PRUNING. 77 



south-west side from the hot sun, until new branch- 

 es have grown. 



"Nothing," says A. J. Downing, "is more gene- 

 eral, of late years, than complaints of the short pe- 

 riod of productiveness in the peach tree, through- 

 out the middle states. Although this is often ow- 

 ing to the worm, which girdles the tree at the root, 

 yet the almost total neglect of pruning is a frequent 

 cause of sterility and decay. When left to itself, 

 the interior of the head of the tree becomes filled 

 with small dead branches, and the trunk and larg- 

 er limbs bark-bound and moss-covered ; the whole 

 tree is enfeebled ; leaves are only produced at the 

 extremity of the long branches, and the fruit 

 borne, if any, is comparatively worthless." 



A convenient time* of year for pruning bearing 

 apple trees, is late in autumn and winter. The 

 wounds dry, and the vessels contract, and prevent 

 the flow of sap from them in spring, which always 

 takes place when the work is done while the sap is 

 first in motion. After a time, however, the demand 

 upon the system by the newly formed leaves, be- 

 comes so great that there is no surplus, and the ef- 

 fusion of the sap from the wound ceases. Hence, 

 summer has also been found a favorable time ; al- 

 though the leisure season of winter gives it the 

 preference. All wounds, more than an inch in di- 

 ameter, should have a coating of tar and brick- 

 dust. 



