1003 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
143 
WHY AND HOW TO PRUNE. 
Early Education of a Tree. 
PAirr I. 
Unlike many things with which we have to deai tiie 
plants and trees we grow are living, sensitive indi¬ 
viduals. They are endowed with certain inclinations 
or forces, and these vary almost without end. We 
who claim the right and consider it our duty to train 
them to our best use, which is properly enough within 
our province, should live so near to their lives that 
we may know how to exercise that right wisely. We 
should consider them as priceless treasures, given to 
us from the Maker of all that is good, for our enjoy¬ 
ment and that they may also minister to our neces¬ 
sities. That this trust is shamefully abused no one 
can doubt who stops to think on the subject for even 
one minute 
The use to which we put many of the trees, shrubs 
and vines we cultivate, to say nothing of the rest, is 
often very different from the original intent of na¬ 
ture, which is largely reproduction. We desire their 
fruit, flowers or foliage, and we often breed them, by 
selection or otherwise, into abnormal forms or varie¬ 
ties. Then, we often prune them, and this brings us 
to the root of a subject of deepest interest. Why do 
we prune? The principal reason with fruit growers 
is to secure larger and better fruit and more of it than 
they would get if pruning was not done. The orna¬ 
mental gardener wants to attain that which is most 
beautiful in form of plant or profusion, size or bril¬ 
liancy of flowers. He cuts back his rose bushes in 
early Spring to cause then to bloom abundantly and 
for a long season. He removes or shortens a branch 
here and there to assist Dame Nature in producing a 
tree with pleasing aspect. But he who trains and 
shears his trees or shrubs into fantastic designs 
usually does so to satisfy the erratic fancy of one who 
is really in earnest but misguided in the desire for 
something beautiful. He has in his zeal frustrated 
his true i>urpose. But to return to tlie 
pruning of fruit-bearing trees and plants; 
it is often necessary to keep them within 
reasonable bounds by the use of the 
knife, or it may be the saw. Their 
vigor of growth may need to be checked. 
Convenience in tillage, spraying and 
gathering the fruit must all he consid¬ 
ered. Yet these implements should be 
used as the surgeon uses his knife large¬ 
ly, only from necessity, and with a 
liumane purpose in view. We sliould not 
overwound their sensitive natures. I^et 
the underlying motive be to prune as 
little as may be possible to attain the end 
sought—the production of good fruit. 
The general subject of pruning is such 
a very large once, including the whole 
range of the training of plants, that it 
would require a book to cover it. It is 
the fundamental principles or purposes of pruning 
that we need to know above all else. If one has the 
true conception of this one point the matters of detail 
will not be very difficult to work out. Not but that 
there is much to learn; for the numerous species and 
varieties of fruits, alone, require a wide range of 
thought and skill; but if the idea is fixed in the mind 
that pruning should assist the tree, vine or bush and 
not cripple it. as there is great danger of doing, then 
will a careful and observing person be likely to help 
and not hinder. The pruning will be suited to each 
peculiar case. 
In the case of the fruit trees, of which we may se¬ 
lect a few samples, they need pruning when they are 
planted, but not all in the same way. Peach trees are 
almost always set at one year old from the bud, and 
there is a complete set of buds from base to the end 
of the topmost branch, along the main stem as well 
as on the limbs. As the peach does not bear trans¬ 
planting so well as some other fruits it is necessary 
io shorten the evaporation from the top by cutting 
away a large part of it. thus giving the roots a chance 
to supply the remaining part with sufficient water. 
It has been found that it is well to make a short stick 
of it. with the side branches cut back to a single bud, 
as may be seen in Pig. 52, or even removed alto¬ 
gether. A young apple tree should not be so severely 
trimmed when set in the orchard. I like to train with 
a central stem to the top, therefore the young tree is 
selected with that tendency and pruned accordingly, 
as the sample in Fig. 53 shows. A forked tree is al¬ 
most sure to split and break down at some critical 
time, and no nursery tree, such as is seen in Fig. 54, 
should ever be planted, nor should one with the 
branches or framework of the future orchard tree all 
coming out in a cluster, like B in Fig. 54, be set. It 
will not make so shapely a tree, nor stand the strain 
of future years so well as one headed like that in Fig. 
63. A tree with good roots at the start is necessary 
to make one that will stand the test of time. Such are 
seen in Figs. 52 and 53 but not in Fig. 54. They 
should be only moderately pruned when planted to 
meet with general success. ii. e. van dema:N. 
PRICES FOR CANNERS’ PRODUCTS. 
