PRUNING FRUIT TREES. 



In giving an example of the manner in which erroneous notions of these forces affect 

 the cultivator, I will suppose one has, as a subject, a tree unfruitful from too great luxuri- 

 ance. Suppose he should undertake to cure this defect by lessening the number of root- 

 lets catering for the woody system, by root pruning, would it not be absurd philosophy 

 and a waste of time to fill up with rich manures, a trench made for amputating the roots 

 thus enabling the surviving rootlets to gather from a crib, food in quantities, perhaps, 

 equal to the eiforts of the whole system from leaner pastures before amputation. 



Again, a tree neither too feeble nor too luxuriant for fruit-bearing, ought not to be prun- 

 ed unless for symmetry's sake — whilst one needing the knife ought to be con.sidered either 

 as too vigorous or too feeble. How confused, then, must the science of pruning be, when 

 its best expounders direct an annual indiscriminate pruning of trees under all conditions, 

 when the admitted effect of that particular mode of pruning too, is to stimulate but one 

 of these forces. Yet such cases are in the books, and one of these cases I will refer to, 

 because the distinguished author who exercises, and I think justly exercises a wide-spread 

 influence over man}^ admiring friends, has in the south and west led some of them into 

 error and disappontraent. I would not be understood in this as endeavoring to show off 

 the gentleman's fallibility. I Avillingly acknowledge myself his debtor for much, both of 

 pleasure and instruction. In fact, T have thought that none other than an inspired mem- 

 ber of Pomona's priesthood could have given readings of the laws of nature so generally 

 true to her text-book, as those rendered by the accomplished author of the Fruits and 

 Fruit Trees of America, and I have thought moreover, that high latitude and New- Jersey 

 sand betrayed him into the error alluded to, Avhich is taking the peach tree at three years 

 old, and in March or April of every year during life, shortening-in the branches. 



In any cultivated orchard of the Indian corn district, west or south, this treatment is 

 erroneous. It would be wrong, because in such location the tendency of the tree is, at 

 that age, to over luxuriance, and in that case, cutting off the branches to make it less so, 

 would be as though a farmer should attempt to starve out his briars by cutting off their 

 heads in March, when the roots had before them a years supply, instead of the fated Au- 

 gust — when they would be in the midst of famine; it would be as though he should at- 

 tempt to reduce the condition of grazing cattle, by diminishing the number of his herds, 

 or increasing the extent of his fields, or the luxuriance of their verdure. 



Without much confidence that my remarks will have much interest, other than that of 

 novelty, I propose to consider the appreciable evidences and outward marks, peculiar to 

 the wood system and the fruit bearing, respectively. 



Next to class the rules for growing, training, and pruning in accordance therewith; re- 

 viewing also their aptitude, claiming as I do, to be a great admirer of the true and the 

 beautiful in nature — next to the pleasure of weaving fine theories myself, is that of seeing 

 them stript of their flimsiness by others. I should therefore like to be set right in any 

 error perpetrated in the course of these remarks, by any of your numerous correspond- 

 ents, who shall perceive an error, and at the same time have patience and inclination for 

 the work. L.vwrence Young. 



Louisville, Ky., Oct., 1851. 



Remarks. — Mr. Young appears to have singularly misunderstood the aim of the short- 

 ening-in system of pruning, which we have labored to introduce in this countr}'-. The 

 main object of this mode of pruning, is to prevent the tree from enfeebling itself — partly 

 by regulating the annual crop and partly by forcing it to push out several luxuriant shoots, 

 where it would otherwise only have made one. To quote the precise language of our 

 work on Fruit Trees — " while we have thus secured against the prevalent evil, an over 



