The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1913-02-07
PRUNING THE PEACH

IliCo dctlVlIy early ana III Is well 10
get the pruning out Of the way
before the sap starts to flow vigor-
ously. This is especially true of
young trees, which have not yet
been permanently shaped. With
older, bearing trees, if shaping has
been properly done and the trees
headed low, cutting out the super
fious wood may be left till later.
Ii damage from frosts is feared.
some recommend putting off the
pruning till after the trees have
bloomed, ). and the fruit set so that
one can determine how much of a
crop is in sight. In this case one
may 60 over the orchard earlier,
cutting out the larger limbs as
necessary and leaving the smaller
ones till one can see how much
thinning is needed. A great deal
more than many orchardists sup
pose depends on the pruning of the
first three years. This is the time
when a strong trunk and frame
work should be secured that will
support the heavy loads of fruit
that we hope to produce. This is
the time when the low top and the
symmetrical form should be secured.
the former that the labor of prun-
ing, spraying, thinning and harvest
ing the crop may all be greatly
facilitated and hence the cost be
reduced, and the latter that as
great a bearing surface as possible
may be had as well as beauty and
uniformity of the trees.
To secure the low top, head the
young tree low, eighteen inches is
about the right height here. Prune
to whip when planting one year
old trees, or as Prof. Lewis of the
Oregon Agricultural College suggests
for some sections, leave few lat
erals, cutting back to two or three
buds.
In buying trees, select those that
have buds or branches close to the
ground, so that branches will be de-
veloped low enough.
At the end of the first year prune
to secure the trunk and framework
mentioned above. For the frame
work select four or five well dis
tributed and well developed branches
cutting them back to about foot
in length. Be sure to get a good
strong limb on the windward side;
if there is none, develop one as
soon as possible, or the symmetry of
the tree will be destroyed and its
bearing capacity reduced. If fine
branches are left at first, later one,
possibly two, will need to be re-
moved as the tree grows and it can
be seen which one should go. The
typical angle which the branch
should make with the trunk is 20
to Is degrees. Keep the top open,
make the tree spread. This will
not be at all difficult with some
varieties, with others considerable
care will need to be exercised. Un-
less this be done, as the tree gets
older the top will become so dense
that it will kill out the lower growth;
and since fruit forms only on one
year old wood, the bearing capacity
of the tree will again be lessened.
Annual pruning is necessary with
the peach. Possibly some years the
pruning will not need to be heavy;
but room must be made for the de-
velopment of good young branches
on which the fruit of the next year
10 IN he horne. If careful pruning
is neglected, the trees become tall
and scraggly, bearing only on the
top branches out Of reach except
with a ladder and then giving only
partial crop.
Keep the tree low, much OF the
profits will be eaten up if ladders
must be used in thinning and
harvesting. Prune to bud and
generally the bud should point to-
ward the prevailing wind. Work
constantly to throw the tree toward
the wind, so that when mature it