The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1920-01-09
FRUIT TREES OF
COUNTY SHOULD
Be PRUNED NOW
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AGENT
E. A. MCLEAN GIVES SOME IN
TERESTiNG INFORMATION.
GOOD SPRAYS FOR GRApevINES
Fruit Crop Of County Can Be Largely
Increased by Little Care of Or
chards--Now is Timt to Begin War
On San Jose scale and Leaf Curry

There are many reasons why the
farmers of Maury county should pay
more attention to their fruit crops
during the year of 1920. County Agri-
cultural agent T.. A. Mclean said to a
Herald reporter today ''the home or
! chards are the most neglected part
of the farms in Maury county, and
| this in great measure can be rene
died. Pruning is Of great benefit to
the orchard, as is spraying the trees.
Now is the time pruning should be
done. There are two periods when
pruning can be done successfully, one
| is known as dormant pruning the
other as summer pruning" Heavy
pruning of the tops of the trees in the
| dormant season tends to increase the
amount of good growth that will be
made in the following season. In the
case of peach tree filled with old
wood, heavy pruning will stimulate
the growth Of the young wood, which
| is very necessary for the production
of fruit. When fruit trees are making
an excessive growth of new wood,
they will not produce fruit buds. This
can be remedied by checking the
growth of the tops of trees by pinch
| ing it out, or by summer pruning,
which tends to increase the yield of
! fruit Where trees have not been
pruned for several years, two or three
years pruning will be required to
transfer them into any thing like pro-
ductiye trees. In the case of old
trees, where there are many limbs to
| be renewed all the pruning should
not be done in one year. Dead and
diseased branches, and those rubbing
or interfering with the growth of an
other should be removed and burned,
All parts of the trees which are prun-
ed off should be Immediately remov-
ed from the orchard to prevent the
breeding of bark beetles.
In pruning, particular care should
be taken to see that it has been suffi
GENTLY thinned out to give an abund-
ance of sunlight.
Where trees have been growing for
several years, it is advisable to fol
low the plan of pruning previously
adopted, that is, if the tree already is
well shaped, pruning should be made
in conformity with the shape of the
tree. If the trees has naturally as.
sumed vase like form, accept that
form without any more pruning than
absolutely necessary.
In pruning grape vines, cut the new
canes back to two buds, that is when
two branches begin from the main
vines and go in opposite directions.
Leave each main branch balanced
with the same number of buds il pos
sible. Above all things do not use an
axe, but procure pair of pruning
shears and do the work properly.
All spraying should be done after
pruning the trees. Dormant spray
for apple trees should be applied now.
In fighting the pest called San Jose
scale, which is found in almost every
orchard of Maury county, use commer
cial mixed lime-sulpher, one part
of the solution to eight parts of water.
Dormant spray for peach trees
should be applied now against the San
Jose scale and peach leaf curl, use
commercial lime sulpher one part to
eight parts of the mixture and water
Dormant spray for grape vines use
five pounds of copper sulphate tblue
stone,) five pounds of burnt lime and
fifty gallons of water.
Prof. Mclean is greatly interested
in the development of the county as a
fruit producing center, and will be
glad to furnish any additional inform
alton concerning the spraying of
trees, and care of orchards, calcu.
lated to increase fruit production.