The National tribune., 1895-08-29
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
Pruning Flowsrinr shrnhs.


One OF the first requisites to successful
pruning is to be able to correctly distinguish
between shrubs which ought % be pruned
In Winter and tlase which ought TO be
pruned in Summer. If mistake be made
IN this connection, effects diametrically the
reverse of those we wish to bring about will
be the inevitable result. Another impOr-
tant requisite TO insure complete success is
that the various kinds OF shrubs be pruned
in the proper season.
Owing. no doubt, to the press ure of work
In the Summertime, the pruning of flower
ing shrubs is too often neglected, and when
ultimately attended to it is, as stated
above, generally left TO persons who. from
lack of knowledge or through carelessuess,
cut away quantity OF wood which, if left
to the following Spring, would produce q
profusion of blossoms
Let us take, for instance, such shrubs as
iorsy thias, yiburnums, exochorda 0randi-
fora, prunuses, many spiIeas weigelas, etc.
which flower in the Spring or early Sum.
mer The proper time 10 prune such shrubg
Is immediately after they have done flower.
ing. III the plant 10 be operated upon be
young and expected to grow larger in order
to fill its place in bed or elsewhere, all
that will be found necessary will be to cut
away part OF the previous years growth.
Special attention viii, of course, have to
be paid TO the balance of the plant, and the
operator must, as far as circumstances viii
permit, strive TO give il natural and grace
full form. 1t the plant has attained the de-
sired size the old shoots can be thinned on,
and cut back to suit the situation and taste
of the parties Immediately concerned, and il
will be found that young shoots will at once
develop and be in the proper condition to
yield an abundance of flowers the ensuing
year.
Aspecimen can thus be kept 10 good shape
and form for many years without any APP
parent change IN Its size. In a mixed shrub
berry this method Is of great advantage as it
limits each plant to its allotted space and
prevents IT from eneroaching on it's neigh
Dor, or 0bscuring from view many Of the
finer but less robust growing shrubs
Many people are under the impression
that such shrubs as hardy azaleas rhodo-
dendrons, etc, cannot be successfully pruned,
but such is by no means the case. have
myself found it quite practicable, by Judi
cious and careful pruning to transform, in
few years tall, gaunt, unshapely plants of
the kind inst named into beautiful and de-
sirable specimens. u
The pruning of this class of shrubs should
also be executed Immediately after they
have done Towering, and it viii be found.
as stated above, that young shoots will at
once develop and be in the proper condition
to yield an abundance of flowers when the
appropriate time arrives
Later Towering shrubs, such as aItheas.
hydrangeas, rObinia hispids, elerodendron.
serotinum, ETC., should be pruned in the
Winter time. Summer pruning would in
deed be highly injurious in this case, for the
simple reason that by cutting away any of
the young growths we would, in most in
stances, be mutilating that part of the shrub
ON which the flowers are produced
Winter pruning is a comparatively more
simple operation than Summer pruning,
from the fact that at this season plants can
be cut back TO almost any part, and in the
Spring young shoots will break away and
produce profusion of blossom at the proper
time
For shrubs having an effect from their
fruit or foliage, such as berberry, eunony-
mus, callicarpa, mahonis, etc., l would rec
ommend Winter pruning If trimmed in
the Summer time il gives them a stunted
appearance, which mars the beauty of their
foliage at time when it shows to the best
advantage and is most appreciated.
1t will be observed that in the foregoing
remarks tne pruning OF towering shrubs is
simply treated in a general manner OF
course 1t goes without saying that 10 would
be almost impossible, and especially in o
short article like the present, to lay down a
hard and fast rule that would apply in all
cases.
The fact is that in order to obtain the best
results each species requires special treat
ment, thorough knowledge Of which can
only be acquired by practice and training.
If, however, the hints given above be at
tended to, laundering in pruning, and the
failure and disappointment consequent
thereon, can, to a very great extent, be
aVerted, and many shrubbery can be trans
formed from chaotic mass into thing OF
beauty-at once pleasing to the eye and an
ornament in the landscape. Gar
deniRg.
Hessian Fly.