The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-09-27
Pruning Apple Trees

Many seem to feel utterly at SCI
when it comes to pruning orchards
One inquirer says, "It is easy to do tho
cutting, but what bothers me is know
ing what limbs to cut" Others GO
ahead in a laundering way. and fire.
quently do damage instead of good BY
not understanding the principles OF
which correct pruning is done
In summer pruning of bearing appl,
trees the operator necessarily re-
moves with the trimmings more o.
less healthy foliage. This has a check
ing effect on growth, and is though
to favor fruit production-that is,
moderate and judicious pruning
Much summer pruning and loss OF
foliage, of course, would be weaken
ing to the tree, unless done yer!
early in the season. AS rule it j.
well to confine summer pruning to
weak, dead or over-shadowed growth
and mostly smaller limbs. From
crowding or oversha downing, foliage
may be so situated as to be practically
useless-yes, even in the nature of
parasitical growth, drawing on the
strength of the tree, and the work of
healthy functioning organs, without
contributing anything in return. The
removal of such foliage or twigs does
not retard or weaken the tree, but
actually strengthens it, and means
more nourishment for the remaining
parts. The apple bears on short,
rough, more or less zigzag twigs called
fruit spurs. Don't make the mistake
of cutting out too many of these on
the score of looks. 1t usually takes
three years to make bearing fruit
spur in the case of the apple, al
though some varieties show Il ten
dency to produce them on one-year
wood.
Heavy pruning and the removal of
large limbs (when necessary should
be left for the dormant season. Then
the completed growth is removed
with whatever nourishment is stored
in the branch removed. This at
length increases sap pressure in the
remaining parts, and seems to stimu
late vigor in the remaining parts and
new growth. ''Topping' or head
ing back" weak or hayward upper
limbs is not essentially different from
other pruning 1t is important to
make cuts so as to leave strong side
limbs just beneath the cut.
AS far as mere cutting is con-
cerned, pruning may be done any
month except when the tissues are
frozen. Trees of Ben Davis and 9TH
er varieties which are inclined to
bleed from the wounds, are best
pruned in August or late summer,
when the sap is moving less freely.
Limbs inclined to bleed are likely to
have dark or blackish heart-wood.
and some of the larger roots are like
ly diseased.
1t is sensible to make the wounds
In all cases on channel of sap move
ment. That means cutting close and
parallel with the main branch Elk
posed tissue has numerous pores or
microscopic openings in which the
spores or "seeds of fungus disease
may lodge, as well as water essential
to their growth. For this reason q
coat of waterproof and neutral paint
Is desirable to close these pores and
keep out water while nature heals the
wound. 1t is we'll to remember that
young trees heal over wounds more
speedily than old trees. In other
words, trees which are growing more
actively are apt to suffer less injury
from careless pruning than older
trees. A wound an inch in diameter
on young tree may heal over in a
year while on an older tree 1t might
take three or four years. Here is
suggestion in regard to painting over
wounds and repea ting the coat each
season till the wounds are healed
over In this climate it is desirable to
paint over all wounds above a half
inch in diameter
Trees in the southwest seem espe-
cially liable to injury by sun-scald.
On this account it is we'll to be sure
that the heads are not opened up too
freely on the south and southwest
sides Large limbs long accustomed
to shade are very liable to sun-scald
II Suddenly the pruning exposes them