Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-07-09
PRUNING.
News Letter fron the College o. Agrieui-
tars. 4. Of NJ


There are ak important orchard sctivi-
ties, viz.s Planting. cultiraFing, pruning.
spraying, harvesting and marketing.
OF these, by far the most important Is
that OF pruning.
II requires the most Judgment, Is the
least understood. and il practiced by but
few. One can aeQuire the knowledge
only by direct experience; il is 3 personal
factor, and one must knoW his trees and
shrubs. their natural shapes, methods of
growth. and habits of fsuiting before be
can prune successfully.
We cannot outline plan 10 be followed
bv each and every frnit-grower, for the
reason that there are many experts who
have their individual way OF pruning, and
do not recognize amy other. II isa case Of
doctors disagrecing. Different methods
are advocated in the different fruit belts.
Many in tire East want high. heads for
their apple trees, those In the extreme
West los beads, while In the middle
section & medium head is preferred.
In any case, the chief thing aimed at is
to develop tree Of such a shape ~ will
give the best fruit product with the least
expenditure Of tune and labor. This will
depend largely upon the variety OF tree,
and greatly upon the personality Of the
owner. so that no set and fast rules can be
laid down for orchard pruning. We will.
however, touch upon the different factors
involved.
We must have In mind that pruning is q
benefit and not an injury. Nature prunes
to q certain extent, but not in systematic
manner. The horticuiturist prunes TO Sc
cure the following results: Better-shapsd
trees; more uniform product; higher
favor and better keeping quality In the
trait BY admitting sunlight and air.
There are great 6iversities in methods
of pruning. The two extremes are, the
old meth OF our fathers, To leave nature
severely alone and let the tree slough Oh
her dead limbs as best she may, and the
one advocated by Mr.. Strin1iellow las
applied TO nursery trees) which strips
everything to string las his name tndi-
Gates, taking of top and roots until but a
vcsfige OF the original Is left. Neither Of
these should he followed.
Pruning old trees should be done In 9
systematic manner and with a definite
plan in view. First remove all dead and
dying wood. In all cases, sharp tools are
essential; the saw should be followed by 9
sharp chisei, 50 A. to leave the sap wood in
condltion to heal quickly. II the head Is
too thick, open up by taking out enough
branches to let in the sunlight and air.
Young trees are best trimmed al the
time of setting. This 10 the most critical
period in the right or wrong development
of the top. The location OF the seaffoid
limbs is a. important 10 the symmetrical
development to perfect top as is the
right construction OF house foundation.
As has been said, there Is a great diver
sity OF opinion among fruit growers as
to the high or low headed tree. The ex-
tremes are from foot and one-hsIf in
the case Of low heads 10 five or six feet
with nigh heads. We would recommend
q medium height OF from two TO two and
one-half feet. To prune year-old
nursery trees, with sharp knife cut of
the ends of all roots and otherwise in
needed for the head formation. Those
left 10 form the head should be three or
four inches apart, when possible, Cat
back the remaining limbs, leaving from
one-hAi 10 one Third OF their original
length.
Low beaded trees are less liable TO trunk
injury by sunscaId, less subject to wind
injury, can be more easily and economi-
cally SPRAYED, the top is more quickly
formed, ti.y come into bearing earlier
and f.git can be more easily thinned and
harvested.
With most plants, there is right time
to pruue. All dead wood may be pruned
"when your saw is sharp. In general,
for apple trees, prune in March or April;
for grapes, in late fail. For fruit produc-
ton, prune lightly in summer. For new
wood growth, prune heavily in winter.