60 ' State Horticultural Society, 



THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2 P. M.— ORCHARD QUESTIONS. 



PRUNING THE ORCHARD FROM PLANTING TO OLD AGE. 



(N. F. Murray, Oregon, Mo.) 



The subject assigned me for a paper is a long, broad, deep and im- 

 portant one, and within the proper h'mit of my paper it will be impossible 

 to go into details, or fully explain the philosophy of pruning the orchard 

 from planting to old age. No attempt should ever be made to lay down 

 an ironclad rule for the pruning of trees. The rule must be flexible 

 in order to suit the habit of growth of each variety, and the individual 

 requirements of every tree. Varieties differ and no two trees of the same 

 variety are alike, no two limbs or leaves on the same tree are just alike. 

 The same variety will vary much in habit of growth on different soils, 

 and in different climates and localities, hence the utter impossibility of 

 laying down a mathematical rule for the pruning of trees. Every suc- 

 cessful pruner must of necessity be a student of nature and understand 

 her laws. The most satisfactory way for the beginner to secure a 

 thorough and practical knowledge of my subject will be to go and take 

 a course in our school of horticulture at Columbia, which is now filling 

 a long felt want. 



I shall first speak of pruning the apple, the king of all fruits. 



Starting with nice trees from the nursery, prune off broken limbs 

 but do not cut back the top ; it is a violation of the law of nature, and 

 will have the eft'ect of making the top too thick at the start. For the 

 first five years prune to secure a well rounded symmetrical top, well 

 balanced on the trunk. Do not try to have all varieties grow the same 

 shape and look alike, but let each grow true to nature. As to form, 

 some wall be quite upright, some round, others spreading-, let them grow! 

 Nature so intended. To cut and mutilate, in order to overcome this 

 law is wrong. In the West we have so much wind and sunshine, that 

 very little pruning should be done. The trees should be grown with 

 low and reasonably thick tops in order to be able to resist the hot sun, 

 and sweeping wind storms. Overpruning in the West has destroyed 

 many orchards and led to the premature decay and death of many more. 

 The lowest limbs should not be more than two or three feet from the 

 ground.- In summer cut oft" all water sprouts from the trunk and in the 

 top, but do your main pruning in the latter part of winter and early 

 spring when the wood is not frozen. 



