PRUNING PRINCIPLES 109 



from the normal. Clearly, ringing these trees seriously injured their 

 health without increasing fruitfulness. Examination of the root 

 systems showed that, as a rule, the ringed trees had smaller, shorter 

 roots (nearly approaching hairy roots) than the unringed trees. 

 Trees low in vitality had extremely small root systems. 



Early one June, 50 Baldwin trees three years from setting, were 

 ringed, bands 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 inches wide, re- 

 spectively, being removed from groups of five trees each. At the 

 same time -5 trees of the same variety and age in another block 

 were ringed, groups of five trees each being ringed with 1-inch 

 wide rings at the surface of the ground and 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 

 inches, respectively, above the ground. In most cases new bark 

 started to form, but at the end of the season not a single tree had 

 made a perfect formation of new covering. Several trees in each 

 lot were dead and all others lacked vigor. All foliage dropped about 

 five weeks earlier than from adjoining unringed trees of the same 

 age. The spring following the ringing but 10 per cent of the trees 

 of both lots started growth, and this so weak that death resulted 

 before midsummer. While these two lots of trees were less vigorous 

 than the seedlings of the previous experiments, they were representa- 

 tive of average trees of the commercial orchard. (Fig. 74.) 



From these experiments it is clear that the first ringing of the 

 seedlings influenced fruitfulness and caused them to set a large 

 crop of fruit. The experiments with the Baldwin trees, however, 

 showed different results. These trees, lacking the vigor and hardi- 

 ness of the seedlings, failed to survive a single operation. 



In some of the western states orchardists frequently resort to 

 the ringing of their young trees to induce them to bear fruit, with 

 very good results. Under most favorable conditions, young, vigorous, 

 thrifty trees ought to withstand and respond to one operation, but 

 subsequent ringing is devitalizing and exerts practically no beneficial 

 influence. From the experiments at this station, the practice of 

 ringing apple trees to induce and increase productiveness seems 

 too drastic a practice for the good of the trees. Even if a slight 

 increase in fruitfulness is brought about it seldom offsets the injury 

 to the tree. 



Ringing was also done on pears, cherries and plums with much 

 the same, but more injurious results. It is, therefore, concluded 

 that the results obtained from these experiments are not favorable 

 to ringing fruit trees as a general practice. Under some conditions, 

 for a limited time, a more favorable outcome may be expected. 

 Hardy, vigorous, young apple trees may readily undergo a single 

 ringing and be benefited thereby, but subsequent operations 

 are injurious. Trees lacking vigor are often seriously injured by the 

 practice. The deleterious effects of the treatment have generally 

 been so marked upon various plant organs as to render the opera- 

 tion exceedingly hazardous. There seems to be no regular or 

 systematic increase in fruit production. The gains do not offset 

 the losses. 



