512 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



W. H. Hurlbut said he had cut several limbs of peaches since the cold swell 

 and thawed them out in a warm room, and he found some good fruit buds ; no 

 wood buds were injured. This was a severe test for the trial of buds, and sud- 

 den thawing out would injure many good buds. Those least developed are 

 least injured. In reply to George L. Seaver's inquiry, he said that where the 

 wood was injured by the winter he would prune it off early in the spring. 



President Lyon said that if he wanted to prune for wood we should prune in 

 spring. In reply to Geoi'ge L. Seaver, he said that apples would doubtless 

 prove uninjured ; but on peach, apricot, and sweet cherry trees, some limbs 

 wonld be injured and need to be removed. 



0. C. Lathrop gave the familiar quotation that "as the twig was bent, the 

 tree inclined," and he would early shape the future tree. He thought that 

 certain varieties of peaches, especially the Crawford, should be pruned in sum- 

 mer, to induce bearing; more prolific kinds, like Barnards, in the spring. He 

 favored medium high heads, to facilitate cultivation. In pruning he would 

 head in and thin out. 



President Lyon said he would shorten, but not so much as to prevent thick- 

 ening up, but enough to keep up the growth in the center of the tree; he 

 thought the wood growth of the Crawford was usually too strong, and more 

 fruit buds could be produced by summer pruning of the terminal shoots the 

 last of June; we need to study the habits of the trees and prune different vari- 

 eties differently. He thought it practicable to prune small orchards systemat- 

 ically, and for certain purposes and certain varieties it would be practicable to 

 prune large orchards. The usual idea had in view in pruning is shape, which 

 cannot be done correctly when the sap is in motion. Pruning should be done 

 in March, so the cut surface would dry and heal ; would not prune in summer, 

 except to cut off water shoots. 



W. H. Hurlbut said he would cut back when the trees were young, to mul- 

 tiply the leading branches so as to avoid crotches. In order to get stocky 

 shoots he would thin out. He preferred to prune in May. Would prune 

 Barnards up. Craw fords down. 



President Lyon said to avoid crotches he would encourage the growth of a 

 leader. On philosophic principles, pruning in spring threw the strength into 

 the remainder of the limbs. In pruning, always give the root the balance of 

 power. 



W. H. Hurlbut said, Prune grapes betAveen the middle of April and May and 

 they will bear more, but make less wood growth ; they will necessarily bleed 

 some then, but tapping trees does not injure them. (There are different views 

 entertained by others). 



0. C. Lathrop said, The theory of close pruning was fast dying out; more 

 wood growth encouraged more root growth ; would prune in spring. 



A. S. Dyckman thought the metliod of pruning caused more injury than the 

 time at which it was done. Adopt some system, and make the trees conform to 

 that system; he was in favor of low pruning; would only cut back long limbs, 

 and would prune by thinning; preserved to grow three main branches. 



H. J. Edgell inquired if the sap was supplied by cells independent of each 

 other. 



President Lyon replied that if cut off the sap was directed into other chan- 

 nels; prune as little as possible; all severe pruning is injurious. 



The secretary said increased manuring was cheaper than pruning. 



Inquiry was made as to the prospect for peaches. 



