Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-20


Agricultural college, Logan, has just
issued from the press most timely
and valuable bulletin. No. SO, on prun-
ing, which viii be invaluable to every
Utah orchardlst. The bulletin was
written by Prof, w. N. HIATT, the hor-
ticulturlst Of the, station and was pre-.
pared with the idea OF giving directions
for the pruning OF the ordinary orchard
and garden fruits. The underlying
principles Of plant growth are some.
what fully explained so that the man
behind the saw and shears may be able
to give Intelligent and mercful prun.
Ing. IL the suggestions here given are
studied there will be no excuse for the
wholesale butchery OF orchard and
shade trees SO common every spring in
this state.
Prof HUT tells In most entertain
Ing way not only why pruning Is neces-
sary, but gives explicit directions for
the Intelligent trimming of tree and
brush fruits, and incidentally OF shade
and ornamental trees. The 20 apt and
well chosen illustrations explain the
authors meaning and show at a
glance how pruning should be done.
How shall we prune?" Is a serious
question with most orchardists, as ev-
cry variety OF fruit tree requires spec
ial treatment. Pruning. says the pro-
lessor, Is a means to an end, and to
prune intelligently and therefore sue
cessfully, there should be In the mind
OF the operator some definite purpose.
Too often pruning is simply cutting
Of the tree without any idea as 10 the
final purpose such cutting Is TO serve.
Such pruning Invariably does harm in
stead OF good, and has ruined countless
trees. Since the ultimate purpose OF
shade tree Is different from that Of
fruit tree is Is evident that II should
receive different treatment. A tree
grown for wood or timber should be
managed still differently from either,
Again, a fruit tree bearing on one
year-old wood must not be pruned the
same az that bearing on two-year-old
wood. Upright growing varieties re-
qure 10 be trained on different plan
from those Of spreading or dropping
habit The nature Of the pruning any
tree should receive Will depend, there
fore, ON the purpose for which the tree
Is grown, on It's variety, and also on Its
habit Of growth. In short, TO prune In
tellgently one must understand trees.
AS natures more or less irregular
methods of pruning are beneficial so
In greater degree would exact and
careful methods OF pruning tend to-
wards the trees best development,
Fruit trees are however In a highly
specialized condition. our large, beau
tiful, luscious fruits OF today stand In
very striking contrast TO the Wild
fruits from which they have been pro-
duced BY selection, cultivation and
fertilization they have been raised
from their natural condition and to be
maintained In this highly specified
condition they must receive special
treatment. II we cease our attentions
for few years the fruit becomes small
and loses It's fine color and flavor, in
short. 1t begins TO revert toward It's
wild parent. An unpruned orchard is
q too common example OF this fact.
Pruning Is essential TO trees II they are
TO be kept up to their standard OF
productlveness and OF fine quality OF
fruit. The fruit tree Is, In sense, n
machine for producing fruit and Intel
lgent pruning Is one OF the means by
which II can be made TO manufacture
the most fruit OF the best quality, In
the shortest time, and to keep up the
output for the longest possible period.
A correct understanding therefore, OF
this machine and all Its working parts
is necessary to the most successful
manipulation.
That a correct understanding OF trees
may be had q somewhat full descrip-
ton OF the structure and functions Of
the various parts OF the tree is given.
as the wood, bark, cambium, root and
root hairs. The pruning nature gives
the trees Is briefly described, as an in
troduced TO artificial pruning as an
aid 10 natures work
CARE OF TRANSPLANTED TREES.
The knowledge of the nature and
function OF oot-hairs shows us how
70 properly prune the roots OF trees.
Since countless root-hairs are lost In
cutting off large roots In digging trees,
Il Is a good practise TO cut the larger
roots with a spade the fall previous to
taking up. This causes the tree to send
out nearer the trunk a strong growth
OF fine roots which viii be taken up
with the tree when II Is dug. OF
course In handling trees the roots
should be exposed as little as possible.
When nursery stock comes shipped
from distance there In often consider
able drying Of the roots and many that
are broken or barked IN packing. All
dried and dead roots should be cut back
with knife till living tissue Is ex-
posed. The cuts should be made az
cleanly and smoothly as possible and
all broken and torn roots removed. so
as not to become starting points for
disease. when the clean-cut, living
ends are exposed to the moist soil they
quickly callus over and give out new
roots. In like manner the roofing OF
LAYERS can be fastened by cutting away
the bark ON one side and exposing the
cablum to The soil so that oallus is
formed In trahsplanting tree It Is
better to shorten back the roots rather
than to leave them too long, The root
pruned tree WILL In a year or 30, have
a better root development than II