Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-08-13
THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRUNING


performed is not a deyitalizing nro-
cess. 1t is one, however, which is lit
Tie understood. 1t is quite essential to
OBTAIN knowledge "a he manner of
growth OF the plant, and llhen and how
IL pears fruit. Fruit-buds are often
formed a season ahead. We look for
them on the last years growth of the
peach, IN the two or three years
growth OF the red currant, and in other
Iamlilar examples. Plant energies are
set TO work to restore the root growth,
just as when the top was cut back her
efIort was to put branch and root sys-
TENS again in proper proportions.
Heavy pruning of the branches results
IN stimulating the growth Of weak
pants. Thus We get the axiom that
weak plants should be pruned quite
severely, and healthily or vigorous
growing ones more moderately. 1t is
possible to prune so as 10 throw the
strength in weak branches by revers-
ing this rule, however, and thus make
growth more even by cutting back the
strong shoots quite severely and the
weak ones to less degree-something
especially valuable to bear in mind in
the management of winter-killed trees.
Checking growth tends to increase
1ruItlessness if the plant is strong.
carried to excess, the growth may be
so strong as to prevent the tree
from bearing fruit. Fruit bearing is
not determined so much by the amount
OF pruning as by the condition of the
plant and what may be called its habit
ual disposition to bear. AS we know,
this disposition varies in different va
fletles and species, and even in differ
ent trees OF the same variety Winter
pruning tends to produce wood. sum-
mer pruning does not This fact has an
important bearing on our subject. To
prune a fruit tree in winter means it's
earliest energies will be devoted to the
restoration of the disturbed balance
between root and top. On the other
hand, after midsummer pruning the
tree seems able to readjust itself the
same season, and therefore the next
seasons fruit bearing is not disturbed.
Watersprouts are less apt to follow a
summer pruning. An after growth
sometimes follows heading-in done be-
fore active growth has ceased. If we
remember that the tree makes it's
growth in spring and early summer,
and spends the latter part of the sea-
son in ripening its wood as we'll as it's
fruit, and perfecting its buds fer the
following year, il will help US to under
stand the relative effects of winter and
summer pruning-the summer pruning
being, however, more in the nature of
a pinching back of the strong or lead
ing shoots. By pruning we may con-
troll the shapes of orchard trees to a
certain extent, making low and COM
pacL heads from which the crop is
easily gathered. One of the problems
Of pruning is the treatment of the
wounds made y the knife. Anyone
Iwho sets out to rejuvenate an old, neg
iected orchard finds the question Of
how to treat the scars left by cutting
out tho large limbs necessary to the
proper thinning of the head, a difficult
one. This is a good argument for
pruning when the trees are young and
doing little systematic cutting with
each succeeding year, so that no Sc
we're measures are necessary. In the
excelsior of large limbs too much i'm
portance can not be placed on making
the cut close to the body of the Tree
Ii cut close to the tree, the wood pro-
u he
beneath the bark and next the woody
cylinder or trunk, in time covers it:
if, on the other hand, a stub is left, ma
lures healing processes can not pos
Silly reach out to cover the woody
part. In other words, the cambium, or
the growth il induces, Theoretically
shuts in the END Of the stub, preserving
it from decay, from bacteria and fungi.
An exposed stub is often the cause Of
a rotten branch or trunk, and the
death Of the tree. Good horticultural
authorities now insist that all pruning
cuts should be made close to and even
with the outline Of the trunk, no mat
ter if the area Of the wound is in
creazed thereby. Make it perfectly
even with the trunk, that every part of
it may be brought into nearest and
most direct communication with the
leaves through the networks of cells
that convey the descending sap.
A dressing of lead paint or Of tar
should be applied to the wound.
Grating wax, ETC., tend to peel off;
paint and tar are a1tiseptic, whereas
the ordinary applications are not. OF
the two, paint is the most to be pre-
ferred. Seek always to have asmooth,
even cut, and to avoid letting the limbs
to be removed break off when partly
cut through. a ragged wound will
seldom heal, by first intention" as
surgeons say. 4 sharp saw is the best
implement One Of the most import
ant uses of pruning has been much
overlooked; this is its power to change
the bearing year. Every orchardist
has noticed that one year there is a
superabundance Of fruit at low prices,
especially apples,-while the next
year there will be a shortage at high
values. There is no doubt that alter