November 6, 1885. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
395 
5 
Th 
Richmond, Highgate, and Havant Shows, 
6 
7 
F 
s 
Crystal Palace Chrysanthemum Show. 
8 
SUN 
Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. 
9 
M 
8toke Newington (two days). [ Brighton Shows. 
10 
TU 
Royal Horticultural Society; at Kensington. Kingston, Putney, and 
11 
W 
Basingstoke, Westminster Aquarium, Croydon, Ascot, and Bath Shows. 
FRUIT TREES—PRUNING AND LIFTING. 
K HE work of pruning, nailing, and root-pruning 
-~' 1 fruit trees is often, if not generally, postponed 
till winter, but no more unsuitable period could 
be selected for such work. It is unsuitable 
because the individuals engaged in it are ex¬ 
posed to the risk of catching severe colds and 
probably rheumatism. Economically it is not 
the best season, for the days are comparatively 
short then, and a man cannot accomplish 
one-fourth the work during piercingly cold days that he 
can when the weather is genial. We should also remember 
the beneficial effect early pruning has upon fruit trees. 
When the trees are pruned directly, all fear of their starting 
again into growth is past; every ray of light and sanshiue 
has free access to the wood and fruit spurs, and assists in the 
important work of maturation which is so essential to the 
production of good crops of fruit. Early pruning is further 
beneficial because it results in the resources of the trees 
being spent in completing the full development of the buds 
instead of being conveyed into wood that has to be cut away. 
The general autumn and winter work is considerably 
advanced by completing pruning and nailing by the time 
the foliage falls, if it cannot be accomplished earlier. This 
allows of the necessary manuring and digging being brought 
to a close as early as possible. When fruit gardens are in 
close proximity to the houses or other frequented parts, it is 
important that the vacant ground between the trees should 
be made neat as early in the season as practicable. It is 
useless to turn over walks or regravel them until this work 
is completed, and when pruning is left until the winter this 
department is untidy for some months longer than need be 
the case. 
Nearly the whole of our fruit trees are pruned, and every 
advantage is taken to complete the nailing as rapidly as 
possible. The ground where the bush fruits are grown is 
ready for manuring and forking over, deep digging being 
avoided. After the Raspberries were gathered the old canes 
were removed, as well as all that were not required for next 
year’s fruit-bearing, those retained being secured to thin 
supports, and the only work remaining to be done is that of 
shortening the canes and wheeling on manure; the former will 
be done before these notes are printed, and probably the latter 
also. Gooseberries have been pruned some time by merely 
removing branches that are likely to hang upon the ground ; 
also strong useless wood or any shoots that crowd or render 
the bushes unshapely. Hard pruning is unnecessary, and a 
crop of fruit is certain by the system of pinching the shoots 
while young, as advocated during the growing season. 
It was then asked how the buds were preserved from the 
birds and the foliage from being devoured by caterpillars. 
Both questions in my case are easily answered, the first by 
placing a net over the trees directly the ground has been 
forked, or we should get no fruit. This necessitates the trees 
being planted as much together as possible. The Gooseberry 
is well worthy of this protection where birds are troublesome, 
No. 280.— Vol. XL, Third Series. 
and in the end it is the cheapest and most effectual manner 
of preserving the beds. Some years ago caterpillars were 
very prevalent; they were destroyed by syringing the trees 
with a solution of hellebore, and since then every moth that 
made its appearance was caught, and we have never been 
troubled with caterpillars since. Apples and Pears were 
pruned as soon as the fruit was gathered; in fact, all the 
work will be completed by the end of next week, except a 
few standard trees and a wall of Morello Cherries. 
If due attention is paid to thinning and pruning during 
the summer,very little remains to be done during the autumn 
months. Many of the shoots on both Apples and Pears that 
were pinched early in the season have formed splendid fruit 
buds instead of extending into growth. This renders autumn 
pruning a mere matter of shortening leading shoots, thinning 
out weak growths likely to crowd the trees and those that 
started after the second pinching. Fruit buds cannot be in¬ 
duced to form on the young wood of trees subjected to hard 
pruning in winter, but luxuriant growth is promoted, and this 
does not ripen sufficiently in the majority of seasons to pro¬ 
duce fruit spurs on the young wood. 
Trees that form fruit spurs on the young wood after being 
pinched early in the season are generally well managed, and 
almost certain to carry crops of good fruit if the weather 
during the flowering period is favourable. Severe frost will 
certainly destroy the strongest and best developed flowers, 
however well ripened the wood may be ; but if the flowers are 
set they will bear a good deal of cold before the young fruits 
are destroyed. This was proved last spring, for certain 
varieties of Pears were just set and subjected to 8° of frost, 
yet they bore large crops of fruit, but all in flower along the 
same wall were practically barren. I believe a piece of tiffany 
hung in front of the wall that one night would have saved 
the blossom. The result, however, is that we have only had 
a partial crop. Horizontally trained trees running east and 
west have scarcely a fruit upon them. Several pyramidal 
trees bore only on the east and west side. This clearly 
proves that in our case, at least, the sun did its share in the 
work of destruction. In future trees exposed to a sharp frost 
while in bloom will as far as practicable be screened from the 
sun the day following the frost, with mats or any similar 
material. 
But, to return to our subject. The lifting of fruit trees in 
order to root-prune them, plays as large a part in promoting 
their fertility as pruning does. Trees that are not root- 
pruned often make an enormous quantity of wood, and rarely 
bear good crops of fruit, but often fall a prey to canker. In 
order to keep fruit trees healthy, and in tbe best condition for 
bearing fine fruits annually, they must be subjected to 
periodical liftings of their roots. With disbudding early in 
the season, summer-pinching when necessary, and a careful 
system of root-pruning, the knife is scarcely needed in their 
management except, perhaps, to thin out the fruit spurs that, 
with age, have a tendency to become crowded. 
In a properly managed fruit garden there are always 
some trees that need root-pruning, and it is much better to 
lift them as needed than to wait until a good number require 
attention. When the trees that require lifting are done as 
they become ready this operation does not prove a very 
laborious one, and the whole of the trees are retained in a 
healthy fertile state. Directly a tree shows signs of growing 
too strongly a trench should be cut at a suitable distance 
from the stem and tho strongest roots shortened. While the 
trench is open it should be ascertained if any roots are 
extending in a downward direction, and if so they should be 
removed. When trees possess a large quantity of fibry 
roots, which is generally the case when subjected to a 
judicious system of lifting, the trench cut round tho tree will 
often prove sufficient to check its growth without disturbing 
the ball to any great extent. Those with plenty of fibry 
roots make short sturdy growths, and these form quantities 
of flower buds the same season. It is often necessary to cut 
[No. 1936. —Vol. LXXIII., Old Series. 
