Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-25
Daily Hints on Farm Topics
PRUNING.

PRUNING.
When Is the proper time to Drune
my orchard?
To decide at what time to do prun-
Ing 1t Is we'll to keep In mind the
principles which apply to pruning
operations. In q general way prun-
Ing In the dormant tends to promote
growth Of wood while pruning In the
growing season tends to stimulate
fruit bud production. This applies
20 practically all Of our fruit trees
which are growing In this distrlct.
Bearing this in mind the ideal time
to do pruning on trees OF bearing
age would be about the first OF June
when the wood growth Is taking
place the fastest. However. this Is
not always the practical time
tor farmer to prune his orchard.
There are so many other things TO
do at this particular season OF the
year that the work Is sighted or LETT
undone. II one is in the CONNER
cial fruit growing business he can
we'll afford to set other matters aside
In order to accomplish the work at
that time. But on the ordinary farm
It is doubtful whether the gain would
Offset the txtra labor and changed ar
rangements of work which would
have to be made. In consideration
of this condition the most practical
time to DO orchard pruning on the
farm is from the first Of March until
the trees begin to bud out.
Pruning should not be done when
the wood Is frozen. Ono good reason
Is that 1t Is hard on tools and may
cause to break tools Of very good
quality. Further II we prune while
weather is freezing and thawing
there is more tendency to have the
wounds check open which will allow
the entrance Of water and rot spores
This sets up bad condition ana even,
though the wound may apparently
heal over the wood may rot away UNI
der the new growth because the
spores have gained an entrance. u
would prefer to wait until after the
freezing nights are past.
Protects Trees.
= The above question brings up the
matter of protecting the tree when
pruning cuts are made. 1t Is always
a good plan to protect the tree wnen
a branch that is more than one ano
a half inches in diameter is removed.
One way to do this Is to carry YES
sci of thick paint when one Is prun-
Ing and as fast as he finishes q tree
cover over the wounds with an appl.
cation OF the paint The best paint
for this purposes is ordinary white
lead mixed with raw linseed oil. II
should be quite thick, in fact it will
often be necessary to stir 1t up as 1t
Is ground in oil. Black or dark col
cred paint is not desirable because II
absorbs the suns rays and may cause
the killing OF the bark where 1t has
been applied Paint which has tur,
pentine, boiled linseed oil, or dr1eI
in 1t is dangerous. These substances
tend to kill the bark when IN contact
with IT,. Also avoid the use OF q mix;
ture containing coal tar or any OF
the napthaline products. These sub
stances kill the bark.
The writer has found the use Of
wax superior TO paint for the above
purposes. In the cast of paint there
Is tendency for the wood to check
as soon as paint becomes weathered
II good application Of the right
kind Of wax Is applied this checking
ls greatly obviated. There are many
wax mixtures that may be used
Probably one Of the best and sim.
plest is one pound of wax, one pound
Of tallow and two pounds of resin
melted and boiled together. An old
tin pan NAV be used for this pur-
pose. II the mixture has boiled for
fifteen or twenty minutes It should
be poured into a pail or cold water
and as soon as It becomes cole
enough to work one should grease
the hands with tallow and work 1t al
though It were mols@ses candy. Wher
all Of the water is thoroughly worked
out 1t may be made into balls anc
laid away for use.
In using this tho best way Is tt
use hot sand bath to keep 1t melt
ed while one Is applying 1t on the
wounds OF the trees. A great many
orchard men use small store box.
emitting a hole in the top OF it Il
shat six or eight inch tin pan VIII
lust set into 1t. They then place
lamp In the bottom OF the box, reg.
uIating the wick 20 that the heat
will just keep the wax melted. A
cheap paint brush Is used to apply
the melted wax. Care should be used
that the wax does not become toe
hot. It should never be boiling when
applied. # too hot 1t will kill the
bark. II this mixture Is rightly
made and applied 1t VIII, keep the air
away from the, exposed wood until
It is completely healed over.
Examine Twigs.
II one will examine the twigs Of
the young fruit trees very carefully
at this time Of the year he will pos
siblv find a few black shining sDecks
riculum being overcrowded. Go
.,1 Tho enallinp hooks cut out