APPLES 



297 



growers that whatever tends to check 

 growth increases the fruitfulness of the 

 plant. Pruning can be used to accom- 

 plish this result to a certain limited de- 

 gree. Plantations which are tardy in 

 coming into bearing may, therefore, by 

 judicious pruning, be brought into profit- 

 able production. 



Accelerating Growth 

 Contradictory as it may at first thought 

 appear, pruning is frequently resorted to 

 to accelerate or augment growth in plants. 

 Weak growing nursery stock is frequently 

 severely cut back during the resting 

 period in order that all the strength of 

 the root may be forced into the formation 

 of a single upright stalk which will make 

 the plant a salable nursery tree. 



RejnTenation of Old Trees 



Severe pruning is also resorted to with 

 older plants for the purpose of rejuvenat- 

 ing them. Old apple trees and old shade 

 trees are frequently so treated, in order 

 to induce them to throw out strong new 

 shoots. 



Effect on Fruit Crop 



With such plants as the peach, which 

 bears its fruit upon the growth of the pre- 

 vious year, pruning is of great impor- 

 tance, as the grower can reduce the crop 

 in proportion to the capacity of the tree. 

 Successful fruit growers thoroughly un- 

 derstand the importance of gauging the 

 quantity of fruit allowed to be borne by a 

 tree to the capacity of the tree, the ability 

 of the tree in this respect being meas- 

 ured by the rate of growth, the vai-iety, 

 and the soil and climatic conditions to 

 which it is subjected. 



Control of Disease 



Pruning is of prime importance also in 

 controlling the action of some of our most 

 dreaded plant diseases. The study of pear- 

 blight, for instance, has shown that this 

 disease is very generally communicated 

 from plant to plant by insects, through 

 the pollen, as they pass from blossom to 

 blossom, or, later in the season, from shoot 

 to shoot. It is also believed that the dis- 

 ease can be carried by the wind and that 

 infection can take place while the vegeta- 

 tive processes are active and the tissue 



at the ends of the branches can easily be 

 entered by the germs of the disease. 



L. C. CORBETT. 

 Washincton, D. C. 



Prnning as Taught by W. S. Thornher 



Every tree is a rule unto itself and no 

 two trees can always be pruned exactly 

 the same. The pruner should be quick 

 to detect the weaknesses as well as the 

 strong marks of a variety or individual. 

 He must be elastic in thought and percep- 

 tion as well as application or he will ruin 

 many a valuable tree. His duty is to make 

 the best of every individual tree regard- 

 less of its condition or shape. 



While it may be possible to grow a suc- 

 cessful orchard in some places without 

 pruning, it is an absolute impossibility 

 here in the West. The successful grower 

 must prune every year at least once if he 

 would have perfect trees. 



When to Prune 



There can be no best time to prune all 

 varieties and ages of trees in all cli- 

 mates. The vigorous growers and shy 

 bearers on rich moist soil should be sum- 

 mer pruned as well as winter pruned, or 

 at least summer pruned; while the slow 

 growers and heavy bearers should always 

 be pruned during the winter. One must 

 constantly remember that heavy winter 

 pruning tends to stimulate wood growth 

 while heavy summer pruning tends to de- 

 velop fruit buds. 



The essential thing in a young tree is 

 that it make strong, rapid growth, and 

 so it should be pruned during the dormant 

 or winter season to induce this growth. 

 As soon as it becomes large enough and 

 old enough to bear this winter pruning 

 may or may not be modified or even sup- 

 plemented by summer pruning. The es- 

 sential thing in an old apple tree is that it 

 produce fruit and so it should be pruned 

 in such a manner that it will produce 

 fruit. In Eastern Washington and most 

 of the irrigated valleys the trees produce 

 fruit too young and tend to overbear, 

 while in Western Washington the reverse 

 is true. With these facts before us it is 

 easy to see why it is best to prune the 

 young trees and most of the old ones in 

 the central and eastern parts of the state 



