Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-14
TREE PRUNING Is AN IMPORTANT JOB
THAT SHOULD BE DONE DURING MARCH

Where there is a considerable or
chard area to be cared for it Is to be
presumed that pruning has progressed
during mild winter weather. when 1t
could be performed without discom-
Tort. If, by chance, this necessary
orchard operation remains undone, it
viii be well to push il to completion
during March, in order that the work
may be out of the way, and brush
removed and burned before time for
the first spraying. A thick brushy
tree-top is a great hindrance, not only
to effective spraying. but to the pro-
duetion of uniform, well-deYeloped
highly colored fruit; and as a super
fluffy and inconvenience in this re-
spect is exceeded perhaps, only by
the orchard ground being strewn with
prunings which become entangled
with the spray hose and cause much
provocation and lost time.
Pruning Is an operation for which
no iron-clad rules nor definite instruc-
ton can be laid down.
There are no two trees-even of the
same variety-which are exactly
alike. Each tree must be studied as
an individual and dealt with accord
ing to its more apparent needs. 1t
may be well to have in mind
practical ideal" of what tree
should be and work to develop as
nearly as possible the desired form of
head and distribution of branches;
but we should not be disappointed II
We pretty generally fail to secure just
what we are striving for.
Many an orchard planter has
started out with the determination
that his trees shall all be rigidly
trained in pyramidal form with a
central leader, and evenly distributed
side branches, each extending from
the central stem in its own proper
direction. But he will soon discover
that even the baby tree, not infre-
quently, is by no means a plant and
obedient subject, Oftentimes it's
leader" will refuse to lead, its side
branches will show an inclination to
issue from most unexpected and sur
prising points on the main stem. and
absence of uniformity will be charac-
teristic of the tree.
Far more satisfactory is it to be-
gin the care Of an orchard with ideas
so sensible and practical that, allow
ing for wide range of individuality
of trees and the many enemies and
accidents to which trees are subject
even in the best-cared- planta-
tions. there will be neither disap-
polntment nor disbursement at
failure fully to attain the ideal.
Trees of globular or vase form, with
short trunks, well shaded by the
spreading branches, are not only
slightly but serviceable and entirely
practicable. In such trees accident to
/ branches, by disease or otherwise.
may soon be repaired by nature and
little timely, helpful work with the
primers, so that the deformlty Is
readily outgrown. All dead and part
ly dead branches should be removed
with fine-toothed saw; as well as
branches which are crowding or in
terfering with others, better located.
AS rule all branches which have q
tendency to grow towards the centre
of the tree should be removed. Strive
to maintain n low, we'll balanced head,
the branches of which lead away from
the centre and which are not so close
together as to prevent the sunlight
from reaching every part OF the tree
during some period of the day. If a
certain branch seems to be so out
growing the others that symmetry or
"balance" of the tree is threatened,
cut back the Header" of that branch
at a point Just beyond a lesser, side