THE SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 307 



BACTS ABOUT PRUNING. 



From Coleman's Kurul AVorld wc extract tliis hit of information: 

 We look upon the roots as the parts that nourish, l)ut the roots are the mouths 

 through which food is taken. It is more correct to say that the stomach 

 nourishes rather than the mouth, and the leaves of the tree rather than the 

 roots. Some people seek to urge the growth of cions in newly grafted trees by 

 removing all large limbs. They should remember that they thus remove that 

 which induces growth, and after such severe slaughter many of the fibrous roots 

 will be found dead, for if they have no work to perform they become feeble and 

 short lived. Wc must distinguish the difference between trees and vines. If 

 we wish the grape to grow vigorously, we cut it back closely, for its leaves are 

 very large, and it has the faculty of covering a trellis with only a few buds. 

 Thus we cut feeble growing vines back more closely than strong growing, for 

 by close cutting we get more foliage than by leaving canes long. Therefore, in 

 pruning trees the danger lies in cutting too much, and with vines in not cut- 

 ting away enough. If you wish the tree to spread, cut to an outside bud; if to 

 run higher and closer, to an upper or inside bud. Leave no crotches, as they 

 are certain to break when laden. Cut close to the shoulder, but do not cut the 

 shoulder. Eemember that he who does not trim at all gets the most growth of 

 tree ; yet he who trims often and wisely has the best orchard and fattest pocket- 

 book. 



OPENING UP TO THE LIGHT. 



The practice of summer pruning grapes to give the fruit light, tliat it may 

 mature and color better, is still practiced somewhat, and Josiah Cooper, in the 

 New York Tribune, shows clearly the fallacy of the idea : 



No surer evidence of the impropriety of defoliation to admit the sun's rays 

 can be cited than the results of recent experiments in bagging grapes. We see 

 that the covered clusters ripen more thoroughly, color more beautifully, and 

 assume that charming bloom which, without artificial aid, in many sections, 

 they rarely attain. The foliage in a great measure acts as the lungs do in the 

 animal creation, and every perfect healthy leaf taken off a plant destroys a 

 portion at least of its power of subsistence, for vegetation extracts from the 

 air a wonderful amount of nutriment which enters into its organism through 

 the myriads of minute apertures which nature has so wisely ordained for this 

 express purpose. Then why partially cut off its means of supply to gratify 

 the whim that fruit must receive the direct rays of the sun ? 



TRIMMING THAT INJURES. 



" Leon " in Rural New Yorker makes a point that we would like to see made 

 at least once a year in every agricultural newspaper in the land. This is no 

 place for carrying out the Japanese method of making trees into monstrosities. 

 " Leon " remarks : 



I was at Marshall, Michigan, some weeks ago, and friend Powers drove me 

 all around the city and for miles through the neighboring country, and a 

 lovely agricultural country it is, too, I assure you. We halted in front of a 



