PRUNING 



183 



Before pruning 



wound. The hard wood itself never heals; that is, the 

 cells do not have the power of making new cells ; therefore 

 the old wood is simply covered up, or hermetically sealed as 

 a cap is put on a fruit jar. It is evi- 

 dent, therefore, that no kind of dress- 

 ing will hasten the healing of this 

 wound. The merit of a dressing is to 

 keep the wound sound and healthy un- 

 til the callus naturally covers it over. 

 All things considered, the best dress- 

 ing is probably thick linseed-oil paint. 

 So far as the wound is concerned, 

 the best time for Pruning is ordinarily 

 in the spring, when the vital activities 

 are beginning; but the season also in- 

 fluences fruit-bearing and wood-mak- 

 ing, and these questions should be considered. Those wounds 

 heal best which are on strong main limbs, where there is 

 a full flow of nutritious sap. The limb should be cut off so 

 that the wound is parallel with the trunk upon which it sits, 

 and close to it. That is to say, the longer the stub, the less 

 rapid in general is the healing of the 

 wound. It is the custom to cut the 

 limb just outside the bulge at its base ; 

 but, in most cases, it is better to cut 

 through this bulge, and to have the 

 wound close to the main trunk. 



Heavy Pruning of the top tends to 

 the production of wood ; therefore the 

 severe Pruning of orchard trees, fol- 

 lowing three or four years of neglect, 

 sets the trees into heavy wood-bear- 

 ing, and makes them more vigorous. 

 Such treatment generally tends away 

 from fruit-bearing. This heavy Pruning is usually neces- 

 sary in neglected orchards, however, to bring trees back 



After pruning 



