92 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. * 



1871 



than the Red Bxdcli; variable in productiveness ; in 

 some localities a shy bearer, while in other situa- 

 tions very productive, as in a day or rather heavy 

 soil. 



Im VersaUks is a vigorous growing plant, with 

 large, coarse foliage. In some sections it gives great 

 satisfaction to both producer and consumer. About 

 Boston it is grown extensively ; is very productive, 

 and commands a higher price in that market than 

 any other variety. Fruit of the largest size, dark 

 red, resembling the Cherry Currant, but clusters 

 much longer. 



Of the Black Currant there are several varieties, 

 of which the Black Naples is esteemed the best. It 

 is used for jams, jellies, tarts and wine. It makes 

 a wine possessing valuable medicinal qualities. 

 The Boston Medical Examiner says, " It (the wine), 

 has all the properties of the best pure wine, with- 

 out any of its heating or constipating eflects." * * 

 That "it has been strikingly remedial in low stages 

 of typhoid and bilious fever." 



Sbonld Trees be Pruned;— No. 4. 



By the Associate Editor. 



Having considered the theory, philosophy and 

 practice of pruning and its bearing on vegetable 

 life, we shall now give the result of our experience 

 in corroboration of the principles herein advocated. 



After more than forty years of careful observa- 

 tion in pruning for the various purposes suggested 

 by difterent authors, the last ten being devoted to a 

 practical test and comparison of the relative value 

 of pruning and not pruning, we have become fully 

 convinced that pruning is in no instance of any 

 benefit, but in most cases an absolute and irreparable 

 injury, except for the conditions before expressed, 

 and those hereafter to be named. 



In the fiiU of 1860, we transplanted a lot of apple 

 trees in a block on the same level, and soil, .seven- 

 teen feet apart, selecting the trees of equal size ; 

 took them up and re-set them ourselves, with the 

 same care and on the same day ; they have received 

 the same cultivation and attention since, except 

 some were not pruned, others very .slightly, and a 

 few pruned up two feet high. In the fall of 1866, 

 we measured the circumference of the trees near 

 the ground and published the .same. Last fall (1870) 

 just ten years from resetting, we measured them 

 again, with exactly like results. We also trans- 

 planted a lot in 1804, pruned up to their present 

 height in the nursery two years before being re- 

 moved. We measured them in 1866, and again in 

 1870, with the same result as those above. We 

 herewith give a condensed table, of the different 

 varieties, years of measurement, and the total re- 

 sults. 



Apple trees set out in 1860 — pruned 

 and not pruned. 



Years measured, 



diam. in ins. 



1866 1870 



Fulton, not pruned at all 15^ 26J^ 



Pruned once, but slightly 14 J^ 25 



Pruned up two feet 13 20^ 



Red Astrachan, not pruned 14 26 



Pruned once, but slightly 12 21 



Pruned up two feet 11 20 



Chronicle, not pruned 15 24 



Pruned once, but slightly 11 J^ 19J^ 



Pruned up two feet 10 18}^ 



White Winter Pearmain, not pruned 15J^ 24}^ 



Pruned once, but slightly 11}^ 21 



Pruned up two feet 10»^ 19>^ 



Benoni, not pruned 13 203>^ 



Pruned up two feet llj^ 17>^ 



Sweet Bough, not pruned 13 ISJ^ 



Pruned up eighteen inches 9J^ 15 J^ 



Fameuse, not pruned 14 24 



Red Russet, not pruned IGJ^ 25J^ 



Talman's Sweet, not pruned 14 34 



Trenton Early, not pruned 14^ 25 



Fall Pippin, pruned up once 17^ 



Oldenburg, pruned up once 15}^ 



Early Joe, pruned up once 17^ 



Esopus Spitzenburg, pruned twice 13 



Average of all not pruned 14^ 23^ 



Average of all pruned slightly 12^ 21 J^ 



Average of all pruned two feet 10^ 17J^ 



Trees set out in 18W, the same age as those 

 above, pruned up in nursery. 



American S. Pearmain, pruned up two ft..l0J^ 18 



Americans. Pearmain, pruned up three ft. 9 14 



Large Siberian Crab, not pruned 9 13J^ 



Large Siberian Crab, pruned up 33 in 5}^ 9 



W. W. Pearmain, top pruned the same 



age as tho.se above, not half as large. . . 123^ 



In the above table will be seen the effects pro- 

 duced by pruning trees but once in ten years to be 

 in proportion to the amount pruned. This great 

 difl'erence in the size of the trees pruned and not 

 pruned, showed itself in 1866 as 10^ to 14>^, being 

 a dilTerence of 3?-^ inches, and has continued in the 

 same ratio up to the present time, now being as 

 17J2 to 23?^, a difference in circumference of 6}4 

 inches, being equal to more than one-fourth the size 

 of the trees in favor of those Tiot pruned. 



It will also be seen from the table that pruning 

 in the nursery before transplanting does not remedy 

 the matter, for the result is in like proportion, and 

 that pruning out and shortening-in the tops pro- 

 duces a more deleterious effect. 



Now, if pruning but once either in the nursery 

 or orchard will produce such an effect, what must 

 be the result of continually pruning, for form, for 

 wood, for vigor, for fruit, for transplanting, and for 

 every other imaginary whim. It may be said that 

 there were some conditions overlooked, which made 

 this difference instead of the pruning. Thie kind 



