The Delta independent., 1896-03-11
FRUIT GROWERS INSTITUTE.
a Well Attended and Very Interesting Gather
ing Of Western sIcps 0rchardisis.

OF the Delta County Fruit Growers
Institute began at the court house and
continued until Friday evening. The
subjects were each handled very ably
and the discussions following them
brought out great deal Of valuable
information.
A number OF these papers will be
published in this and succeeding issues
and the benefits OF the meeting thus er-
tended TO many who were unable 10
attend. At the first session the follow
ing papers were read:
The Pruaing Of Fruii Trees.
Mr.. Chairman and fellow fruit growers:
AS have been, by the committee on
program for this meeting, assigned the
part OF preparing an article on the
Pruning of Fruit Trees" l shall en-
deayor to do the best can. l feel my
incompetency to do the subject justice.
The word pruning in its many and
varied phases covers a great deal OF
ground so to speak. Since there are
many points IN the art which without a
practical demonstration it would be
difficult for me to fully explain.
First The object OF pruning is to
assist nature, not only to torui symetri-
cal head or top but for utility as well,
for the free circulation Of air and sun
light. as both are necessary for the full
development and co!oring OF the fruit
which development and coloring adds
very materially 10 the quality OF the
fruit We can sec an instance o: the
truth OF this fact in tho neglected tree
and its products. II is not more than
three or four years at most until we see
the efforts OF nature to rid the tree of its
surplus twigs aud foliage which have be-
come weakened and debilitated, and
some even dead after the first years
growth, consequently, upon the extend
ing Of the more vigorous growth OF the
msin branches and leaders. We can see
the same effects even in our forest trees
liz the wild uncuitivated condition. we
will see dead aud partially dead branches
on any and all trees that are more than
a AtN ,SdaH eHh-- A.. - AAhk-AND aAkNsAsElL
10 rid the tree Of what has become
superiiuous and useless in branch and
foliage upon the extension OF the leaders
and main lateral branches. And in this
we can assist nature by dulY removing
those dead and partially dead branches
which have in the earlier life OF the tree
served their purpose.
The first experience Of the practical
fruit grower usually begins with tho
,raasplaniing 9! the tree TO the orchard,
say at one 10 three years old, and in
the matter OF pruning at the timo of
Of transplGuting. l am aware that some
growers will not agree with me, as some
claim that it is best not to top prune any
n, time OF setting, but rather than adopt
this method | should cut all branches
and leave only the bare stock topped to
proper height which would be some
what owing TO the size OF the tree, but
should preferably shorten in all latorals
also leader or stem at least two-thirds,
leaving terminal bud on outside OF
branch pruned, then thin ont all branch.
es that may be too close together, not
leaving main luterals nearer together
than five or six inches. allowing them to
divorgo in all directions as near as may
be. never allowing branch to remain
directly above another. Cut out all acute
or sharp forks. This pruning should be
done Immediately after transplanting.
l have tried transplanting without top
pruning, but results have been decidedly
in favor of pruning at time of setting
with the single exception of the cherry,
which would say simply thin out head
il need be and not shorten in.
How can we expect tree shorn of at
least two.thirds of its root system. to
ihus maintain healthy top growth, so
would say. prune top commensurate with
root, ms to the shortening in method,
think it hardly admissible in standard
fruits, except it be young trees OF the
Haas apple or similar growers excepting
the time of transplaniing. or course
this rule would not apply in the dwarf
which should be cut back at least half
to two.thirds annually, always cutting TO
an outside bud. This rule OF pruning to
an outside bud has few rare exceptions
in such as are unusally spreading in
growth. In transplanting the peach
always prune to the bare stalk not more
than 20 to II inches high. In after
years prune no moro except slightly
thinning out the head and to sufficiently
balance top. mean no shortening in
OF branches until in bearing thcn cut
bncl nbout two-thirtls of ptcccelinlr