The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-07-19
GAIN A YEAR ON
YOUNG TREES
PRUNING METHOD ADVOCATED
BY MODERN HORTICULTURISTS
HASTENS FRUIT GROWTH
PRUNE IN JULY.

Two years growth in a young tree
can be secured the first year by the
use of the method of pruning advO-
Gated by J. nj. Brown, former fruit
inspector of Yakima county, and en-
ployed by him on $1,000 trees. This
is possible, because, under the old
method, a great part of the first
years growth was pruned Off and lost
to the tree. ....
According to the old method, after
the young tree was headed. three or
four branches were allowed to grow
for the rest of the season and become
very long, in order that their growth
might produce a stocky trunk Then
they were cut back to II inches the
following spring, SO that a great
part of the seasons growth was
| thrown away.
The New Way.
By the new method, the three or
four branches that spring up after
heading are nipped the same season
as soon as they have grown long
enough and they commence to spread
Immediately. The growth that would
under the old method have gone into
long limbs that would be cut off
and thrown away, is now directed
into spreading branches that are to
become a permanent part of the tree
The result is that the tree is just one
season ahead of where it would have
been under the other system.
It's trunk is just as stocky as it
would have been otherwise, and it is
not bent over so much by the wind.
pie trees, as pear trees and certain
other varieties of trees can best be
allowed to grow wild.
The time for summer pruning is
very nearly past, says Mr.. Brown. He
prefers to have his summer pruning
out of the way by July 10, or even
before the close of June Summer
pruning is for the purpose of secur-
ing fruit growth and not wood
Now Is the Time.
A. |. Mason, a Hood River author
ity, would put the time little later
He says that now is just the proper
pruning time.
Il am a firm believer in summer
pruning" he says, and have follow
ed it for many years. Instead of any
injurious effects | get better results
both before and after bearing age.
On young trees l get stronger and
better balanced top by keeping un-
desired inside growth cut out during
the summer months and about the
middle of July, if limbs become too
long and timber, l have always top
ped young growth back to 10 or IL
inches.
ION my old trees l take out inside
growth about the middle of July, and
on some varieties, such as the Esopus
Spitzenberg. | never top them only
during this July pruning. But an
old Spitzenberg trees find that top
ping once every two years is all that
is necessary. I believe that summer
pruning, when not done too early, |
has a tendency to strengthen fruit
spurs for next seasons crop. I have
pruning. / tried 1t on the same aged
trees (four years) on the following
dates: June Is, July Is and August
Is.
June Is Too Early.
''The first date was too early. The
sap was too strong and water sprouts
were extremely numerous. The last
date was too late. But little growth
after that date and wood of young
growth did not mature enough to
stand a cold winter. The second date,
July Is, suited me fine. But very
little inside new growth was made,
and wood matured fine. The young
shoots on ends of those limbs that
were topped were not near so num-
erous as those which were topped
June Is. / don't believe in topping
all varieties of apples after they are
three or fOur wears old but the Shit