J D L Y , 19 13 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



343 



These two photographs show the same portion of a pear tree before and after summer pruning. 



growths, which is done in July 



They illustrate the method of pinching back the new 



the fruit producing kind and which, in 

 turn, must be removed again; and without 

 that pruning the tree becomes a laggard, 

 ceasing to bear profitable crops. 



I prefer the middle of July for summer 

 pruning — from July ioth onward. If done 

 earlier, the trees will break out again with 

 renewed vigor which is what we are trying 

 to avoid. The object in view is to catch 

 them just when they have completed their 

 great spring rush of growth and are settling 

 down to a slow, steady gait, with the ter- 

 minal bud formed on the end of the year's 

 shoots. Then is time to prune. "Stop" 

 all the leaders that is, take off their ends 

 and give the tree a general clearing out of 

 any weak, thin, interior branches. Remove 

 such entirely. In most cases the trees will 

 have to be gone over a second or third time, 

 keeping a check at 

 all times on the 

 shoots that are 

 showing the heavi- 

 est growth. In this 

 case pinching will 

 usually be found 

 sufficient. When 

 stopping the shoots 

 I always use a knife 

 and make a clean 

 cut just above the 

 last perfect leaf on 

 the terminal of the 

 shoot. 



The danger that 

 is likely to trap the 

 beginner in summer 

 pruning is over- 

 doing it from an 

 a n x i e t y to be in 

 time. This pruning 

 must not begin be- 

 fore the terminal 

 bud is set. If you 



start pinching as soon as growth shows and 

 pinch all summer the result will be simply 

 a succession of breaks of young green wood 

 throwing out new shoots much more quickly 

 than would be the case on the half mature 

 wood left by the proper method. Another 

 point: Foliage is of value to a tree; just as 

 important to its welfare as are the roots, and 

 you cannot expect fruit from a tree that has 

 insufficient foliage. Of the two extremes, 

 I would prefer to pinch back all summer 

 rather than to give a heavy pruning only 

 in spring. If summer pruning is postponed 

 until growth ceases you are simply practis- 

 ing spring pruning in early fall — pulling 

 it forward a few months. In some seasons 

 it may be necessary to go over the trees a 

 second time but in ordinary seasons one 

 pruning will prove sufficient. The method 



Later in the season, the 

 with short 



regularly summer pruned tree has no long woody growths, every limb is studded 

 ■spurs" which will produce flowers, as seen on the opposite page 



just explained applies to trees that fruit on 

 mature wood, such as the apple and pear. 



The peach and plum are handled some- 

 what differently, although the results are 

 just as astonishing. These trees bear fruit 

 on new wood, and the plan of pruning is to 

 remove all shoots except those of good 

 healthy sturdy new wood that is fully 

 qualified to bear good fruit. Look over 

 the trees and remove entirely any thin, 

 weak, interior shoots leaving no stub. Do 

 not be afraid that you are removing too 

 many of the shoots. The trees take kindly 

 to a thorough reduction of wood. Some 

 growers recommend stopping late in the 

 summer the shoots that are expected to 

 bear the next year. I cannot see much 

 benefit in this, but I do believe in and 

 practise stopping these shoots at the time 

 I summer prune. If 

 the trees are making 

 a rank growth and 

 not fruiting, this 

 will throw them into 

 fruit. 



Blackberries and 

 raspberries always 

 should be pruned in 

 the summer. Im- 

 mediately after you 

 are through picking 

 the fruit go over the 

 canes and cut right 

 to the ground all 

 the old ones that 

 have borne fruit. 

 This gives the new 

 canes a better op- 

 portunity to develop 

 and it is these new 

 canes that will bear 

 the following sea- 

 son. Treat them 

 like Rambler roses. 



