The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1913-08-01
SHOWS USES OF
SUMMER PRUNING
y,Prof. Thornber's Orchard Demon
STATIONS and illustrated Lecture
Are Largely Attended

Prof. Thornber made his regular
bi.monthly visit here Friday and
Saturday of last week and without
doubt this was the most generally
attended and the most instructive
meeting of the entire series up to
the present time. The subject for
the field work at this visit was
Summer Pruning" and the demon
strations were attended by fully
one hundred and fifty people, all of
whom manifested the deepest in
terest in the subject.
Summer pruning is practiced for
two purposes. First, for the increas-
ing of wood growth. This is used
with trees up to the fourth year,
building up the framework of fruit
ing wood and should be done from
the first of July up to the present
time. The pruning consists almost
wholly of topping back the limbs,
thus causing the. sending out of
other brancues and so more quickly
developing good head of old wood.
Second, summer pruning for fruit.
This pruning is essentially the same
az the former but differs in the time
and purpose. This pruning should
be done the latter part of August
when the growing season is prac-
tically over. When done at this
time and accompanied by ceces-
sion of irrigation and cultivation
the effect is to force the production
of fruit spurs or wood. The prac-
tice of summer pruning as given
above will bring an apple or pear
tree into full bearing two or three
years earlier than it would naturally
bear otherwise.
Demonstrations were made oE
the following ranches: J. J. Rud-
kids pear orchard and H. M. Bart
lett's old orchard in the Garden
Tracts; E. o. Keene's and A. G,
Hart's on the Highlands; W. H.
Wits and John Storeland's south
east of town; thus giving the peo-
pie of the entire community tribu-
tary to Kennewick ample opportu.
nifty to witness the demonstrations
Friday evenings lecture at the
Commercial Club rooms was devoted
to the same subject and was accom-
panied by stereopticon views so that
those attending the lecture could
get very good idea of how the
work should be done. Saturday
afternoon was consultation time
when all those who had problems
could take them to Prof. Thornbel
for his solution. The evening work
was given in the Highlands club
house. The manner of budding
trees was shown and distinction
given for top-working trees by bud.
ding or grating so to do away with
unprotitabletrees by converting them
into other or more desirable varie-
ties. Some time was given to the
matter of seed selection. An in
stance was given where yield o1
potatoes was increased from an av-
erage of 200 bushels per acre to soc
bushels simply by careful selection Of
the best potatoes grown in the field
from year to year. The same rela.
tive increase was cited with corn
and other crops.
The next visit here will be made
August Sth and 9th. The first day
.svill be given over to visiting various
orchards where it is desired to have
a visit from Prof. Thornber. The
lecture in the evening in the Com
mercial Club rooms will be on
Apple Culture" A budding dem.
onstration will be given the morn
ing OF the 9th at 8 O'Clock in the
orchard of F. J. Kadow on the
Highlands. A tree will be given ar
entirely new top, giving a practica
demonstration of top-working. The
evening will be spent at the High
lands Club house for a general dis.
cussion of items of interest.
One Of Prof. Thornber's topics al
a later visit will be Grape Culture
One feature of the work that
should be remembered by all is tina
each demonstration or lecture Begin
PROMPTLY at the time scheduled