336 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



were deposited, and his trees died, because he took off nearly all the 

 leaves in cutting. Of course no tree can live if entirely denuded of its 

 leaves in summer ; and if you take off half the leaves, you only half kill 

 the tree. 



Prof. Thomas saw no advantage in leaving any dead branches in the 

 trees. He also expressed the opinion that the pruning of young oaks in 

 the forest, by the cicada, was beneficial rather than detrimental to them. 



Dr. Ennis (of Clinton, Iowa,) — I seldom talk upon such subject, 

 but I must enter my protest against the theory and practice of Mr. Wier. 

 A stranger coming into our meeting would say we knew nothing about 

 pruning, we differ so much ; yet there is a medium which I think is right. 

 I once bought an orchard, which was at the time of purchase a mass of 

 thick brush, having had no pruning since it was planted, yet it was not 

 productive. The trees were twenty-five feet apart, and so large that they 

 covered the ground ; some of them branched at the ground. I took a saw 

 and at once commenced a system of pruning, which I followed up from 

 year to year. From those which branched at the ground I sawed off one 

 or more of the main branches, leaving those nearest upright, and so on 

 more the next year, making quite symmetrical trees out of them, always 

 thoroughly painting the wounds made in pruning. The result has been 

 that these trees came into bearing, and have borne ever since. An orchard 

 near me, which was planted some ten or twelve years since, has had 

 a moderate annual pruning every year since it was three years old, by 

 cutting off the young shoots which appeared where not wanted, and it is 

 one of the most healthy and productive orchards that I know ; it produced 

 five hundred barrels of apples this year. In answer to a question, he 

 stated that it stood upon rich hazel-barrens land, and had been cultivated. 



Mr. Wier — Mr. President: I think there has been enough said upon 

 this subject \ but I wish to say that the cases cited by Dr. Ennis do not 

 establish the theory of severe pruning. The first orchard had been 

 entirely neglected, yet the trees had become hardy by having been left to 

 themselves, and the bark old and thick upon them before the work of 

 trimming was begun, and the cultivation and painting connected with it 

 helped to promote their health, while the trimming threw them into bearing. 

 We all know that whatever impairs the vitality of a tree will increase for the 

 time its productiveness. We all know, too, that it is possible for trees to 

 be in such a state of health and hardiness as to withstand an immense 

 amount of abuse, but that don't prove that trees are not better and longer- 

 lived with good care than under a system of abuse. I have an orchard 



