The Elbert County tribune., 1909-09-30

Fruit trees may judiciously be
pruned the whsle year around. but the
time when the work can be most cas-
lily done commences with the drop
ping of the leaves in the fall and ends
with the appearance of the new
growth in spring, writes Gerhard Kol-
ligs in Garden Magazine. Tools for
pruning season = pruning scissors,
pruning saw knife, and, for tall trees.
the long-handled pruning hook-must
be kept sharp and the scissors and
hook also lubllcated. Besides these
tools 1t is desirable to have three
legged stepladder, which is especially
constructed for orchard use.
Before starting to prune, consider
what you are going to do. Take a
good look at the tree about to be-
pruned and make your plans. The
actual work commences on the
ground. Water shoots springing from
the ground should not be cut OF mere
ly on the level with the grounds sur
face-dfg down to the origin of them
and cut close to the root or stem, or
wherever they may spring from. This
done, remove or mend all broken
branches. Always aim to close up
empty spaces caused by broken
limbs. You may do this by bending
and tying certain limbs. or by en-
couraging the growth of neighboring
branches.
Walk around the tree and short
en- last years growth on the lower
branches about one-third, always aim
ing toward giving circular shape to
the whole tree. Take the step ladder
and again go around the tree, trim
ming last years growth higher up but
somewhat shorter than on the lower
branches. So continue to the top
of the tree, going around it several
times until. when finished. the tree
presents an almost globular shape.
the top branches being shortened to
less than a quarter of their previous
years growth. Never attempt to save
time by pruning the entire height of
the tree on one side; II you do this
you will certainly give the tree an
ugly shape. The higher up you go,
the oftener will 1t be necessary to
cut out, of two or three branchlets,
one or even two. In this case cut out
the weaker ones or those growing to
the inside of the tree. provided they
are not necessary to fill empty spaces.
This is the pruning of an orchard
tree. which has been attended to reg
ularly every year. 1t is more difficult
to prune a tree which has been neg
lected for two or more years, and 1t
is very difficult to bring an unshapely
tree to a presentable appearance.
Trees allowed to grow ad libitum for
two or more years will sometimes
need heavy cutting back. The more
struggling and Irregular the growth
and the more slender and numerous
the branches. the more heavily the
tree has to be pruned.
On stone fruit trees 1t is not advis-
able to cut back to the old wood and
this should never be done except IN
the case of broken limb. II such is
the case, be sure the wound is closed
with paint, wax or tar. On apples or
pears you may, without injury to the
tree lprovided It Is attended to regu-
Iarly afterward), cut OF the growth
OF several seasons, but always see
that you cut above dormant buds. Dor
mant buds, situated at the base of
each years growth. are often hardly
noticeable. Above them fruit buds
may have formed very conspicuously.
1t seems pity to cut them away. but
what good would they do? They will
only produces small fruit. or, by the
amount of the fruit produced, Will
break the branches which are too
weak to support the weight.
Confronted with tree out of shape
or OF too thick growth. remove first
the branches growing 70 the inside
and even to the opposite side OF the
tree, unless by removing them you
cause on open space. But such a
branch, having been allowed to grow
from one side of tree to the other.
and which could not be dispensed with
this year. ought to be treated in
way to allow its removal in sue
ceeding year; that is, the branches
must be trimmed in order to allow the
growth of the neighboring branches
to close in and gradually I'll the space
now taken up by this peryerse one.