62 



The Canadian Hor/icultnrist. 



under as well as the upper sides of the by syringing the leaves with clear water; 



leaves. A syringe with a bent nozzle is in dry times this should be done every 



the best instrument with which to apply day. If the rose bug, Melolontha 



the liquid to the lower sides of the subspinosa, makes its appearance, which 



leaves. is not very often, it can be destroyed 



The red spider can be held in check by the Insect Exterminator. 



PRUNING TREES AND VINES. 



DEAR SIR, — I would like to have your 

 opinion on the proper method and 

 time for trimming and pruning fruit trees, 

 shade trees, grape vines, etc. In a great 

 many orchards very little pruning is clone. 

 Some people let the trees go without prun- 

 ing until the limbs become very large, and 

 then cut out large limbs in the centre, leav- 

 ing the stump sticking out from the trunk — 

 in my opinion, a very good way to start the 

 tree to rot. I have seen trees that it would 

 require a twenty-foot ladder to prune the 

 thick brush off the ends of the limbs, so 

 that the sun could get near the fruit. Is it 

 right to cut out the centre of a tree ? 



Grape vines are often allowed to run over 

 fences and buildings year after year without 

 pruning, only having bearing wood on the 

 ends many feet from the roots, the buds 

 having been killed out by the steel bug in 

 the spring, or the frost in the winter, as very 

 few lay them down, as they should be in this 

 cold latitude. I have had to cut out vines 

 one half of which were dead and use- 

 less wood. I think a few good practical hints 

 to slovenly fruit growers through your jour- 

 nal would do much good. Many here do 

 their pruning in winter, but I prefer to do it 

 when the blossoms are on the fruit trees, 

 when the maple is coming out in leaves ; and 

 the grape vines late in the fall, after the 

 leaves are off. Am I right ? Trusting that 

 this will not only find space in your journal, 

 but that you will make some comments on 

 it. — W. C. Searle, Clinton, Huron Co. 



Probably there is no subject upon 

 which more confused notions exist 

 than with regard to the time and 

 manner of pruning trees and vines. 

 Some who pretend to know give such 

 definite advice as, " Prune when 

 your knife is sharp," and others advo- 

 cate no pruning at all. Some say 



prune in the winter, some in summer, 

 and others in the fall. In the multi- 

 plicity and contrariety of the advice, 

 who wonders that we see so many 

 slovenly kept trees throughout our 

 country ? 



First, with regard to the time of 

 pruning. We have under this head 

 a very old adage, which it is well 

 to remember, viz.: " Prune in winter 

 for wood, in summer for fruit," and 

 probably no better general rule could 

 be given. The philosophy of this is 

 explained by the fact that anything 

 which checks the wood growth of 

 the tree tends to the metamorphosis 

 of leaf buds into fruit buds ; and, on 

 the contrary, that which favors wood 

 growth lessens that tendency. Thus, 

 while a tree is young and growing 

 rapidly, it produces no fruit ; but 

 when it has attained a certain degree 

 of maturity, and grows less vigor- 

 ously, it begins to produce fruit. On 

 the same principle it is that a tree 

 that has been girdled will often be 

 overloaded with blossoms, though 

 not yet of the usual bearing age, or 

 limbs which are artificially bent 

 down will yield fruit before the 

 other limbs of the same tree. Now, 

 summer pruning checks the growth 



