298 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



during the winter and all of the bearing 

 trees in Western Washington during the 

 summer season. 



How to Prune 



Pruning is an operation that should not 

 be done carelessly or hurriedly. The prun- 

 er should study each tree as he prunes it 

 and each branch as he removes it. 



When heading back young trees or cut- 

 ting off the tops of the last year's growth 

 out of older trees, the cut should be made 

 slanting away from and about one-six- 

 teenth of an inch above the first bud that 

 is intended to grow. A longer stub than 

 this will dry, crack and form an entrance 

 for fungi, bacteria, etc. A shorter stub 

 will usually result in the death of the 

 first bud. . 



When pruning trees that have a dense 

 upright habit of growth, like the Wagener, 

 Rome Beauty, etc.. cut to strong outer 

 buds in order to spread the naturally nar- 

 row, compact top, but when pruning 

 spreading or slender growing trees, cut to 

 buds that point toward the center of the 

 tree in order to throw the limbs inward 

 and upward. 



Weak growing trees or weak branches 

 in strong trees may be compelled to pro- 

 duce strong growths by severe winter 

 pruning. In the removal of lateral 

 branches from either young or old trees 

 cut parallel with and close to the main 

 stem. Never leave stubs from one to two 

 inches long in hopes that they will devel- 

 op into fruit spurs, since less than five 



The Left Hand Figure Shows Where 1-tranches 

 Should Be Cut in Pruning Apple Trees. Such 

 wounds readilv heal. 



The night Hand Figure Shows the Perfect Heal- 

 ing of a Wound Made b.v Pruning Away a 

 Branch. 



per cent ever become fruit spurs and the 

 other 95 per cent die, dry up and leave 

 excellent gateways for the entrance of 

 disease into the wood of the tree. Young 

 lateral branches when shortened back, 

 specially after the spring growth has 

 taken place, very frequently develop fruit 

 buds and spurs. 



In the removal of large branches from 

 old or bearing trees always make the cut 

 parallel with the branch or main stem 

 from which the one is removed. This 

 frequently means a larger wound than it 

 would make if the cut is made at right 

 angles to the limb that is to be removed, 

 but such wounds will heal quicker and are 

 less injurious to the tree than the much 

 smaller ones that leave the collar of the 

 branch to be covered with healing tissue. 

 Do not hesitate to remove large, useless 

 or superfluous limbs from trees, but al- 

 ways make smooth, clean cuts with a 

 saw, and if necessary to prevent splitting 

 the stem or peeling the bark, make two 

 cuts — the first from six to twelve inches 

 out from where the limb is to be finally 

 cut off. Nothing can be applied to the 

 wound to hasten the healing. Wounds an 

 inch or less in diameter need not be 

 treated, while large wounds may be ad- 

 vantageously treated with a thick coat of 

 lead paint. Cheap mineral paint or tar 

 should not be used upon fruit trees as it 

 kills the young, tender bark while graft- 

 ing waxes crack and peel off before the 

 wound has healed. Any antiseptic that 

 will keep the moisture out makes an ex- 

 cellent coating. 



The early training of young trees Is 

 very essential since it is necessary to de- 

 velop a good frame while they are young 

 if it is ever to be developed. It is almost 

 an impossibility to make a first-class tree 

 out of an old neglected tree. One of the 

 differences between eastern and western 

 fruit growing is in the method of the 

 training of the young trees. In the East 

 the high headed tree is the rule while 

 in the West it is the exception. Prac- 

 tical fruit men no longer strive to head 

 their trees high enough for the average 

 horse to work under, but head their trees 

 low and then secure extension tools in 

 order to till all of the ground. 



