6 The Bulletin 



invisible buds known as adventitious buds. Apples and cherries do 

 not form new growtli very easily from old vs^ood, because of lack of 

 adventitious buds, nor do they heal over the wounds quickly. For this 

 reason peach, pear and grape can be pruned more severely than apple 

 and cherry. 



The branches of a tree groAv in two directions; length growth from 

 terminal buds and lateral growth from auxiliary leaf or wood buds. 

 Peach and pear trees produce length growth more easily than apple 

 and cherry trees. For this reason it will be necessary to correct the 

 habit of the peach and pear trees of producing too much length growth 

 by cutting back the long whips. On apple and plum trees new growth 

 can be induced to form by cutting out some of the older wood. Cherry 

 trees grow to a spnnietrical form naturally and do not require much 

 pruning except the cutting out of injured, diseased or interfering 

 branches. Lateral growth usually develops into fruit bearing wood, 

 while terminal buds form wood growth. It should be the purpose of 

 the pruuer to properly balance length growth and lateral growth. 

 Sometimes it is impossible to regulate the growth by pruning back 

 the branches. Injury may result by heavy pruning, especially those 

 trees producing strong succulent growth. This is particularly true of 

 pear trees. The growth of the branches is proportional to the growth 

 of the roots. If pruning the branches fails to correct the habit of 

 producing too much wood growth, root pruning may be resorted to. 

 Pear trees should not be pruned heavily in the winter time, because 

 winter pruning stimulates wood growth. The pear should be pruned 

 in the summer time because summer pruning checks wood growth and 

 induces fruitful ness. Summer pruning should also be followed as a 

 means of controlling fire blight. By cutting out the diseased branches 

 as soon as affected, the destructiveness of the blight can be checked. 

 In pruning the branches care should be exercised not to leave stubs 

 (Fig. 1) because these seldom heal and they subject the trees to the 

 attacks of blight, rot and other canker diseases. The branch on a tree 

 should be pruned close to the place of attachment so that the wound 

 may heal as quickly as possible. Large wounds on pear and apple 

 trees should be disinfected with bichloride of mercury, using one tablet 

 to one pint of water. This will make a solution of one to one thou- 

 sand. The disinfectant can be bought cheaply at any drug store, 

 where directions for handling the poison will also be given, 



A coat of paint made in the form of thick paste of white lead and 

 linseed oil should be applied to the Avound immediately after disin- 

 fecting. Even better results will be obtained if a paint of % parts 

 coal tar and ^ part creosote oil be applied to the wounds. Besides- 

 keeping in mind the above stated ])rin('iples of growth, and observing 

 them in his pruning operations the ])runer will have to use his judg- 

 ment as to what is the best procedure in the general pruning of young 

 and old trees. 



Best TI^^K to Prune. 



A general rule is to prune whenever the knife is sharp. Winter 

 pi-uning induces wood growth and produces an invigorating and stim- 

 ulating effect on the growth of the tree. Summer pruning cliccks wood 

 growth and stimulates fniitfulness. It should also be done to regu- 



