108 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



and in what degree, if at all, the operation induces and stimulates 

 fruitfulness. 



Ringing should be performed early in June or July, at which time 

 the bark peels readily from the wood, leaving the cambium in a 

 succulent cnndition. The success of the operation hinges upon the 

 fact that at this season occurs the greatest camhial activity, which 

 readily facilitates the rapid formation of new hark, and at the 

 same time prevents exhaustive evaporatirm of plant juices. Any 

 attempt to practice ringing when plant growth is sluggish (jr dor- 

 mant always results in the death of the tree, since the camljium, 

 being then hrm, is torn from the woody cylinder during the opera- 

 tion. A common pruning knife (Fig. 113) or a sharp pocketknife 

 is a suitable instrument for performing the operatinn. 



From the data secured, it would appear that ringing tends to 

 h^i-p injurious effects upon ajiplc trees, and that the wider the 



FIG. 74~EFFECTS OF RINGING YOUNG TREES 



1. One-inch ring of harii freslily removed from apple tree. 2. New bark over 



I-inch ring. 3. New barlt over 3-ineli ring. 



bands the more serious will be the injury. It may be stated that 

 the trees used were exceptionally strong and uniform in vigor and 

 were therefore possibly in a better condition to withstand wounding 

 than are average orchard trees. All of the trees making a weak 

 growth showed smaller foliage and less wood production. The 

 foliage, likewise, lost its color and fell from the branches four to 

 six weeks earlier than that of normal trees. Two to six sprouts 

 sprang up at the lower edge of the wound on nearly every tree. 

 This would indicate that nature was endeavoring to provide as- 

 similated food for the roots since passage of such food from the 

 upper portion of the trees had been cut off. 



No gain in productiveness resulted from ringing. The few 

 fruits which were produced slmwed no differences in size or color 



