The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-01-01

The Ranch, in speaking OF the Dig
Cherry Tree of Eugene, Oregon, you
make the statement Cherry trees
should never be heavily pruned, for
that will hasten their dying | nave
young cherry crchaTd-Bings ana
Royal Anns-which has been planted
three years. | have practiced cut
ting back all the limbs each year with
the idea of obtaining a heavy body
and stocky growth of limbs. The last
season, without any irrigation but
with thorough cultivation, a growth of
from 3 to feet was made. Would
you continue my method of pruning,
or do you think it will injure the
trees? So far the trees seem to be
doing nicely" My rule for pruning
cherry trees is to do all the pruning
during. the first two or three years
in the orchard and then only enough
to give them proper shape. | would
never cut back heavily to make them
stocky; first, because it won't do 1t,
and secondly, there is danger of ruin
ing the trees if it did. Many will
dispute my first statement. Very we'll,
we will pass that now. Ii there is
any one thing upon which Well-ln-
formed horticulturists are practically
unanimous it is that cherry trees
must not be heavily pruned. This IS
especially true of the sweet cherries
(prunus avium) like the Bling and
ROYAL Ann. If we were to so prune
this species SO as to keep 1t low
headed like the sour cherries (prunus
Cerasus) we would certainly kill them
sooner or later. We must put up with
this habit of the sweet cherries to
grow tall or be prepared to have
cherry grave yard. If friend Mcclure
doubts what I have said here let him
try it by pruning one or more OF MS
cherry trees heavily and letting some
go without pruning and then let him
report the results ten years from now
If he proves us wrong he can
stick feather in his cap
An call it Macaroni.'
Mr.. C. A. Ferrin, of Wenatchee,
Wash, writes will you give me
your opinion on using manure around
peach, apricot and cherry trees.
have been told by some of our leading
ranchers here that it is not good to
use manure on the soil in the above
named orchards. | will watch The
Ranch for your reply | take it for
granted that barnyard or stable man.
ure is meant in this inquiry. II the
inquiry was whether such manure is
needed in these orchards, | would
say no, unless the soil is very poor.
On the other hand, if the inquiry was:
Will such manure injure the trees in
these orchards, I would say, no.
Coarse manure with good deal OF
straw in it will be beneficial in such
orchards and may very properly take
the place of cultivation. 1t keeps the
soil in good condition by conserving
the moisture.
George Heatherbell, of British Co.
lumbia. writes under date of Dec. 10,
1906, as follows: 81 am planting large
ly here. Do you know anything of the
new apple introduced by L. l.. May,
of st. Paul, Mimi? 1t is called the
'Minnetonka," and is supposed to be
something like the Wealthy but much
better Also, could you tell me If
there is a way of telling which is the
second generation walnut? | have
two walnut trees about six years plant
ed which have borne heavy crops
the past two years. They are eight
inches in diameter Would very much
like to know if the nuts are the right
kind to plant. The trees have slight
swell at the crown as il they may have
been grated. Having had this place
only two years, do not know the his
tory of the trees" | am not acQuaint-
ed with the apple called "Minnetonka,"
but if it is much better than the
Wealthy, it must be a good apple. The
Wealthy was originated in Minnesota
by Peter M. Gideon, who planted seed
from Vermont. The tree is very hardy
as might he exDected and the apple