SUMMER MEETING AT CHILLICOTHE. 17 



young. Pruning tbese strong thoots in winter only increases the evil, unless 

 summer pruning is attended to by pinching out the end of every shoot before it 

 gains sufficient headway to injure the growth of the lower branches. Strong 

 growths should be prured in summer and weak ones in winter. In the manage- 

 ment of hedges, where uniformity of growth is important, this rule should con- 

 stantly be kept in view. 



" When the size of a tree is the only otject sought, summer pruning should not 

 be practiced. But it may be said that pruning of any kind is a negative operation, 

 and probably it is within the limits of posnbility that trees may be trained to any 

 form and maintained in a fruitful ccndition without any instrumental pruning 

 whatever, unless to remedy diseases and casualties. It is much easier, for in- 

 stance, to rub oft" a bud in May than it is to cnt out a branch in December, and if a 

 judicious system of disbudding and pinching was strictly followed there would be 

 no occasion for winter pruning. Or were it possible to place a tree in such soil 

 and under such conditions that it would only make a rnoderate growth of w ell-ma- 

 tured wood, little, if any, pruning would be required. 



"But as all those conditions are ditTicult to realize in the happy combination, 

 we have to resort to pruning, and a knowledge of the principles involved will ma- 

 terially assist the operation." 



The above paper is well worthy of the most extensive circulation, as it is not 

 for one locality only . The same will do for any state in this Union, if not for all 

 the world. It is not only for apple trees, but for all fruit-troes and hedges, and, 

 in fact, in all kinds of timber or shrubs and vines, provided we understand what we 

 are trimming for — fruit, flowers or wood. I think every fruit-grower should be in 

 possession of the above valuable paper, as it is exhaustive in its consideration of 

 the subject. When we give the carpenter the plan for a building, he can see before 

 he begins work how it will look when iinisbed. The man who can make an engine 

 can see every rod, every bolt that is required before he begins work, and see just 

 how it will look and run when done. Now, are there any of our professional 

 pruners who can go into an orchard of two or three-year-old trees and see how the 

 trees should look when fifteen or twenty years old, and train them to that, so as to 

 throw the fruit to the center and strength of the tree, and never cut any larger 

 limbs than a good-sized pipe-stem ? The man that can do this must have the prac- 

 tice and be educated to this business the same as the carpenter or engineer to his 

 trade. I have been trying the above plan for eight or ten years, and find that my 

 eyes can't see ahead far enough, so I have to cut larger limbs than 1 would like to. 

 But by pruning every fall and winter we can get them in shape without cutting 

 any very large limbs. Formerly I trimmed my old orchard in June, but have long 

 since been satisfied that June pruning will not do for all trees. Mr. Saunders tells 

 us that when a tree is exliausted by fruiting, or otherwise not healthy, it should be 

 pruned in the fall for eight or ten years. 1 have pruned in spring. Mr. Saunders 

 says to make a vigorous growth fall pruning is best. I am fully satisfied that this 

 is true. I have noticed a little fall pruning, and the trees have done exceedingly 

 well. W.M. Brodbeck. 



APPLE ORCHARDING 



Should claim the attention of every Missouri farmer that has high, dry land, 

 for there is nothing connected with farming that will pay him half as well as apple- 

 growing, if he goes into it wisely, and one need not go into it otherwise at this day 

 and age of horticulture. As evidence of this fact, let me call your attention to the 



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