PRUNING. 1 09 



it is deferred to February, March, and even April. In 

 Western New York, we prune apples, pears, and other 

 hardy fruits any time that we have leisure, between the 

 fall of the leaf and the first of April. 



The peach we prune just as the buds begin to swell. 

 The fruit and leaf buds are then easily distinguished from 

 one another, and the objects of the pruning are accom- 

 plished with more precision. 



Grapes may be pruned any time in the winter, as a 

 portion of wood is always left above the bud ; and if the 

 wood is wanted for propagation, it should be cut before 

 the season of severe frosts arrive, as the buds are liable 

 to be injured. Gooseberries and currants, also, any time 

 in winter. The stone fruits should always be lightly 

 primed, because severe amputations almost invariably 

 produce the gum. Where it is absolutely necessary, in 

 the spring, the wound should be coated with grafting 

 composition, or with that recommended by Mr. Downing : 

 " Alcohoi, with sufficient gum shellac dissolved in it to 

 make a liquid of the consistence of paint, to be put on 

 with a brush." 



This excludes air, and is not affected by changes of 

 weather. 



Pinching is a sort of anticipated pruning, practiced 

 upon the young growing shoots, intended to promote a 

 uniform circulation of the sap, and thus regulate the 

 growth, and also to induce fruitfulness. 



1st. To regulate the Growth. In the management of 

 trees, this is an operation of great importance, as it obvi- 

 ates the necessity of heavy amputations being made at 

 the winter or spring pruning. Instead of allowing certain 

 superfluous or misplaced shoots to acquire their full de- 

 velopment at the expense of other parts, we pinch them 

 early, and give to the necessary parts, or branches of the 

 tree, the nutriment which they would have appropriated 

 if allowed to remain. In this way we are able to obtain 



