294 
end of the branches and in the space be- 
tween the rows. It is this area that 
should be cultivated. There is little ad- 
vantage in cultivating up close around 
the stem of a large tree as the feeding 
roots are not within this area. The main 
object of cultivation can be attained by 
keeping the middles and a short distance 
back under the branches stirred. This 
plan also admits of heading the trees low. 
A. T, ERWIN, 
G. R. Briss, 
Ames, Iowa. 
Pruning in West Virginia 
Intelligent pruning, at the right time, 
is absolutely essential to the production of 
the best fruit. An unpruned tree may, 
in many instances, produce a larger num- 
ber of apples than an adjacent pruned 
tree; but the percentage of merchantable 
fruit will invariably be smaller. Small 
apples or peaches contain just as many 
seeds as do large ones, and therefore 
make practically as great demands upon 
the store of plant food. They do not, how- 
ever, fill the basket, nor the pocketbook, 
so rapidly as the others. 
When to Prune 
The best time for pruning is on warm 
days from January to May. More can be 
accomplished in the longer days of April 
and May, but if there are many trees to 
be pruned, the work should be commenced 
earlier in the season. The time of year 
when the cut is made has little effect upon 
the readiness with which the wound heals, 
but more care is necessary to prevent in- 
jury to trees pruned when the wood is 
frozen. 
A wound made by removing a limb heals 
best if the cut is made close to the trunk 
or branch. A stub two or three inches 
long does not heal and becomes a lodging 
place for spores of fungi and’ bacteria 
which cause decay and death of the tree. 
The splitting down of large limbs may 
often be avoided when pruning by sawing 
in from the under side first; but, in every 
case, see that the wound is left clean and 
smooth. Wounds should also be covered 
immediately with a coat of paint, shellac 
or grafting wax, to keep out the moisture 
and spores before mentioned. Nothing is 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
better for this purpose than pure white 
lead and linseed oil. 
The whole philosophy ot the pruning 
of plants rests upon the fact that the 
various parts are unlike; that each branch 
is, in a measure, independent and capable 
of becoming a new individual: that py 
lessening the conflict between the paits, 
the growth of the whole is promoted. 
Pruning is a necessity, and the pruning 
given by Nature in a neglected orchard or 
forest, is more severe than the average 
man would dare to attempt. 
It is often urged that pruning should 
be commenced when the tree is planted, 
and continued annually throughout the 
life of the tree. It is doubtful, however, 
whether equally good results may not be 
obtained by removing superfluous 
branches at four or five years of age, rath- 
er than by severe pruning very early in 
the life time of the tree. In other words, 
it is contended by some that it is better 
to permit the root system to become thor- 
oughly established before disturbing the 
top. 
The amount of pruning necessary de- 
pends largely upon the location and ex- 
posure of the orchard. Trees on a warm 
southern slope, freely exposed to the 
winds, require much less pruning than 
do those in a cool sheltered location which 
is lacking in sunshine. Plenty of light 
is essential to the production of highly 
colored fruit. It is desirable that trees 
should be pruned intelligently from the 
time they are set, but old trees may often 
be given a new lease of life by judicious 
management. If the trees have been long 
neglected and require heavy pruning, do 
not remove all of the wood the first year. 
Removal of a portion of the top, thus dis- 
tributing the food gathered by the roots 
to a smaller number of branches, tends to 
produce rapid growth and renewed vigor 
of the tree. The removal of too much 
at one time will start the growth of wa- 
tersprouts and defeat the very purpose in 
view. 
The method of shaping the top of 
young trees will depend upon the natural 
habit of the variety, the ideal of the 
grower, and the local conditions. No at- 
