Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-10-01

pruned the whole 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-
ugs 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 fabricated. Besides these
tools it 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-dig 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 a 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 1t several
times until, when finished, the tree
presents an almost globular shape
the top branches being shortened to
less than quarter Of their previous
years growth. Never attempt to save
time by pruning the entire height Of
the tree on one side; If you do this
you will certainly give the tree an
ugly shape. The higher up you 60
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 I'LL 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 q tree which has been neg
lected for two or more years, and II
] is very difficult to bring an unshapely
! tree to a presentable appearance
Trees allowed to grow ad libitum fol-
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 a broken limb. II such is
the case, be sure the wound Is closed
with paint, wax or tar. On apples OF
pears you may, without injury to the
tree provided 1t Is attended to regu.
larry afterward), cut OF the growth
of several seasons, but always see
that you cut above dormant buds. Dor.
mant buds, situated at the base oil
each years growth, are often hardly
noticeable. Above them fruit buds
may have formed very conspicuously
1t seems a 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 toe
weak to support the weight.
Confronted with tree out Of shape
or Of too thick a growth, remove first
the branches growing to the inside
and even to the opposite side of the
tree, unless by removing them you
cause on open space. But such 9
! 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 it's removal in a sue
ceeding year; that is. the branches
/ must be trimmed in order to allow the
/ growth Of the neghboring branche.
to close In and gradually ill the spac.
now taken W By this rerVsrSs one