Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-08-27
PROFESSOR ERNEST WALKER. OF
STATE UNIV ERSITY, TELLS
HOW TO DO THE WORK.
AND NOW IS THE TIME
Heavy Pruning Should he Left For
the Dormant Seas0n-Sun Scald
May Iniure Trees.


removes with the trimmings more or
less healthy foliage. This has a
checking effort on growth, and is
thought to favor fruit production
that is, moderate and judicious prun-
ing. Much summer pruning and loss
of foliage of course would be weak
ening to the tree unless done very
early in the season. AS rule it is
well to confine summer pruning to
weak, dead, or over Swallowed growth
and mostly smaller limbs. From
crowding, or overshadowing foliage
may be so situated as to be practical
1y useless-yes even in the nature
of a parasitical growth. drawing on
the strength of the tree, and the work
of healthy functioning organs, with
oiut contributing anything in return.
The removal of such foliage or twigs
does not retard or weaken the tree,
but actually strengthens 1t. and means
more nourishment for the remain
ing parts. The apple bears on the
short, rough. more or less zigzag,
twigs called fruit spurs. Don't make
of these on the score of looks. 1t
usually takes three wears to make a
bearing fruit spur in the case of the
apple. although some varieties show
a tendency 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 stored
in the branch removed. This at
length Increases sap pressure in the
remaining parts, and seems to sti-
mulate vigor in the remaining parts,
and new growth Topping or
s.heading back weak. or hayward
upper limbs is not essentially differ
,ent from other pruning. 1t is inn
portant to make cuts so as to leave
a strong side limb just beneath the
cut.
AS far as mere cutting is concern
ed pruning may be done any month
except when the tissues are frozen.
Trees of Ben Davis and other varie-
ties which are inclined to bleed from
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 likely 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. En-
posed tissue has numerous pores or
microscopic openings in which the
spores, or seeds" of fungus disease
may lodge. as we'll as water essen
tial to their growth. For this rea-
son a coat of waterproof aud neut-
raj paint is desirable to close these
pores and keep out water while ma
ture heals the wound II is we'll to
remember that young trees heal over
wounds more speedily than old trees.
In other words. trees which ale grow
ing more actively are apt to suffer
loss injury from careless pruning
than older trees. A wound an inch
in diameter on a young tree may heal
over in year, while on an older
tree it might take three or four years
Here is suggestion in regard to paint
ing over wounds and repeating the
coat each season till the wounds are
healed over. I'm this climate it is
desirable to paint over all wounds
above half inch in diameter
Trees in the southwest seem es-
pecially liable 10 injury by sun
scald. On this account it is we'll tC
be sure that the heads are not open
ed up too freely on the South an(
Southwest sides Large limbs lang
accustomed to shade are very Liable
to .sun-scald ii suddenly the prun
ing exposes them to the hot SUI
shine, sand sudden alterations o
freezing and thawing of winter. Thi
applies to the trunks also. Waite
sprouts represent merely a surplus
of growth energy, and sometimes ap
pear in gaps in the tree top wher
it is desirable to leave and nurs
them. 1t is only a matter of abou
three years when they will develop
fruit spurs, and become bearing
branches like the other limbs.
Some pruning, indeed most of il
is commonly for the purpose of cor
Tecting bad habits. The best prun