Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-04-20
Why Do We Prune?

Why Do We Prune?
That question asked of multitude
of fruit growers would be answered in
as many different ways. Broadly, the
eastern fruit growsr-the term fruit
grower is more often than not mis-
homer viewed from strictly techni-
cal or scientific standpoint-pru be-
cause he can no longer get under his
trees and his help cannot get into the
top to pick the fruit, as the top, or so
much of the top as has not been killed
off by density above or chopped off
from the 3ottom, is beyond the reach
of the tallest ladders and out of range
of effective spraying to
paples.
If the art of pruning-and it is an
arts annually and persistently prac-
ticed for the purpose of correcting
faulty inherent habits of the tree and
improving it's form, beginning at the
time of planting, there should never be
occasion for radical or over-pruning
about which so much has been said
and written.
Too many so-called authorities on
pruning when they rush into print ,ap-
parently seek to convey the impression
that the practice has been or can be
reduced to mathematical basis. On
the other hand, other writers so con-
fuse the entire subject by interposing
conditions and qualifications that the
reader suspects he has been dreaming.
Some day, it is to be hoped, certain
orchard practices will become stand
ardized, at least fneasurably SO, and
then an amateur may hope to gain
some definite information in fruit cul-
ture. Long strides in that direction
have already been made by the very
general adoption Of the practice of
spraying and tillage about which there
is no longer any mentionable argu-
ment.
It is true that a fundamental knowl-
edge of trees is essential to a proper
comprehension of pruning, but this
need not be technical. The amateur
need not be troubled about the botan-
ical terms applied to the different
parts of which plant is composed;
he may call spade spade and let
it go at that. Perhaps the broadcast
and most comprehensive Of the funda-
mental principles Is that both leaves
and individual fruits require not only
the action of sunlight upon them but
the coating Of their surface with fungi
cidal spray. And tothat end super
fluous spurs, twigs and branches must
be removed. If the work be done while
the tree is dormant then liberal allow
ance must be made for the space that
the fully-developed foliage viii require.
To do this systematically requires not
only good judgment but patience, per-
severerance and skill which only OBJ.
servation and experience can bring.
But only he who loves tree and has
a natural adoption for the work can
.ver hope to acquire the necessary
ability.
Other principles that govern the
practice are: 90 that fruit trees--ap-
pie more than any other kind-grow
or start a large superabundance of
spurs, twigs and branches that not
only preclude proper culture but by
their competition for light many must
succumb in the struggle; 90 that
spurs, twigs and branches uniformly
distributed over the framework limbs
are preferable to naked far-stretching
branches; (3) that terminal ends of
branches should occasionally If not
annually be headed in; a. that judi
cious, intelligent pruning not only pro-
notes the vigor, strength and longev-
ity of tree, but furnishes the best
condition for the most satisfactory re-
turns; (5) that to bear fruit Is an in
herent trait of the apple tree as much
as. it is natural for it to be clothed
with q new covering of leaves; Co.
that the apple tends to over-bear rath-
err than under-bear; CD that having
furnished the optimum conditions:
properly thinned top, fertility, spray,
tillage, the owner need not concern
himself about the mysterious and in
tricate laws tia govern the life pro.
cesses of bud, bloom and ovary, about
which most of us know nothing and
few know anything definite; (S) thu
pruning should only be done under
expert directions.