152 ANNUAL KEPOBT. 



sorts, yet almost all my trees became black-hearted in a few years. Now that near- 

 ly all of that class of trees have been up-rooted from my orchard, and re-placed by 

 the "iron-clads," I see almost no bleeding, and when 1 do see it L know the cause. 

 I do grow a few sorts that suffer some in this way, (such as Fameuse,) because of 

 the excellence of their fruit. The Fameuse is with me as hardy as the Baldwin in 

 the upper Champlain Valley, and though the trees are short lived in both cases, 

 they are planted because of the merits of the fruit. 



WHEN TO PRUNE. 



In my experience it makes no difference at what season a black-hearted tree is 

 pruned, as regards the subsequnt flow of disorganized sap, provided the limb sev- 

 ered is so large that the stump will not quite or nearly heal over in one season. 

 This flow takes place during the whole growing season, and injures (often kills) the 

 bark over which it runs. A tender tree, subject to black-heart, should be pruned 

 very sparingly. Branches not too large to heal over in one season may be taken off, 

 and the best time to do this is in June, as the sap is then too thick to flow freely 

 But heavy pruning in June is a severe shock to the tree, even to the hardiest kinds, 

 and almost surely fatal to any tender sort. Fall and winter pruning is also injur- 

 ious to tender sorts, as the bark around the wound will be killed for some distance, 

 and there is little hope that it will ever afterwards heal. But any of the varieties 

 that never become black-hearted may be pruned "whenever your knife is sharp," 

 remembering this, that June pruning is a shock more or less severe, according to 

 the amount of wood removed. "Prune in summer for fruit," is an old and correct 

 rule, for the very reason that the shock of summer pruning (like anything that 

 weakens the tree) tends to cause the formation of fruit buds. The effect is much 

 like that of root pruning, and both must be practised with moderation and judgment. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Sias. Mr. President, I fully agree with Dr. Hoskins in regard 

 to pruning trees. I am well acquainted with his location: it is almost 

 precisely on this latitude. He is a man thoroughly posted, and I 

 think if we follow his directions and suggestions in regard to pruning, 

 we will find them all right and applicable to this latitude. 



Mr. Gould. He says if they are trimmed in that way only the 

 black-hearted limbs will bleed; it seems to me that isn't just right. 

 It seems to me that the other limbs do bleed sometimes. 



Mr. Harris. I think he leaves the bars down there. 



Mr. Gould. I have discovered that the trees don't bleed if pruned in 

 the latter part of March, or first of April, before the sap starts at all. 

 And there is another time in August, — I am speaking of the time I 

 consider it safe — after the growth is made and the hardening process is 

 taking place, the tree is not then growing so much in diameter. If 

 they are pruned when this extension growth has ceased they don't 

 bleed, and I have practised pruning at that time more or less. Where 



