294 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



end of the branches and in the space be- 

 tween the rows. It is this area that 

 should be cultivated. There is little ad- 

 vantage in cultivating up close around 

 the stem of a large tree as the feeding 

 roots are not within this area. The main 

 object of cultivation can be attained by 

 keeping the middles and a short distance 

 back under the branches stirred. This 

 plan also admits of heading the trees low. 

 A. T. Erwin, 

 G. R. Bliss, 



Ames. Iowa. 



Prnning in West Virginia 



Intelligent pruning, at the right time, 

 is absolutely essential to the production of 

 the best fruit. An unpruned tree may, 

 in many instances, produce a larger num- 

 ber of apples than an adjacent pruned 

 tree: but the percentage of merchantable 

 fruit will invariably be smaller. Small 

 apples or peaches contain just as many 

 seeds as do large ones, and therefore 

 make practically as great demands upon 

 the store of plant food. They do not, how- 

 ever, fill the basket, nor the pocketbook, 

 so rapidly as the others. 



Wlien to Prune 



The best time for pruning is on warm 

 days from January to May. More can be 

 accomplished in the longer days of April 

 and May, but if there are many trees to 

 be pruned, the work should be commenced 

 earlier in the season. The time of year 

 when the cut is made has little effect upon 

 the readiness with which the wound heals, 

 but more care is necessary to prevent in- 

 jury to trees pruned when the wood is 

 frozen. 



A wound made by removing a limb heals 

 best if the cut is made close to the trunk 

 or branch. A stub two or three inches 

 lon.g does not heal and becomes a lodging 

 place for spores of fungi and bacteria 

 which cause decay and death of the tree. 

 The splitting down of large limbs may 

 often be avoided when pruning by sawing 

 in from the under side first; but, in every 

 case, see that the wound is left clean and 

 smooth. Wounds should also be covered 

 immediately with a coat of paint, shellac 

 or grafting wax, to keep out the moisture 

 and spores before mentioned. Nothing is 



better for this purpose than pure white 

 lead and linseed, oil. 



The whole philosophy of the pruning 

 of plants rests upon the fact that the 

 various parts are unlike; that each branch 

 is, in a measure, independent and capable 

 of becoming a new individual; that by 

 lessening the conflict between the parts, 

 the growth of the whole is iiromoted. 

 Pruning is a necessity, and the pruning 

 given by Nature in a neglected orchard or 

 forest, is more severe than the average 

 man would dare to attempt. 



It is often urged that pruning should 

 be commenced when the tree is planted, 

 and continued annually throughout the 

 life of the tree. It is doubtful, however, 

 whether equally good results may not be 

 obtained by removing superfluous 

 branches at four or five years of age, rath- 

 er than by severe pruning very early in 

 the life time of the tree. In other words, 

 it is contended by some that it is better 

 to permit the root system to become thor- 

 oughly established before disturbing the 

 top. 



The amount of pruning necessary de- 

 pends largely upon the location and ex- 

 posure of the orchard. Trees on a warm 

 southern slope, freely exposed to the 

 winds, require much less pruning than 

 do those in a coo] sheltered location which 

 is lacking in sunshine. Plenty of light 

 is essential to the production of highly 

 colored fruit. It is desirable that trees 

 should be pruned intelligently from the 

 time they are set, but old trees may often 

 be given a new lease of life by judicious 

 management. If the trees have been long 

 neglected and require heavy pruning, do 

 not remove all of the wood the first year. 

 Removal of a portion of the top, thus dis- 

 tributing the food gathered by the roots 

 to a smaller number of branches, tends to 

 produce rapid growth and renewed vigor 

 of the tree. The removal of too much 

 at one time will start the growth of wa- 

 tersprouts and defeat the very purpose in 

 view. 



The method of shaping the top of 

 young trees will depend upon the natural 

 habit of the variety, the ideal of the 

 grower, and the local conditions. No at- 



