NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



99 



winding-, as shown in Fig. a. The top end 

 of the root, where it is cut off, next to the 

 cion, has a ring- of bark left on, which is 

 necessary. 



Fig. 2550. Apple 



Tree Pruned for 



Planting. 



Fig. 2551. Appie Tree at 

 End of First Season. 



THE SPRING PRUNING. 



WE have more than once called atten- 

 tion in these pages to the foolish 

 method of pruning the apple tree, which we 

 see practised by farmers every spring-. The 

 lower branches are annually removed, until 

 in time the tree top is almost out of reach, 

 and most unsightly in form. 



There should be a complete change of 

 method. The object should be to keep the 

 bearing wood near to the main trunk, and 

 to produce a compact, symmetrical head. 

 The branches that are reaching upward 

 should be topped back, and all should be 

 thinned at the outside. Bearing- fruit spurs 

 should be encouraged to grow upon the in- 

 side branches, down to the very trunk ; and 

 thus a tree will result that is not only beau- 

 tiful to the eye, but also a filler of the purse. 



PRUNING WHEN PLANTING. 



A SUBSCRIBER wants to know how to 

 treat young trees during the first few 



years after planting-. The answer depends 

 somewhat upon the kind. A young peach 

 tree, when set, may be pruned to a whip, 

 and the head formed from the buds near its 

 top. Individual preference must decide be- 

 tween a low or a high head, but our own 

 preference is for a low head, so that fruit 

 may be produced almost to the very ground. 

 Ploughs, cultivators and discs are now made 

 to accommodate the fruit grower, so that he 

 can reach under such low headed trees with- 

 out bringing his horse so near as to injure 

 them ; and, if a little extra work is caused 

 in the cultivation, it is made up in the com- 

 fort in gathering the fruit, and in the greater 

 health and beauty of the trees. 



In setting young apple trees, it is usual 

 to plant three year old trees with the tops 

 already formed, which are then cut as shown 

 in Fig. 2550. At the end of the season the 

 tree will appear somewhat as in Fig. 2551, 

 which will need some thinning according to 

 the judgment of the owner; and so on from 

 year to year. This annual treatment should 

 never be omitted for a single season, if well 

 formed trees are desired. 



PEACH PRUNING. 



Wm. Burgess, Queenstown, writes : 



Sir, — Some authorities tell us that late spring is 

 the safest time to prune the peach. Is there danger 

 of injuring young peach tree through early prun- 

 ing? 



We have never seen any serious injury 

 from cuts on peach trees made in winter. 

 We see no reason why this work should not 

 go forward during the months of February 

 and March, when there is plenty of time to 

 attend to it. Many of our best peach 

 growers shorten in their peach trees every 

 spring, cutting- back from one-half to two- 

 thirds of the young wood. This not only 

 thins out the fruit buds of the current sea- 

 son, but it also increases the amount of 

 bearing wood for the succeeding year, and 

 leng-thens the life of the tree. 



