Mountain advocate., 1919-05-02
PRUNING FRUIT TREES
Extension Horticulturist, Lexington,
Kentucky.
BY N. R. Elliot.

culture mas Deen so mucn discussed
~ the pruning question. Men have
disagreed from the first concerning
the best methods to pursue in prun
ing trees, and they still disagree
However, there are certain definite
underlying principles that have be
come so well established that they
are now considered fundamental
We prune so that the trees may de.
velop in such a way as to be able Ia
hear, good crops Of fruit without
breaking, to admit air and sunshine
and to fcilitate picking, spraying
and thinning. With these objects in
view, let us consider the different
ways of pruning trees.
The Apple Tree.
The commercial orchardist will
barbourville gal. Z.
as rule, buy one-year-old apple
trees. These trees are for the most
part, mere whips with small lateral
branches. In case a one year old
tree is not selected, two years old
should be the maximum age. About
the ouly difference is that we find
that the two year old has larger later
vi branches and the buds on the trunk
Of the tree are less liable to grow.
For the man who expects to take
care of his trees, the one year-old
tree is the best to buy, because this
tree can be so trained that any type
Of head can be used that the grower
may desire. Then, there is less shock
to one year old tree in transplant
ing, owing to the fact that the root
system is not so we'll developed.
In pruning the young apple tree
one must select an ideal and for this
ideal we believe the modified leader
is the best. This type is one in
which the main branches are allowed
to grow out from the trunk AID the
trunk is allowed to remain, thus hav-
ing u center part of the tree. AS TO
the arrangements of the main branch
es, three to five laterals are sufficient
for the apple. These should be well
distributed around the trunk and as
far apart as is possible to get them,
in order to avoid bad crotches. One
should always remember that the
height of the lateral branches will
practically remain the same on the
trunk of the tree, and that if the
branches are six inches apart at the
beginning, when the tree is older the
centers will not be any further apart;
but, as a matter of fact, the limbs
will be closer together inasmuch as
they have increased in diameter.
Since that is the case we readily see
that another advantage of having the
one year old trees is because these
laterals can be placed to the best ad-
vantage since the buds on the trunk
should still be in good condition.
Perhaps the first thing to be con-
sidered in all pruning work is that
the person doing the work must be
able to picture in their own mind how
the tree is going to look when it is
fifteen or twenty years old; also how
the tree will look after limb is cut
out before it is cut out.
In pruning the young trees with
these two ideas in mind, it should not
be difficult task to place a we'll
formed head on young apple stocks.
The young tree should be pruned
every year and the time should be
during the dormant season, that is,
from the time the tree sheds its leaves
in the fall until just before growth
starts in the spring. We often hear
''prune when the knife is sharp"
That is better than not pruning at
all, but the writer is inclined to be-
lieve that during the months of Feb
ruary and March is the best time to
prune the trees in this state. Some
people say that trees should not be
pruned when they are frozen. 1t is
very true that one should not climb
around in the tree when the wood is
frozen, but as a rule we have enough
open weather during these months
to prune the orchard without any
damage due to frozen wood. By
pruning at this time, the wounds are
not exposed very long before growth
,tsrts-a thing thaat is very much to
be desired-for as soon as growth
starts, the wound should begin to
heal.
As to the matter of June pruning,
there has been much discussion pro
and con, and no definite decision has
been reached Some argue that prun-
ing in June stimulates the growth and
development Of fruit buds, but the
writer is inclined to believe that for
panaral nractical nrunin0 tho dor