The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-03-07
WEST SIDERS HEAR
PRUNING TALK


last Friday afternoon:
Ii seems to me that the science o
pruning is virtually the thorough
understanding of the control of th'
wonderful energy of the tree, and th'
exercise of great amount or g0O'
judgement. In other words, to under
stand a tree, its construction, growth
method of gathering food and its facil
tiles for making use of food, tn
distinct characteristics of diiferen
varieties and the power Of controlling
to a large extent, these Characteristic
by using the agencies with which
nature has provided the tree.
To thoroughly understand tree
before attempting to change its char
aeter, correct its behavior, or to brinl
about any particular desired result
we will start with a young tree Just
planted, and what we learn from It!
construction and wood growth, viii
apply equally well to large trees
which can be handled just as well as
smaller ones.
This may seem unnecessary and q
waste of time to some of you, but q
understand the points | wish to bring
out, it is really necessary to spend a
few moments on this subject. In tax
ing up this part, we intend only to try
to give a practical idea Of tree growth.
First: Structure Of the tree-lt is
known that all plants are built Of cells
and that this cellular structure exists
throughout the roots, stems, shoots,
leaves, flowers and fruits.
GacoDd xua bava tho root ovgtqpa
which consists of several parts the
main root. laterals. the fibers or root
lets, and finally the root hairs. The
whole surface of this root system
absorbs moisture from the soil, so long
as they are fresh and new, and the
newer portions near the tips absorb
most freely.
Third. Stem and Branches The
roots are annual, biennial or perennial
as they continue living, one, two or
more seasons, so the stem is herba-
ceous or wood as it grows one year or
more. Outside growing woody stems
Tor those which are two cotyledened)
are made up Of bark, wood and pith.
The fiber or inner bark lies next the
wood and the rind or outer bark on
some trees forms gradually into a
thick, corky substance termed cOrtical
layer. When it is young sometimes
the green bark performs an Office in
the growing plant similar to that of
the leaves. The sap descends from the
leaves through the inner bark and de
posits layers of new wood and bark
yearly. the newest bark inside and the
newest wood outside.
Fourth. Wood - The outer wood,
which is the youngest or freshest, is
called sap wood The heart wood is
older and harder and usually more
dried portion and it bears the same
relation to the wood as the cortical
layers do to the fiber. The pith in
young plants is useful in retaining
moisture, but In old trees it becomes
dry shrivelled and useless.
Fifth. Branches These consist of
main branches or limbs, secondary or
smaller branches and shoots, the latter
being of one years growth.
Sixth. Buds-There are two kinds
of buds, leaf and flower, and being
able to distinguish between them is of
the greatest Importance to the grower.
The leaf buds are the sharp pointed
ones and the fruit buds are rounded or
oval. A very important thing for us
to understand here is the cause of this
difference. When the young tree grows
rapidly all the buds are leaf buds, but
when from any cause the tree becomes
feeble and makes a slower growt |
many of the leaf buds turn into fruit |
buds. We will disgress for moment
here and show that this may be brought
about to a certain extent by practicing
several methods and as our power to
bring about this change has an import
ant bearing on the subject it is worth
while to consider il now.
As long as the tree is making growth
the sap pushes the buds past the fruit
bud stage and unless the tree becomes
enfeehled in some way or the rapid
How Of sap is checked by thickening
and made to return to these buds
slowly through the cambrium, it will
push through channels of the least
resistance and continue to make new
wood. One method that may be used
is to slacken cultivation and permit
the moisture to go down somewhat.
Another, that prefer. is to cut back
the new wood the latter part Of the
season, preventing the upward rush of
the sap and compelling it to return
through the cambuum until il reaches
the buds, when in its thickened form it
will return to them slowly and not
push them into wood. The buds are
lateral and terminal. The terminal
buds are generally leaf buds and being
larger and stronger than the others
make stronger shoots. All buds are
originally formed as leaf buds. but the
more feeble are generally changed to
fruit buds. Now it happens that on
many trees the teebler buds are on the
lower parts OF the shoots, that is far
thest away from the tips and they
consequently change 10 fruit buds.
The reason for this may be seen in the
fact that the greater portion of the
sap rushes past them, through the
main or larger channel, on its way to
the terminal buds The change from
leaf TO fruit buds in some kind of trees
takes place the year after they are
formed and in others the same year.
This transformation is very curious
process and is made by the embryo
leaves changing to the organs of the
flowers.
Latent buds To me it seems that
many of us neglect TO call into use this
wonderful provision that nature has
made for the tree to enable itself to
replace buds that have been DESTROYED.
Only small portion of the buds
formed grow the second year, the rest
remaining dormant or latent and are
never used until called upon. The use
of these and what it means to the
grower in producing new wood. where
there is none, and turning the new
wood into fruit spurs and the control
of the flow of sap will be explained
hereinafter.
Leaves 1t is not necessary to de-
scribe the construction of the leaves
for We all know the duty they perform
in the ABSORPTION of moisture and air
and giving off of vapor. 1t is neees-
sary to have perfect leaves to get the
best fruit.
Process of growing Water is alb
sorhed by the roots and undergoes very
slight change Matter from the cells
of the roots is added and then it is
called sap, 1t passes from cell to cell
upward through the san wood until il