PRUNING OF TREES AND ORNAMENTALS. 129 



Europe and America was to thin out the tops of bearing 

 fruit trees to let in the sun. Charles Downing was an 

 innovator when he wrote in 18G9: "Every fruit tree 

 grown in the open orchard or garden as a common 

 standard should be allowed to take its natural form, the 

 whole effort of the primer going no further than to take 

 out all weak and crowding branches, those that are filling 

 uselessly the interior of the tree where their leaves cannot 

 be fully exposed to the light and sun, or those which 

 interfere with the growth of others/' At the present time 

 our advanced horticultural writers say that the necessity 

 for much pruning depends largely upon climatic peculiari- 

 ties. As an instance, Professor Card says: "The Eastern 

 grower finds it necessary to thin his trees and admit light 

 and air to produce fruit of high color and good flavor. 

 The Western man, however, finds that under his condi- 

 tions of intense sunlight and low humidity, fruit will de- 

 velop color regardless of such conditions. The Eastern 

 grower, if he neglects this, may find his fruit suffering 

 from attacks of fungous diseases; but in general fungi are 

 less troublesome in the drier climate of the plain, so this 

 reason loses its force." 



Sometimes reasons for varied systems of pruning are 

 found on two sides of a mountain range. As a marked 

 instance, Professor J. A. Balmer, of the State of Wash- 

 ington, gives positive reasons why summer pruning, pinch- 

 ing, and even root-pruning of orchard trees are required 

 west of the Cascade range to check exuberant growth. On 

 the other hand, east of the range winter pruning is ad- 

 vised, as the trees are inclined to premature bearing and 

 consequent stunted growth, which is corrected by the 

 severe winter pruning or cutting back, which favors vigor- 

 ous growth of young shoots. 



In the prairie States fruit trees make quite rapid growth, 



