Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-28
The Garden and Orchard.
PRUNING.

The general practice in regard to prun-
ing is to neglect the trees for years and
then 90 to work and cut off many
branches, says writer in National Stock
man. This is not to be approved. The
head of the tree should be well balanced
and symmetrical. Usually it assumes
this form naturally; at least many vari-
eties do. But when from any cause it
does not take this form, pruning is in
place. When limbs cross each other,
one is to be cut away. All dead or 'c-
caying branches should also be removed
and the sooner the better. Occasionally
the head of the tree may want Il little
thinning out, but thinning GU. the top
TO let in the sunshine" often recon-
mended and often necessary in the cool,
damp climate of the British Isles and
other far northern countries, is not re-
quired in this land of bright sunshine
and hot dry summers. Here the best
plan is to keep the trunk of the tree and
all the large branches shaded by the
leaves in order TO prevent injury to the
bark BY the hot sun, and by certain in
sects-borerS, etc.
AS general rule, the best time to
prune is in early spring. But IL large
limb needs to be removed, September is
the best time. Cuts made in September
NAV not heal over quickly, but, owing
to the ripe condition of the wood at that
time, there is never any decay; the
wounds dry up and become as hard as
bone.
But if attention is given to the trees
annually, there will rarely or never be
any necessity of taking off large limb.
The old saying that "the right time to
prune is whenever your knife is sharp
has reference to this: Taking oil any
superfluous branch when it is small
enough to be cut with pruning knife.
Much of the pruning observed in pass
ing along the road is in very bad form.
Large limbs (or smaller ones) are remov-
ed: and instead of being cut of as close
as possible to facilitate healing, stubs,
from two to six inches long, are sticking
out. There can be no healing in such
cases: nothing but gradual decay.
Then there are other trees to be seen,
the long limbs of which had all the small
branches cut off at the pruning, and the
superabundant sap could do no other
than cover these limbs with plentiful
outgrowth of water spouts; useful, to be
sure, in one way-keeping the hot sun
from the branches. But the pruning
has been overdone-which is generally
the way after years of neglect.
Pruning, when necessary, should be In
moderation. And all cuts should be as
close to the branch as possible. and as
smooth as possible. And the plane of
every cut should be as nearly perpendic-
ular as it can be made, in order to allow
moisture (the cause of decay to pass of
quickly. When care is taken to make
the cuts in this manner, the wounds will
need no covering of wax, etc.
The cherry, after the necessary cutting
back at transplanting, rarely needs any
pruning. The peach, on the contrary,
is the better for pruning every year-not
pruning up but the contrary-cutting
back the annual shoots to prevent the
tree from running away (as its habit isl
and keep it round headed. Quite a
number of the pear trees are inclined to
run up and need cutting back, reducing
the long, annual shoots one-half or more.
Mirror and Farmer.