THK CANADIAN HORTICULTUKIffT. 139 



Errors here and there are just like the errors arising from uneducated 

 youth. As the branch is inclined so is the tree. Three or four 

 branches, at the most, are enough to leave on the ipain stem in the 

 early youthhood of the tree. After the first and second year of growth, 

 all future pruning ought to be directed to the proper training of these 

 early leaders, to secure the highest production from tlie tree. A 

 husbandman, in the cultivation of an apple tree, should do very nmch 

 vas the judicious medical man, assist nature with his remedies and 

 nostrums. Tlie cultivator has only to assist, not thwart the tree. 

 This is best done by thoughtful removal of redundant branches in 

 summer. What murderous and wasteful pruning we have seen in some 

 apple orchards; treatment, we are bold to affirm, from which the trees 

 will never recover. Erom early neglect too many leading stems have 

 been allowed. When these. are in the way, a wholesale removal with 

 the rough edge of a saw little adapted for the purpose, is had recourse 

 to. Natui'e vindicates her laws. Blackened matter, after the manner 

 of mourners, sun-ounds the wound, which itself proves to be the parent 

 •of internal rot, eventually destroying the tree. Very few varieties of 

 apple trees require much pruning after the early stages of growth. In 

 fact, to prune full grown trees is exceedingly detrimental. Wherever 

 the saw or chisel has been employed, a multitude of young branchevS 

 will arise, to the detriment of the tree and of tlie fruit grower. 



In tlie spring I visited a fruit producer and found him, saw in 

 hand, in his orchard, near the top of an apple tree, which he was most 

 anercilessly thinning out, and putting a rod in pickle for future use to 

 his own back, untaught by the lessons around him outspoken by 

 ithe various trees which he had formerly mauled. A great reformation 

 is needful in the indoctrination of a better course of pruning. This is 

 to be done by attention being paid to the ditl'erent treatment difierent 

 varieties of fruit trees require. To prune apple trees as you prune 

 vines, and- vines as you prune apple trees is suicidal. Even pears and 

 •apples require different treatment, although so closely allied. Doubt- 

 less the discussion of this subject now to be considered, will throw 

 much light on the practice of our horticulturists, and afford the fruit 

 growers of Peterborough the oj^portunity of contrasting their method 

 • and season with those of their brethren further west. 



Thanking the members present for their kind attention, and trusting 

 -that tliis efibrt to suitably introduce the discussion of to-dav may 



