Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-10
ON PRUNING,
University Of Maine Sends
Out Valuable Information.
OF Six Orchard Activities This
is Most Important Of All.
Reasons for Pruning, and Where
and How to Do II.

hedSonS TOT ffunIHR, anu WHeIe
and How to Do II.
There are six important orchard ac-
tivities, viz, planting. eultivating.
pruning, spraying. harvesting and mar
keting OF these, by far the most inn
portant is that of pruning. 1t requires
the NEST Judgment. is the least UNI
de,stood and is practiced ry but few.
One can acquire the knowledge only
by direct experience: it is a personal
factor. and one must know his trees
and shrubs, their natural shapes, meth
DDS OF growth, and habits of fruiting
before he can prune successfully. We
cannot outline 4 plan to be followed
by each and every fruit grower. for
the reason that there are many experts
who have their individual way of prun-
ing. and do not recognize any other 1t
is Il ease of doctors disagreeeing. Diff
ferent methods are advocated in the
different fruit belts. Many in the
East want high heads for their
apple trees, those in the extreme west.
low neads. While in the middle section
a medium head is preferred. In any
velop a tree of such a shape as will
give the best fruit product with the
least expenditure of time and labor.
This will depend largely upon the va
riety of tree. and greatly upon the per
sonalitY of the owner, SO that no set
and fast rules can be laid down for
orchard pruning. We will, however,
toueh upon the different factors involv-
cd.
Reasons for Pruning.
NJ must have in mind that pruning
is a benefit and not an injury. Nature
prunes to a certain extent. but not in
systematic manner. The horticulturist
prunes To secure the following results
ca To produce better shaped trees. Oh
To secure . more uniform product. tel
70 obtain higher flavor and Il better
keeping quality in the fruit by admit
ting sunlight and air
Method of Pruning.
There are great diversities in meth
DDS of pruning. The two extremes are:
The cid method of our fathers, to leave
nature severely alone and let the tree
slough off her dead limbs as best she
may, and the one advocated 10y Mr..
Stringfellow tas applied to nursery
trees which strips everything TO Il
string tas his name Indicates taking
eff top and roots until but Nestige of
he original is left. Neither of these
should be followed.
ta) Pruning old trees-fhis should be
done ina systematic manner, and Will.
Il definite plan in view. First remove all
dead and dying wood In all cases
sharp tools are essential, the saw
should be followed by a sharp chisel,
50 as to leave the sap wood III condi-
ton to heal quickly. If the head is too
thick, open up by taking out enough
branches TO let in the sunlight and air.
OBJ Pruning young uees-Nursery
trees are best trimmed at the time OF
setting. This is the most critical peri
cd III the right or wrong development
of the top. The location of the scaffold
limbs is as important to the symmetri-
al development to a perfect top as Is
The right construction of a house foun-
cation.
AS has been previously mentioned,
there is IL great diversity OF opinion
:rnong fruit growers as TO the high or
l,wheaded tree. The extremes are
rom foot and half in the case OF
wv heads to ) or 6 feet with high
leads. We would recommend medI-
I'm height of from = to > IL feet. To
prune two year old nursery trees; with
:, sharp knife cut off the ends Of all
roots and otherwise injured portions,
aud remove all limbs not needed for
the lead formation. Those left to form
the head should be or inches apart,
when possible; cut back the remaining
limbs leaving from II to Is of their
original length.
Advantages of loWheaded trees: ca
are less liable to trunk injury by sun
ccale; 90 less subject to wind injury:
fc) can be more easily and economic
cally sprayed; tdl the top is more
quickly formed: (e) comes into bearing
earlier; 90 fruit can be more easily
thinned and harvested.
When to Prune.
With most plants there is Il right
time to prune. All dead wood may be
pr,ined when your saw is sharp" In
general, for apple trees prune in March
or April for grapes in late fall. For
fruit production, prune lightly in sum :
mer. For new wood growth, priine