Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1911-10-06
SUMNER PRUNING ORCHARD
TREES.
The Western WAY,

reasons why we wish to prune
orchard trees we can readily list
the following reasons:
l. To shape the trees.
2. 10 correct a poor habit.
3. To remove surplus parts.
4. To remove injured or dis
ased parts.
| 5. To facilitate spraying, thin
ming and harvesting.
6. To overcome the influence
of prevailing winds.
I. To stimulate wood growth.
s. To stimulate fruit-bud for
| nation.
While these points cover or
chard pruning in general, those
which apply most strongly to
Summer pruning are, 3, To re-
move surplus parts, and s, To
stimulate fruit-bud formation.
Of course we can prune in the
Summer to accomplish the OBJ
JectS of /, 2, 4, and 6, and, for
the West at least, this is better
done in the Summer if the tree
is healthy and vigorous, and has
passed through its first three or
four formative periods, because
at that time pruning with any OF
these objects in mind will in1u-
ence the formation of fruit buds.
Now, Winter pruning is a
stimulus to wood growth, but as
we know from experience that
we get increased wood growth by
pruning any time from October
to June our term may be n1slead-
ing, for we can do Winter prun-
ing as late as June--not to say,
however, that that is the best
time. So that leaves July, Au-
gust and September as Summer
pruning tine-ample time when
we know that the period for best
work for this object on an indi-
vidual tree is of about two weeks
duration only.
Pruning to remove surplus
parts may be done in the early
part of the Summer if the trees
are vigorous and in need of prul-
ing, but to confine the discussion
to the young tree, we find the
following to be true. Every
healthy young tree, we say OF
any age up to five years, is start
ing and developing from two to
three times as many shoots, or
young branches, as there is room
for in the head Of the tree-that
is, we find a number of surplus
parts. If these extra shoots are
allowed to mature they each have
taken their maturity only to be
removed at Winter pruning time.
Now, to remove them when they
are young, watery and immature,
Immediately relieves the young
tree of the necessity for spending
its strength in maturing them,
and it can devote that strength
to extended growth or increased
diameter of the desirable shoots
that are left and to the better
maturing and strengthening of
those parts. Of course this re-
moval of shoots takes away con-
siderable leaf area, SO for a weak
tree this is better left until, by
removing these parts, we can in
duce yigor or stimulate wood
growth-Winter pruning.
Now, this thinning out is not
intended to act as stimulus for
fruit-bud formation at all, but
simply to assist in the general
building up of a vigorous. healthy
framework in the developing
tree. 1t might be compared to
the thinning out of vegetables
planted too closely in row-we
remove some that the remainder
may be benefited. This work is
done very extensively in the
young orchards of the Northwest,
and is a considera BILE help IN the
formation of vigorous stocky
young trees. The illustrations
show how this is done, both for
apple and peach, on the extensive
tract planted by the Lewiston
(Idaho) Land and Water Com
pany.
To stimulate the formation OF
fruit buds the work is more COM
plex and the results cannot be
guaranteed. But the tendency
is strong for any tree to begin to
develop fruit buds if its wood
growth is checked, or II 1t IS
thrown out of its regular course
in development. To be convinced
of this we need only to look oyer
a Young orchard where the cult1-
vator has been handled somewhat
carelessly, and note that certain
trees are full of blossoms or fruit,
while the majority are not. A
close examination will almost al
ways how the characteristic cul-
tivator injury on the trunk OF the
young tree-a partial girdle.
This, while partly starving the
root has left a surplus OF food IN
the top, and the stimulus has
been strong enough to cause the
development of fruit buds.
Of course no one would advise
the use Of the cult1vator as
pruning tool, but we can get the
same results with proper tools
and not injure the tree. Ii, In
stead of knocking off a part OF
the bark Of the trunk, we shorten
| in tie ends of the branches IN
late Summer, we have again re-
lieved the tree of the necessity
for maturing some of its growth,