1442 



PRUNING 



ing branches receive a greater proportion of the plant's 

 energy, and they therefore make stronger growth or are 

 more productive in tlowers and fruit. Pruning is essen- 

 tially a thinning process. 



In itself pruning is not a devitalizing process; it is 

 only devitalizing when it is carried to excess or when 

 the wounds do not heal and disease sets in. It is rather 

 an invigorating process, since it allows more nourish- 

 ment to be distributed to the remaining parts of the 

 iplunr. Th.' nution that pruning is devitalizing arises 

 frmu i:i|..' anaK.gy with animals, which suffer shock or 

 injury wli.n purts are removed. The fact that pruning 

 IS ih.t a .li-vitalizing process is proved by every tree. 

 The Ir^e is a record of successive prunings. Note the 

 number of branches on the seedling tree in the nursery 

 row or in the forest, and then consider that all these 

 branches, with the exception of the leader itself, will 

 probably perish in the course of time. The forest tree 

 develops a bole because the side limbs are pruned away 

 by natural causes. Fig. 1964. Knots are records of na- 

 ture's pruning. In the greater number of cases the 

 limbs die and are removed when still very young, and 

 they leave small record in the grain of the wood; but all 

 visible knots are histories of the removal of large 

 branches. As a rule, it is only when the knots become 

 knot-holes that injury results. A knot-hole means de- 

 cay, and this decay may extend into the heart of the 

 tree, finally causing it to become hollow. A black or 

 decayed heart is always an indication of disease. The 

 disease originates on the outside of the plant: it is the 

 result of inoculation. This inoculation takes place 

 through some bruised or broken part; it is usually an 

 inoculation of filamentous fungi. These fungi gain a 

 foothold in the dead and dying cells of the wound, and 

 as they grow they are able to destroy the liviiit; I'c'lls and 

 therefore to produce decay. The Lul-. r iIm v... mil. the 

 greater is the liability to infection. Ii i ,i, itant, 



therefore, in the pruning of trees. Ill 1 1 i,; .'■: ~liall 



be as small as possible. This iii':mi- \\r.:i iln best 

 pruning is that which is practicetl aunuaUs . so that 

 none of the branches to be removed attain large size. 

 This annual pruning is also most desirable for other 

 may be seen below. 

 lants should always be pruned when they are 

 d. This is because the roots are pruneil in 

 the very process of removal, 

 and the tops should be re- 

 duced in proportion. For 

 some time after the plant is 

 transplanted, it has no vital 

 in with the soil. 



and also on the personal ideals and desires of the opera- 

 tor. It is a general practice to cut back the top of a 

 plant at least one-half upon transplanting ; in some 

 still more of the top is removed. Quite another 



question is the parti 

 be left. Some grow 

 ers prefer to remove 

 all side branches, 

 if it is a fruit tree, 

 and leave a straight 

 whip. Fig. 1965. They 

 are then free to start 

 the new branches 

 where they like. This 

 is the better practice 

 with very young 

 trees, and it is one 

 that is nearly always 

 employed with peach 

 trees. If the trees ar,- 

 three years olil and 

 well branched, most 



which the top shall 





1967. Young apple 1 



The marks show whic 



may be removed to adv 



and if all the top is allowed to remain there is much 

 evaporation from it and a dissipation of the energies of 

 the plant. How much of the top shall be removed de- 

 pends on how much of the roots was removed in digging. 



leave t 



of the main branches 

 to form the starting 

 point of the future 

 top. Fig. 1966. These 

 branches may be 

 headed back half or 

 more of their length. 

 Of late years a 

 method of very se- 

 vere pruning has 

 come into notice un- 

 der the name of the 

 Stringfellow or stub- 

 root system, taking 

 its name from H. M. 

 Stringfellow of 

 Texas, who has writ- 

 ten much concern- 

 ing it. The fulles 

 presentation of Mr. 

 Stringf el low's ideas 

 will be found in his 

 book, "The New Hor- 

 ticulture." It advises 

 that practically all 

 the roots be cut away and that the top be shortened to a 

 straight stick one or two feet long, without side branches. 

 It is the supposition that when trees are reduced to their 

 lowest terms- iti tlii-- v-nv, rho nfw root-branches that 



arise will t:i' i ■ ■ i";r:il form and the tree will 



assume immf. i : ii na.iir ..f a seedling. This 



method of n , : i - : i- m. t with good success in 

 many plac'~. J li'- i iniliiiH ntal tht-ories on which it is 

 founded, however, have not been demonstrated. This 

 system is, in fact, a matter of local practice rather than 

 of principle. In a great majority of cases, it will be 

 found to be better, particularly in trees that are three 

 years or more old, to prune them only moderately, allow- 

 ing a part of the original root system and a part of the 



Pruning Fruit Trees. — Fruit trees are pruned for 

 the purpose of enabling them to pr.ii ; i :< up. ilt 

 (|iniiity of fruit. They are not prni:' , ; i ■ t.. 



• them assume any definite or in. i ,|,.. 



best, as a rule, to allow each van. 1 \ .i 1 1 . . ... i :ik.- 

 its own natural or normal form, only prumni; ii solli- 

 ciently, so far as shape is concerned, to remove any un- 

 usual or unsymmetrical growths. 



(1) The fundamental conception in the pruning of 

 fruit trees is to reduce the struggle for existence, so 

 that the remaining parts may produce larger and finer 

 fruits. 



|2) The result of pruning fruit trees should be to 

 keep the tree in bearing condition, not to force it into 

 such condition. If the tree has received proper cnre 

 from the time it is planted, it should come into bearing 

 when it reaches the age of puberty. Pruning, therefore, 

 is merely a corrective process and keeps the tree in 

 proper bearing condition. When trees have been much 



