Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-06
THE FIRST THING
TODOIN PRUNING

| In beginning to prune large tree,
the first thing to do-after you have
decided that it is worth pruning and
any tree with a sound trunk and not
too many dead limbs is worth saving
cut out all dead and dying limbs SAID
Frank H. Dudley Of Auburn, the Maine
State horticulturist, Thursday in dis
cussing the matter Of pruning.
"On old trees there is more or less
| old shaggy bark and moss which fur
nish a foothold for fungi and hiding
places for all sorts Of insects" con-
tinued Mr.. Dudley. This should be
scraped off with a dull hoe or regular
scraper made for that purpose. TINS
work is more easily done just after a
rain or during damp weather. In per-
forming this operation care must be
exercised not to cut into the light or
! inner bark of the tree.
IF it IS a tall tree, We must cut six
or eight feet from the top cutting as
much as possible the small limbs
which are only two or three inches in
diameter, or even smaller This brings
. the top down so that it may be more
easily sprayed. and the fruit picking
made less expensive and laborious.
Suckers may be allowed to grow
from trunk and limbs and few lower
than the old limbs. Shape your trees by
pruning these. This pruning nlodifles
the vigor of your trees and makes them
produce more and larger fruit. We can
change their habit from wood making
to fruit making. Pruning also let's the
sunlight in onto the foliage and fruit.
;rL. rrntNhed lin
his is a limb that has never formed a
perfect union with the heart Of the
tree. This imperfection may be detect
ec by an open seam running across the
top and down the sides. Limbs thus
affected, when over-burdened with
snow and fruit, are likely to open up
at the top and split down the sides,
thereby spelling the tree. These limbs
may be secured by a bolt passed
! through the trunk Of the tree at the
! junction of the limb, or boiling it to
another limb, on the opposite side Of
the tree, several feet higher In young
trees these limbs are much better cut
eff entirely.
Trees are sensating things and must
be treated as such. A single branch
cannot be removed without affecting
every other branch on the tree. Should
it become necessary to remove a large
limb first saw from the lower side sew
eral inches out from where the final
cut is to be made. This prevents the
limb from splitting down. Now saw
from the top, after which the final cut
may be made without danger. cutting
| close al the very base Of the branch to
! be amputated, with a cut as nearly
: parallel to. and even with the outline Of
the main axis of the trunk or branch as
possible. leaving no portion Of stub Of
amputated branch or trunk or larger
limb.
Many older branches as we'll as
younger have a their base a swelling
nudge sometimes called a shoulder.
| This must be cut into and removed to
satisfy the requirements Of close cut
ting, in spite of the fact that the wound
/ is thereby somewhat enlarged. Wounds
Of an inch in diameter and larger
should be painted with white lead and
oil. If preferred, it can be colored to
conform with the color of the bark
! Winter and spring pruning will
cause growth Of wood, while early
summer pruning tends to production Of
fruit. Our aim should be to make
young trees grow and old trees produce
fruit and perfect fruit. If the top Is
heavy, cutting back and shaping will
tend to fruit making.
/ When pruning. the variety must be
taken INFO consideration as different
varieties vary SO much in growth In
pruning the end of branches. leave the
last bud on the side on which you wish
the limb to grow. cutting within one
quarter OF an inch of the bud. Prune
! for an open head.
We can only learn pruning by ex-
perience The principles can be ex-
planned. but to acquire skill and &C
complish results, we must do the work
ourselves and watch for effects year
after year. What we need first
is fruit spurs. To get them and have
them well distributed over the tree,
. n1ifo in Inpa he arI of