Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-02-26
PRUNING FRuIT TRIBES.
10 Get Best Results Pruning Should
he Done Every Year.

~A~ AtoSh "nSottS5~t
otal: Pruning Is a necessity where
best results are to be expected from
fruit trees. A tree a be given all
the attention possible relative to Gull
! ovation and fertilization, but unless
il Is judiciously pruned the branches
, win become thick, weaken and die.
/ These become the harboring places
for insects and fungus diseases
which prey upon the tree and fruit.
I Even If the branches do not die, they
. become so thick that the sunlight
/ and air are excluded to such an ex-
! tent that the fruit is inferior in size,
"o}ur and quality. We~ll-pruned, low
aided trees, having the bearing
wood well distributed, and being
stout and stocky, are able to bear
a-1 hold up crops Of fruit. They
H,so facilitate spraying, thinning and
resting. They are also by far
5No , ornamental in appearance than
.NN awkward, long-limbed, unpruned
trevs. Pruning is necessary, there
fore, where the best trees and first
lass fruit are desired.
20 get the most satisfactory results
ming should be done every year.
~ annually heading back and thin
ming III the small branches during
the early life of the tree and remov-
ing a dead branch here and a stray
limb there, in after years the tree
ra1 be kept in good, healthy fruiting
voudition, and it will never be neces-
&yrv to cut out large limbs or unbal-
. auce the tree by very heavy pruning.
Framing should consist more in di-
reCting the growth each year than
by checking it by one heavy pruning
wAjch is to make up for IA of neg
lect. If a tree is properly directed
and shaped when young, it will never
he necessary to cut out many
lunches or large limbs in later
years.
running should commence when
tbs tree is planted. When the tree
.N DtdllSuS u poSh IuC uSdu anu
hI0ken roots to good living wood,
leave a clean, smooth cut. The young
tree should be pruned back to the
height the head of the tree is to be
tormed, which height should be con-
SlsLent with the methods Of cultiva-
ton. l would suggest 16 to 10
incl a.r the peach, ard "a to 30
incEts Tor j., arp'c and pea. per
haps .ow.y in the case OF Tho var,o-
ties o. pears commonly grow "a 1he
Soutu. II no young u," Is Whip
like, tna SIDE budS mag be allowed
To form lc..es the first seaiOn tC
: cause it to become stout and stocky.
II it is stocky enough, all the buds
nay be rubbed off as they start, ex-
pit those intended to form the main
Dranches Of the tree. 1t is a COM
non fault to start a tree with too
~ any main branches, which after
ard GRO Yd each other to such an
&" tent that it becomes necessary to
vt out large limbs. Three or four
main limbs, if properly placed, are
though for any fruit tree. The main
limbs should be we'll arranged
7 around the tree and at slightly diff
t3rent heights on the main axis. At
o.r the first seasons growth all
ranches except these just mentioned
should be cut away, and these should
oe headed back about half. The an
uual pruning afterwards will con
list largely in heading back the pre-,
2ious seasons growth and keeping
The head thinned out. On the up
light growing trees, such as the Keif-
Ter pear, prune to a bud point out
ward so as to cause the head to
spread. When the tree begins to
bear full crops OF fruit it will not
bear a surplus amount of wood,
hence very little pruning will be
necessary except in the case of the
peach tree. This should be thinned
out and headed back even after it II
bearing full crops Of fruit. Pruning
Is best done when the trees are dr.
mant, preferably in the spring Just
before the buds start. Grape vihes.
however, should be pruned I'M the
fall.
1t sometimes becomes necessary to
renovate old trees which haze be-
come thoked with water sprouts and
dead limbs. The reclaimingjprocess
should take two or three years, de-
pending upon the condition Of the