38 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



undergone being the taking out of a few branches here and 

 there so that the sun could shine through. Those trees were 

 bearing three or four bushels of fruit as good as could be found 

 in the exhibition. The great object was to let light shine 

 through the trees, which would then form natural spurs. There 

 were, however, in the garden some good examples of pruning and 

 non-pruning. On the whole, for commercial fruit-growing people, 

 Mr. Hibberd, he considered, was right. He would only add that 

 the autumn, when the leaves were still on, was the right time to 

 prune, as you then could see where the trees were most crowded, 

 so as to let in sun and air. 



Mr. Cannon remarked that he had often been called in to 

 examine the pyramid trees that were now so much the fashion in 

 the villa gardens round London, and he had come to the con- 

 clusion that bad pruning, not pruning, was the cause of their 

 bearing no fruit. If a pear tree were pruned into shape like an 

 Irish yew, no wonder if it were barren. 



Mr. Hibberd agreed entirely in cutting out the side growths 

 to keep the trees open and let in air and light, but he thought we 

 did want fruit like ropes of onions if they were good. No power 

 on earth could put fruit on a tree, but it was easy enough to take 

 a few off. The matter of quality was entirely in the gardener's 

 hands by feeding the roots and thinning the crop, but thinning 

 was too long a process ever to pay the market grower. If first- 

 rate samples are wanted, you must prune lightly, and feed and 

 thin heavily. 



Mr. Wm. Paul said that, whilst to some extent he agreed 

 with Mr. Hibberd, he should be sorry for people to go away from 

 this Conference under the idea that there was no need to prune 

 fruit trees. Many a fruitful tree would become comparatively 

 barren if from henceforth it was left altogether unpruned, 

 whereas many a barren tree might, by experienced pruning, be 

 at once thrown into bearing. All, therefore, should remember 

 that pruning was necessary, and that it was only injudicious or 

 excessive pruning that was condemned. 



