Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-04-17

/ finest quality. Too often, however, this
is not the case. The home trees are very
frequently neglected. 1t is natural for us
to put off the things we have never done
before. and many persons who have had
experience with vegetables and flowers
have never done much with fruit Plan
this year to have your home fruit as
perfect as 1t can be grown.
To make sure Of good fruit, however,
1t Is necessary to start now" with the
care Of trees. The fruit buds" which are
the basis Of this falls harvest, have al
ready been in existence for many
months. Fortunately this winter. unlike
last has been very favorable for them,
so that you have the satisfaction of
knowing that at least a good start is al
ready assured.
The first point in the care Of the home
orchard is to keep It clean. All the
ground under and near the trees should
he raked and all the refuse, fallen limbs.
old fruit etc, removed and burned. 1t
is In just this kind Of trash tina a great
many of the dioease spores, and insect
eggs are carried over winter to make
trouble the following year. All old fruit
clinging to the trees-"mummies' as the
! fruit growers call then-should be care
fully removed. The old trees, especially
old apple and pear trees, should be scrap
ed with an old hand hoe. or a tree scrap
er to remove the loose outer bark which
forms favorable harboring place for
many insect eggs, cocoons. etc.
Too often trees about the home are al
lowed to go without any cultivation SO
! that sod remains year after year close
up about the trunk. Where trees are
rnln nfaA in, fh.. 1o If
sod is as important as the fruit. But
even in this case small circle. at least
three or four feet in diameter. of soil
, should be kept dug up about each tree.
II your trees have not been cultivated
in this way dig up about them at once
There may be some surface roots which
will be broken in the process but this will
not hurt anything.
PRUNING
| Many amateur growers are almost as
reluctant to cut any tree or bush around
| the place as they would be to cut a limb
from a pet animal! AS a matter of fact
however. pruning, and at times quite
severe pruning. is one Of the most neces-
sary factors in obtaining good fruit.
| II pruning has been done carefully and
consistently since the setting out of q
| fruit tree very little cutting at any one
time will be required to keep it in condi-
ton II not. more severe treatment will
have to be used.
All pruning. however. should be done
with great care. 1t is possible to do more
| injury than good by careless or misdi'
rected work. Pruning is required first
| to keep the tree In good health and form
second. to make young growing tree
"a ia 81, iaht r
put tree which has been neglected bacl
into good condition again.
In the case of any tree which hal
been neglected the first step is to remove
all dead wood and all limbs or branches
which have become broken or otherwise
injured. Then all sprouts or suckers
or surplus young growth springng from
h! the regular limbs. The first thing which
a neglected apple or peach tree tends Il
do Is to grow up into the air. For con
venience in caring for the trees and il
picking the fruit they should be kept q
a reasonable height. Therefore. the top
upright growing leaders" on tre'
which has been neglected should be Gu
back. thus inducing the growth of thu
lateral branches Even when this is dom
there Is likely to be altogether too mucl
wood left. To get perfect fruit the cen
ter Of the tree should be open enough 81
that the branches do not cross and 81
that the sun and air have free access t.
all parts of the tree. Therefore the leas
desirable of the branches going toward
the center of the tree should be removed
One of any two branches which cross o
rub and are thus likely to injure thu
bark should be taken out.
In starting young trees very often tn
planter insists OH putting them in jus
as they are received from the nurser.
in spite Of all instructions to the con
trary outstanding. The first prun
ing should be done at the time of plant
ing. II small stock is being set it SHOULD
he cut back to what is called a whip.
That is all the side branches cut clos
to the main stem leaving only a few