AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 233 
Pruning—continued. 
The seasons when Pruning is most generally practised 
are summer and winter, summer Pruning being conducted 
at various times through the summer, and winter Pruning 
principally in December, January, and February. By 
adopting a proper system of summer pinching and 
stopping, much good may result to the branches retained, 
from their being more exposed to light, and there will 
be less need of cutting severely in the winter. When 
branches are allowed to grow at will, particularly to- 
wards the centre of a tree, they frequently become too 
vigorous for fruit-bearing themselves, and, by utilising 
the sap, render others unproductive. If attention to 
summer stopping in such cases is neglected, and the 
strong branches are removed at the next winter Pruning, 
it invariably happens that a difficulty arises in getting the 
flow of sap equalised, and the next spring others, even 
stronger shoots, start from the position where those of the 
previous year have been taken away. Summer Pruning 
then, in relation to permanent training, may be commenced 
so soon as the relative strength and position which the 
young shoots are likely to take, can be ascertained; it must 
be continued at intervals according to the subject under 
treatment and its natural mode of fruit-bearing. Trees 
that produce fruit on the short side branches, which 
are usually termed spurs, may be subjected to a course 
of summer Pruning, with a view to the production of 
those spurs furnished with blossom-buds. This work 
must not be performed before the shoots have reached 
a certain stage, else the buds at the base of the spurs 
left will develop into growth the same season, instead of 
remaining dormant, and forming themselves into fruit- 
buds for the next. July is generally the most suitable 
month: the wood is by that time partially solidified, and, 
if the leading branches are left unstopped, and there is a 
crop of fruit, most of the sap will be utilised. It not 
unfrequently happens that fruit-trees which bear on 
spurs become, from constant Pruning, too thickly fur- 
nished with them, and some get long and unfruitful. It is 
then best to cut some hard back at the winter Pruning, 
only leaving such as are properly situated. In most 
cases, other shoots will proceed the next year from near 
the place where the old spurs have been taken away, 
treatment, and allowed to remain if there is sufficient 
space. The summer Pruning of fruit-trees which do not 
bear on spur branches is of an entirely different character. 
Apples, Apricots, Pears, and Plums—fonr of our principal 
fruits—bear more or less on spurs; but two others, also of 
great importance—Peaches and Nectarines—are usually 
managed so as to fruit on what is called young wood—that 
is, wood made ing the previous year. Summer Pruning 
of these trees consists, therefore, in cutting out whatever 
wood is known to be useless, and in laying-in and en- 
couraging new shoots to take its place. Disbudding may 
be considered a branch or part of Pruning, inasmuch as 
the young shoots removed thereby at an early stage 
have not to be taken out afterwards, and the full exposure 
to light, which is such an essential condition, is insured 
to the foliage of those that are allowed to remain. 
At the winter Pruning, all trees should be examined, 
but much less work will be required where proper at- 
tention has been bestowed through summer ; indeed, the 
Operator will readily see why each of the shoots 
been preserved, and will understand which have 
en left with the intention of being taken out during 
winter. All weak wood 
| be given to 
to furnish wood afterw 
and these may, in due course, be subjected to similar fer named also often very materially depend on the 
x * 
crowded than to be too thin Sil dk aad 
Engra hader ageer Se cee aed res 
Sunshine and air cannot get the ake eal sana | 
Pruning—continued. © 
essential for ripening both fruit and wood. All dead 
wood should be cut out at the winter Pruning, and the 
leaving of sterile and unripened wood or spurs carefully 
avoided. In Pruning young trees that are intended for 
training into any particular shape, their form must always 
be borne in mind, and the leading branches kept at about 
regular distances from each other. Trees that are full 
grown, and have reached their intended limits, are most 
easily pruned in winter, as they require similar restriction 
and cutting each year, with a removal of some of the spurs 
and branches when the latter become too numerous, 
Occasionally, different varieties of a particular fruit re- 
quire altogether a different system of Pruning, as, for 
instance, Cherries. All the sweet varieties of these should 
be pruned on the spur system, while the Morello bears 
best on the long, young shoots. At the winter Pruning, 
therefore, all the latter should be allowed to remain, 
so far as space can be provided for them. See Cherry. 
Notes on Pruning the different fruits named may also 
be found under t, Fig, Gooseberry, 
Peaches aie dealt with under 
Plum, Vine, &c. Nec- 
tarine. Apple-trees that have not attained full dimen- 
sions should have about lft. left on the tops of the 
leading branches at each winter Pruning, and some side 
branches should also be left where there is sufficient 
room for them to develop. Others not required may be 
cut back to form ‘spurs; these, and clusters of buds, are 
the methods of fruit-bearing which the Apple s 
Apricot-trees fruit mostly on strong spurs, which must, 
therefore, be preserved; all the leading shoots 
trained and nailed in, and the side growths cut 
for forming spurs. Unf , the branches of these 
trees are liable to die away, one after the other, until, 
sometimes, the whole tree goes. Such branches 
be cut away, and new ones encouraged to fill 
space: the old ones are those which die off most 
frequently. Apricot-trees have invariably to be grown 
on walls; any spurs which get old, and project a | 
way out, should be gradually taken away at the winter 
Root-pruning has a very important bearing in con- 
nection with top-growth and fruit- ion; the two 
sort of stock used for working upon. Some stocks 
re more fibrous-rooted than — are not Be 
vigorous-growing—as, for instance, Paradise 2 
Quince stocks for the Apple and Pear respectively, in 
comparison with the Crab and wildling Pear. What was 
at one time performed, or attempted, solely by Pruning, 
is now much more readily attained, in these two im- 
portant instances, by the use of stocks that favour a 
dwarf, pendulous habit, and great productiveness, instead 
of vigorous wood-growth, which seldom accompanies or 
precedes a fruitful vag ot — —— however, always 
desirable or practicab tivate trees on 
stocks, and it is then that the effect of Root-pruning, 
when adopted, is most plainly marked. This opera- 
tion is best performed in autumn, but it may be 
safely practised, under certain conditions, at almost 
any season, except during spring, and until the 
leaves have well expanded. No precise rules can 
be laid down as to when Root-praning would be bene- 
ficial, but it usually proves so when fruit-trees make 
growth, and bear comparatively few 
i in autumn, a trench 
a distance from the tree propor- 
