64 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



branch of my subject which has been much discussed in recent 

 years, that of pruning. When shall we prune? how shall we 

 prune ? and for what purpose do we prune ? I maintain that 

 after the first few years in the life of an apple tree very little 

 prunmg is necessary, but it is very different with the plum and 

 we have found some pruning was needed by them each year in 

 order to control the tree in its growth. Most of the pruning is 

 done while the tree is dormant, as it is for the purpose of con- 

 trolling growth, but it sometimes becomes necessary to prune to 

 bring a tree to fruiting. This is done by pinching off the grow- 

 ing shoots in June and July and if circumstances are favorable 

 a crop of fruit may be expected the following year. 



There is no work in the orchard which requires so much 

 thought, judgment, and we may well say, common sense, as 

 pruning. Some growers never prune a tree even when first 

 received from the nursery. They claim that if left to itself 

 Nature will do all the pruning needed. It is true that Nature 

 is constantly at work shaping the growing tree, but the finished 

 product of Nature is very different from the tree we expect to 

 see in our fruit bearing orchards. If it is possible to avoid the 

 removal of large branches, do so, as a tree is injured by cutting 

 them out. Generally there are three reasons for pruning. First, 

 to change the direction of the growth. This is accomplished by 

 cutting to a bud which will grow in the required direction. 

 Second, to cause the formation of more small branches of lateral 

 growth for fruiting. Third, to remove undesirable branches, 

 that is, those which from their position are an injury to the tree, 

 and all suckers and water sprouts should be removed early, as 

 soon as discovered. 



Plums are very productive, and therefore must receive heavy 

 applications of fertilizer to keep them in good condition. We 

 are now topdressing heavily with barn dressing and also using 

 all the ashes we can get, and the results are satisfactory. There 

 are some very serious obstacles to plum growing and of these 

 evils the black knot is the worst. There is no remedy as yet 

 discovered. It makes a very unsightly appearance, and if 

 allowed to run its course unchecked will in a short time destroy 

 the tree or render it worthless. No effectual remedy or pre- 

 ventive has as yet been discovered. When trees are hopelessly 

 affected they should be removed and destroj'^ed. If the knot is 



