104 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



When trees are pruned in early 

 spring, the sap is then in a thin watery 

 state ; it oozes out of the cut, causing 

 premature decay and permanent injury 

 to the tree. 



When trees are pruned in early sum- 

 mer, after the rush of thin watery sap 

 is past and the tree has fairly com- 

 menced to make a new growth, the 

 wounds will commence at once to heal 

 over. The exposed wood will remain 

 sound for a longer period than if cut 

 in early spring. 



Another very important point in 

 early summer pruning is, it does not 

 check the growth of the tree, as when 

 it is done later in the season. 



Some advocate pruning in July and 

 August, but I would only prune then 

 in cases where the tree was making too 

 much wood growth, which I wanted to 

 check and throw the tree into a bear- 

 ing state. 



Another very important point in 

 pruning, and yet one which is very 

 much neglpcted, is to cover the cuts 

 with some substance to protect them 

 from the influence of the weather. 

 Common grafting wax, or a mixture of 

 clay and cow manure, is beneficial ; 

 but perhaps the best thing, when it can 

 be got pui-e and good, is gum shellac 

 dissolved in alcohol to the consistence 

 of paint. A protection of this kind is 

 always beneficial to newly-pruned trees; 

 it neutralizes to a great extent the in- 

 jurious effects arising from pruning 

 trees at an improper season. 



Wash for Fruit Trees, — Keep the 

 trunks and larger limbs of all fruit trees 

 clean and healthy by a wash composed of 

 one part sulphur fine as a powder, two 

 parts soft soap, one part salt, all reduced 

 by water to the consistency of whitewash, 

 and to every bucket or three gallons, add 

 a half pint of coal oil. The latter is con- 

 sidered to be an effectual remedy against 

 the borer, curculio, and a preventive for 

 all insects. Apply with a whitewash brush 

 or mop of rags or sheepskins. 



PRUNING. 



ITS NATURE AND ITS EFFECT. 



The practice of pruning is defined by 

 Webster to be, " To lop or cut off the 

 superfluous branches of trees, to make 

 them bear better fruit or grew higher 

 or to give them a more handsome and 

 regular appearance." The implements 

 used in this woik may be of several 

 kinds, to suit the convenience of the 

 operator, as knife or axe or saw or 

 chisel, but all with a view to the same 

 ultimate results. "This," as Shake- 

 speare said of horticulture generally, 

 " is an art that does mend nature." In 

 practice it requires skill and much ob- 

 servation, but the results are usually 

 marked and very positive, sometimes 

 so much as to change the entire future 

 life of the plants. By means of this 

 we have the power not only to mould 

 and form the plant and direct it how it 

 shall grow to ^erve our purjjoses, but 

 to regulate tlie amount and quality 

 of the fruit. By the judicious exercise 

 of this art the tree is made to be our 

 servant, to please and to bless us. 

 Pruning is mainly of two kinds, viz., 

 root pruning and branch pruning, with 

 respect to parts ; or winter and summer 

 pruning, with respect to time. It is, 

 however, quite evident that the great 

 burden of pruning, both as to root and 

 branch, must be done in a time quite 

 free from frost. To prune in the winter 

 for wood, and in the summer for fruit, 

 is an old saying that has j^ainod cur- 

 rency, and generally there is much prac- 

 tical truth in it. According to the 

 division of our subject we have first, 



ROOT PRUNIXG. 



Tliis mode of pruning consists theo- 

 retically in contracting or circum- 

 scribing the ai-ea of root growth in the 

 soil. The philosophy of the operation 

 is, that whatever threatens to endanger 

 the lile of th" plaid will promote fruit- 

 fidness. Practically, this is done in 



