Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-03-14
pruning In the Fruit Orchard.

While the winter Season 1s one OF
some leisure to the orchardist, it
ought not to be one OF entire inactiy-
ity, for their is pruning to lie done.
and its proper performance is mat
ter of much importance. says Joseph
Meehan in the Country Gentleman.
The young orchard may need but lit
tie hard work, but it will need much
head work, for on it's proper treat
ment now will depend whether or not
&c Is to afford pleasure and profit In
utter yoars.
The young apple orchard needs lit.
lie more than the thinning out OF
branches where they are too thick,
and the shortening in of others that
may need it to give good shape to the
future tree. 1t is by judicious work
in this way in the early years of an
orchard that well-formed, beautiful
trees are developed. There is no
!. gain in having branches too low
Prnne them up to five or six feet, that
getting about under them is practice.
Bile. Large bearing trees often need
no pruning. Sometimes, where q
branch is unthrifty, it is better to cut
Sit out; to induce new, healthy one to
take its place. And where such large
trees have not been well pruned when
young, theremay be large limbs which
need cutting out that others may be
benefited. When such is the case,
saw off close to the trunk, and paint
the scar to prevent decay.
i Much the same rules apply to prun-
ing the pear as to the apple, but as it
makes more branches when young, it
needs closer attention at that time.
Very often good-sized trees are seen
|.with far too many branches on them.
EThe tendency of almost all pruners is
Ito leave too many branches. Do not
I3let them interlace each other. The
time TO cut them out when they show
q tendency to do this is when they are
quite srcall. Cut them off close to
T the limb they start from, that no buds
will be left to start afresh. The large,
round buds of winter are the ones that
ltbear the flowers. Sometimes in prun-
ling it is we'll to observe them, as it
sometimes occurs that it is desirable
q certain kind should flower the com.
ing season. Bearing trees will often
/ have their branches brought out OF
shape by the weight of fruit. Prune
such crooked branches in such way
that good outline will be kept up.
Peaches and apricots are little
pruned, as usually seen, and yet few
| fruit trees; are more benefited by it.
Should there be no young wood there
| will be no fruit. Left to grow as they
will, which is the usual way, what lit
tie young growth is made is at the e1-
tremity of long branches. Pruned q
little every year, there is young wood
over all the tree, from near the ground
to the top. Do not let strong shoots
go unpruned. Not only is little
pruning good; that of summer, per.
formed while growth is still going on,
is perhaps better. In regard to the
plum, what has been said Of the pear
applies to it very well. Keep the
branches from getting too thick.
Fewer branches, permitting of more
air and light to the remainder, would
bring better fruit to many tree.
| Watch the plum. to cut. out diseased
branches as soon as seen, be it winter
or summer.
In the small fruit line shortening
in Of the canes of raspberries and
lackberries should be made, the
former to about four feet and the. lat
fer to five feet. All old canes should
be cut. Currants and gooseberries
need little pruning except to prevent
them carrying too many shoots, and
to keep up supply Of young wood.
The fruit is the best Oh strong two
year shoots, and the aim must be to
heep up q supply OF these. The Eng.
lish type of gooseberry does not pro.
duce as much wood as our native
sorts; hence needs less pruning.
have known old bushes Of currants
and gooseberries to be the better for
being cut down completely to the
ground to give them an entirely new
start Grapes must be pruned in O
way to have On abundance of young
wood. Th .re are those who prefer to
have little else besides young canes
from the ground euch year. At the
same time. if the last years fruiting
cane be we'll provided with side shoots,
it will prove satisfactory for another
crop. Prune the side shoots back to
within two or three eyes of the main
stem. This cutting back decreases
the number of punches, but adds to
the size of what are produced.