THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE. 

 Vol. IV. January, 1915. No. 1. 



PRUNING STONE-FRUITS. 



By O. B. Whipple,* Montana Agricultural College, Bozeman, Mont. 



Of all phases of orchard work, none is more interesting than prun- 

 ing; and of all pruning, none is more fascinating than the pruning of 

 those trees commonly known as stone-fruits. It is safe to say that no 

 class of fruit trees suffers more quickly from improper pruning, and 

 none responds more promptly to proper treatment. Probahly it is 

 this ready response, a response which so clearly indicates whether the 

 pruning has been right or wrong, that makes the work interesting. 

 We are able to see results and to intelligently reason out causes for 

 success or failure, before Ave have forgotten how the pruning was 

 done. However, the subject is a large one, and I feel it Avould be a 

 mistake to attempt, in the time at our disposal, to cover the entire field. 



The ideas advanced are based upon personal observations and experi- 

 ence in pruning apricots, sweet and sour cherries, nectarines, peaches 

 and plums; and. while of a general nature, and though to some of you 

 they may seem far-fetched, I hope we may be able to get at some of the 

 fundamental principles to be observed in pruning these plants. In the 

 ease of each fruit, or at least the more important ones of this class, I 

 shall attempt to answer for you three questions : 



Where does the plant bear its fruit ^ 



What are the most desirable types of fruiting-wood? 



And how can we best maintain these desirable types? 



To some, this may seem an unusual manner of attacking the subject 

 of pruning, yet I feel that these are things we must know, if we are to 

 prune intelligently. In other words, that the principles involved are 

 important ones and that systems of pruning are largelj^ dictated by the 

 fruit-bearing habit of the plant. 



The nature study idea has in recent years been much talked of in 

 educational circles. Probably nature study in its truest sense was 

 designed for children, but many of we older people might profit had our 

 faculties for observation been civiickened by such study. Did it ever 

 occur to you that so much of our education is gained through observa- 

 tion ? And do you realize that most of us are such poor observers that 

 two or three good educations might be overlooked in a lifetime? The 

 doctor who is a leader in his profession, is not necessarily the man who 

 graduated at the head of his class. ]\Iore likely he is the one who has 

 done most to educate himself. Such education has been acquired by 

 accurate observation, and the opportunities for observation were af- 



* Address before the State Fruit Grower.s' Convention, Davis, California, June 1 

 to 6, 1914. 



