The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-02-01

ton that will enable the new Degln-
ner in fruit growing to do things
right. A constant stream of inquiry
has been coming to me to furnish in
formation through the columns of The
Ranch on such matters. Many want to
know how and when to prune; others,
how to graft and bud; still others want
to know how and when to spray; many
inuuidies pertain to the setting OF or
chards-how far apart the trees should
be set. etc. To give such information
on these matters seems to be timely.
| will do the best l can, giving in most
cases my own experience, for that is
the kind of information most of our
readers desire.
By the time this issue reaches our
readers it will be the best time in the
season for pruning, so | will now give
an outline for this work And first
want to say that many people nave er-
roneous ideas about why we prune.
Not a few people have the idea that
we prune for the health of the tree.
That is a mistake. In reality pruning
is an assault on the tree. A tree would
be more healthful and live longer IL
never pruned at all. Nature under
the one great mind never makes any
mistakes. Go into the forests and
thickets and see how beautiful and
vigorous are the trees and shrubs.
There is no pruning here. few OF
the lower limbs of trees may die II
they are crowded and shut out of sun
shine. but this is not properly de-
nominated pruning No, if your object
in pruning is judiciously done 1t does
not impair the health OF the tree to
any considerable extent, and it accom-
plishes other very beneficial results
that more than make up any loss.
The object in pruning is not in the
main to make your trees more fruitful
A tree will bear we'll if never touched
with a knife or saw. 1t is true that the
aim of Nature in producing fruit is not
axactlv the same as that of the fruit
grower. Nature aims to produce seed;
that is its one chief aim, but the fruit
grower is not directly concerned about
seed production. In TACT, the lrulI
grower is delighted when he can pro
duce fruit without any seed at all, H.
in doing so, he does not impair What
he seeks in fruit production. rake
an apple for illustration, the SEEDS are
surrounded by hard, bony substance
called carpets; outside OF these carpels
is the fleshy part of the fruit, calleo
the pericarp This latter part OF the
fruit, that is, the pericarp, is what
the fruit grower wants. Now the pest
seed for planting is grown on Wild ma
tive stocks, where no pruning is ever
done. but in such cases the perlcarp
is not thick and is often tough and
leathery. but that is all that is needed
to protect the carpets So Natures
method without pruning at all serves
the best where simply reproduction
from seed is desired But the fruit
grower wants the thick, luscious perl
carp, even if he gets it at the expense
of the seeds. 1t is we'll known that
some of our finest apples produce but
few seeds, and many of these Will not
grow. The finest roses produced by
the gardener have no seed at all, the
seed being sacrificed to get the magnlf-
icent flowers. Then, it is true that we
war somewhat on Natures plans when
we prune and cultivate to get our
hest fruits and flowers. The OBJECT
in pruning is not to get more seeds
and more fertile ones, but TO get an
enlargement of the pericarp, and this
is secured at the expense of seed pro-
duction and fertility.
From all this we learn that unpruned
trees will produce plenty of seeds that
will grow, but the part of the fruit
that we prize most highly will be poor
Our aim in pruning, then, is to concen-
trate the elaborated sap in the deVel-
opment of the pericarp. In this way
10 1l1sR
pears, peaches, plums and apricots, put
often no seeds at all or but few, ana
they are not likely to grow. WIN