The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-04-27
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FROZEN FRUIT TREES.
suggestions From the Ohio station
For Their Treatment.

For Their Treatment.
A number of inquiries have come to
the Ohio experiment station concerning
the best method of treatment of fruit
trees which have been injured by freez
ing. Ii may be said in the beginning
that frozen branch is of no use to the
tree. and the best thing that can be
done is to remove all parts that are Sc
riously affected The questions which
naturally arise are when should prun
ing be done. and how much of the top
shall be remoyed2
1t is well to wait until it is possible
to determine about how much injury
has been done, as shown by the discol
ored wood and shriveled bark. Usually
one warm spell is a sufficient length Of
time to wait, but it is possible TO defer
the work too long, as the frozen wood
seems to have deleterious effect upon
the sound parts. if not removed before
growth commences, During March. and
in some cases even as late as April, the
pruning should be done.
The quantity of wood to be removed
will be determined, in most cases, by
the extent of the injury. but in the case
of peach and some varieties of plum
trees an important exception may be
mentioned These ought to be pruned
more severely than merely to remove
injured wood. except where they are
killed to the snow lie. and in such a
case it is doubtful if they can be saved
Peach trees which are from three to
five years old and have never been
pruned to any extent need special at
tention In case the injury to such trees
does not extend beyond the twigs and
small branches. the best thing that can
be done is to cut off all the branches to
within one to three feet of the body of
the tree A tree five years old. which
has been allowed to grow at will. may
have long. slender branches. six to ten
feet in length with most of the fruit
bearing wood near the extremities
Such tree needs topping. even if a
crop has to be sacrificed in order to get
il into proper shape To cut out half
the top from such tree will improve
succeeding crops and prolong the life of
the tree
This puts the pruning upon differ
ent basis 1t is to be done not merely
to remove dead wood. but to get the
trees into shape for future usefulness.
With this object in view the trees are
to be so pruned that they can carry the
next crop of fruit without breaking
down Of course it will be necessary to
cut off limbs of considerable size in
many cases. and it will not be possible
to avoid naked stubs This can be RENE
died the next season, however at which
time surplus branches may be removed
also incidentally it should be stated
that some cutting back is necessary
each season in order to keep the trees
in proper form
This method of pruning peach trees
has SO many advantages that the loss Of
this season 5 crop will really prove to
be blessing to those who take advan-
tage of the present opportunity to get
their trees into proper shape. In case
of young trees which have been planted
only one or two years 1t may be found
that the injury extends to the trunk
and possibly to near the ground If
there is life above the bud, the best
thing to do is to cut the entire top
away as far as there appears to be in
jury and start new top. If cut off
early in the season. however, the stump
is apt to become dry, as shown 10y crack
ing To prevent this the end should be
covered with wax or some material that
will prevent the escape of moisture
American and japanese varieties of
plums should be treated in the same
manner as peach trees. and possibly
sweet cherries also Apple and pear
trees will probably need no pruning of
the kind mentioned