igii 



BETTER FRUIT 



Page 75 



Make Your Place Profitable 



then Beautify It 



Study your problem, formulate your plans, get ready for Fall Planting. I can help you. 

 I grow large quantities of standard commercial varieties of APPLE, PEAR, 

 PRUNE, PEACH and CHERRY TREES; also NUTS, VINES and PLANTS. 

 I have the largest and best assorted stock of 



Ornamental Shrubs^ Trees and mes 



both deciduous and evergreen, in the Northwest. LANDSCAPE DEPART- 

 MENT, in charge of Mr. Arthur L. Peck, fully equipped to meet all requirements. 



J. B. PILKINGTON, Nurseryman 



PORTLAND, OREGON 



OFFICE AND DISPLAY GROUNDS— SEND FOR NURSERIES— On Columbia Boulevard, 



246 Main Street, corner Second ^ r-> Vancouver car line; at Durham and 



Postoffice Box 242 CATALOG near Tualitin. 



PRUNING THE ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS 



BY J. J. THORNBER, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONIA 



THERE are few ornamental trees or 

 shrubs that do not require occasional 

 pruning or trimming at one season or 

 another for their best growth and devel- 

 opment. The extent of this, with certain 

 exceptions, however, is often quite lim- 

 ited, and in this respect ornamental 

 plants differ from fruit trees. Pruning 

 is usually given too little attention by the 

 amateur planter and home-maker, with 

 the result that the task is put off as long 

 as possible to be finall}- disposed of with 

 little or no forethought at one "fell 

 stroke," as it were, of the axe or saw, 

 regardless of results. 



It goes v.ithout sa3'ing that all newly 

 set trees should have their branches cut 

 back to correspond with the loss of roots 

 incident to transplanting, though this 

 does not mean that such trees are to be 

 reduced to poles. At planting time all 

 mutilated parts of roots should be re- 

 moved, and on trees that are of consider- 

 able size, i. e.. eight feet or so high, the 

 main limbs should be cut back within 

 twelve or fourteen inches of the trunk, 

 the leader, of course, being retained. .\ 

 sufficient number, varying with the kind 

 of tree, of the more vigorous of these 

 main limbs are left to form the frame- 

 work of the crown. These should be 

 disposed at nearh- equal angles about 

 the trunk, and not lie in the same hori- 

 zontal plane. If handled in this manner 

 such trees as ash, locust, mulberr}-, cot- 

 tonwofid and svcamore will need- little 



further attention for some years, and will 

 usuall}- develop intii pleasing, symmet- 

 rical forms. When small trees are used 

 considerable pruning is often needed in 

 first few j'ears after planting on account 

 of excessive growth through climatic 

 conditions, cultivation, enriched soil or 

 extra water supply. This growth com- 

 monh- manifests itself in watersprouts. 

 over-development of the head, causing 

 top-heaviness and leaning, or in extra 

 growth in occasional vigorous branches 

 in one part of the plant or another, all 

 of which tend to destro}- the otherwise 

 natural form or symmetry of the tree, 

 unless corrected by careful pruning. The 

 much planted and justly popular pepper 

 tree is a notable example of the above, 

 due partly to its soft, 3'ielding wood. On 

 this account, during its first years, cut- 

 ting back and thinning out of the crown 

 is necessary in addition, to secure brac- 

 ing of the trunk. 



It is justifiable at times to resort to 

 topping in the case of shade trees to 

 induce a denser growth, or where trees 

 have become too tall to be in harmony 

 with their surroundings, though this lat- 

 ter condition is not common in our 

 region of extremely strong light, and 

 sometimes scant suppl}- . of plant food. 

 Such pruning, however, should be done 

 with deliberation as to effects desired. 

 Dead or unhealth}- branches, or those 

 broken by storms, should be removed 

 speedily, and if necessarj- the remaining 



top or crown reduced sufticientl}- to 

 insure reasonable uniformity later. Slow 

 growing or unhealthy trees are often 

 encouraged to make vigorous growths 

 by judicious pruning, in connection, of 

 course, with other proper care. Open- 

 headed trees may be made to grow more 

 compact by heading in, while a gradual 

 thinning out of the inner branches cor- 

 rects trees with too dense or compact 

 heads. Likewise those that are non- 

 sj'mmetrical can be worked into sym- 

 metrial trees hy removing the abnormal 

 parts, though such treatment is more 

 effective in the earlier training of the 

 plant. As trees get older it becomes nec- 

 essary to cut out some of the inner 

 branches to open up the crown, thereby 

 overcoming a crowded or brushy- appear- 

 ance, and providing for continued sym- 

 metrical development of the tree as a 

 whole. The numerous dead limbs in the 

 centers of even health}- trees are excel- 

 lent witnesses to this fact. 



HAVE YOU SEEN 



MASS- O- SPRAY 



The New Xozzle that throws a solid cone spray 

 instead of a hollow one? Takes any nozzle's place. 

 Has all the power of the Bordeaux. They all say 



"SHE'S A BEAUTY" 



Send 7-3c in stamps or mone].' order for a sample. 

 Regular price SI. 00. "'Munybak" if not satisfied. 

 But we are dead safe there. You zcxll be; Say I 

 Don't forget we have some other brand-new things, 

 too. Write! .\gents wanted. 



CROWN SPECIALTY COMPANY 



BOX 297, CHICAGO. ILLTXOIS 



