozen Villa Francas. The party
of whom purchased was finicky sort
OF fellow that believed severely in the let
alone policy; consequently the trees had
been allowed to grow at will. Many OF
the trees were full OF dead, scraggy spurs,
others had suckers, one, two and three
years old that had started out from the
main branches, shooting straight up
through the tree often 10 or more feet
in length, with few branches and leaves
way up on TOP, and often several fruits
in their various stages Of development;
catching every breeze, swaying back
ward aud forward as though the exercise
was necessary for the proper health and
development of the product. | found
on gathering the fruit that had reached
the proper. sizes, the specimens on the
fish pole like branches were, as rule,
rough and irregular in shape, skin thick,
huted and corrugated, and quite gener.
ally seedy, while those that came from
the lighter growth and from the spurs
closer to the larger wood were invariably
smooth skinned. more rounded in shape
and more even in size.
l was told that it would not do to prune
heavily, especially the Eureka and Genos,
because they are outward bearers and
the results of pruning would be to cut off
the bearing wood. The argument seemed
q little feasible, as the Eureka in its
natural habit seems to force its growth
to the extremities, which if let alone,
fails to push the buds along the stems
and finally becomes barren offoliage and
branches except at the ends, which also
accounts for their bearing on the outer
branches except at the ends, and would
seem an argument in favor of not prun-
ing for fear of loss of crop. In the care
of my orchard something had to be
done, as | could not afford to grow hall
culls 80 the first operation was TO ramove
all dry and sickly spurs and
branches, and all fish pole like suckers
that were not needed TO fill up an open
in the tree, and those left were cut back
often three-iourths of the length, so as
to take lower start. Probablya humid
red boxes OF fruit are sacrificed by this
pruning. In early November OF that sea-
son we had a severe wind and sand storm.
Many of the trees on the side toward the
storm were partly denuded of foliage;
then it occurred to me it was good time
to complete the shaping in the way of
pruning. All trees at this time were care
fully gone over a second time and rounded
in many wagon loade of trimmings were
consigned to the brush heap. The fol-
lowing season the trees grew beautifully,
forming fine pyamldal masses; the bios
soming and set OF fruit was comparative
ly light, except on the small branches
and spurs on the inside of the trees;
the trees for the season possibly did not
average more than a box apiece, but it
Was all first-class fruit. Pruning from
that time has been followed up continue
ously but necessarily lighter. confined to
struggling branches and those of too
rampant growth.
Now, what is the result? The fruit
from these trees is uniform in shape
and size, smooth skinned and seedless.
We are not bothered with rough, ir-
regular specimens, or fruit ripening up
tanned. The heavy wood is kept largely
on the inside OF the tree out OF the sun
az much with the Eureka as with the
Lisbon. We have none of the small
yellow fruit to speak of that requires
picking before it reaches the market
size. and there are comparatively speak
ing, no culls or waste as there always
will be where trees are allowed to grow
at will, AS a proof of what aay as to
the frnit produced under this rigid sys-
tenn of pruning, the fruit from this or
chard was shown at the Los Angeles
citrus fair in 1892, and took first prize
on best box of Lisbon and boat box OF
Villa Franco, and second prize on best
box of Genoa. Again at the citrus fair
at Cotton, fruit from the same orchard
took frat prize for best display OF lem
one, also drst prize for best so lemons.
The trees picked the past eeason have
averaged about five boxes each.
Throat Diseases commence with Cough,
Cold or Sore Throat. "BTO1Du's Broncbi0I Tiro.