The Erie Preserving Company has offered contracts 
to farmers. Here are a few prices: Sweet corn, ?12 
to $14 per ton; Golden Wax beans, $1.25 to $1.50 per 
100 pounds: peas delivered on vines, $2 per 100 
pounds shelled peas; pod peas, $1.50 per 100 pounds 
picked pods; ripe red tomatoes, 25 cents per bushei of 
60 pounds; Hubbard squash, $9 per ton; blackberries 
and black raspberries, $4 per 100 pounds; Cuthbert 
raspberries, $5.50 per 100 pounds; strawberries, $4.50. 
The following are samples of the “conditions” men¬ 
tioned in the contract: 
Corn must be picked when in a milky and perfect con¬ 
dition for canning purposes and delivered on same day as 
picked. All corn delivered under this contract shall be 
averaged, which means removing the husks from a sample 
25 pounds taken from each load, the weight of the husked 
acceptable corn of these samples shall be the average of 
the 26 pounds and apply in the same ratio to the entire 
load at the agreed price. Butts of ears. Imperfect corn 
and unfilled tips will be removed in the process of aver¬ 
aging. No allowance to be made when averaging for 
fractional weights of less than one-half pound. If first 
average taken is not acceptable, same may be rejected 
and second taken if reciuested by first party before the 
load has been husked; second average to be final and to 
be accepted by first party. Second party reserves th* 
right to refuse to receive more than 6.000 pounds unaver¬ 
aged corn per acre for total acreage herewith contracted 
for. First party agrees that in case contracted corn does 
not yield 6.000 pounds unaverage corn per acre, he will 
make up the deficiency from any uncontracted acreage 
ho may have, if any, provided second party wishes it 
done. The first party agrees to deliver said corn the day 
it is picked, at the second party’s factory In good and 
acceptable condition. Should the first party’s crop of 
the corn herein named be a partial failure, so that the 
contracted, together with the uncontracted acreage be 
insufficient to enable the first party to deliver 6,000 pounds 
nnaveragod co!-p per acre for the number of acres con¬ 
A UOUBIvE HANDFUL OF COWS. Flo. 55. 
tracted for, then the first party shall be relieved from 
delivering more than the actual crop raised by him from 
both the contracted and the uncontracted acreage. 
Peas.—The seed peas are to be sown at such time, and 
in such quantities as the second party may direct. The 
crop must be delivered on the same day they are har¬ 
vested, in acceptable condition to second party’s factory. 
The pods must be fresh and green and peas in perfect 
condition for canning purposes. Any peas with discol¬ 
ored pods, heated, hard-ripened, or of a different variety 
or mixed with thistlq buds will be rejected. Peas must 
not be left in bags over night, or in wagons or in heaps^ 
The seed must be sown early, as peas will not be re¬ 
ceived after August 10. Pea growers are strictly for¬ 
bidden to pick green peas on Saturday afternoons and hold 
over until Monday morning. The second party assumes 
no responsibility or liability as to determining the time 
when said peas are to be harvested. The growers must 
send to the factory samples of their peas and advise 
with the first party when they should be picked or cut. 
Will the farmers ’ sign such a contract? Judging 
from past experiences, there will be plenty to do so. 
Who is to blame if we do not get better prices? Only 
ourselves, but the trouble is not so much with small 
growers as with the large growers who, as a rule, are 
able to live without growing anything for factory. 
They are, however, the first to sign, and the small 
producers have to follow suit or haul their produce 
to markets 30 miles away. These big farmers can 
live and get along whether school keeps or not. but 
we men who have to keep hustling to keep the pot 
boiling have to do the best we can in order to make 
a living and bring up our children. I have always 
noticed that where one refuses to make a contract 
there are half a dozen or more to take his place. The 
remedy is in growers’ hands but they have all to stand 
together in order to make remedy available. But al¬ 
though farmers could get almost anything they want¬ 
ed if they stood together they will not do so. Prices 
for peas and beans are the same as last year; toma¬ 
toes one cent higher per bushel. You will notice they 
want to buy berries by the pound this year. Last 
year they paid 5% cents per quart for strawberries, 
five cents for blackcaps, and seven cents for Cuth- 
bertS. ITABMEB. 
WANTED; HALLS TO CARRY SOUND. 
I see on page 83 a call for plans of Grange halls. I 
have no plan to offer, but I wish to make a sugges¬ 
tion that the acoustic properties of halls be given 
prominent consideration. In meeting with Pomona 
Granges in different places, this quality of different 
halls has been forcibly impressed upon me. Not 
long since I was at a meeting in a hall large enough 
to accommodate perhaps 500 persons comfortably. 
There were present over 100 persons. It was impos¬ 
sible to hear distinctly what the speakers said when 
not more than 30 or 40 feet away. Several persons 
remarked that it was the worst hall in which to hear 
that ever they were in, and I was of the same opinion. 
The hall was about twice as long as wide, I should 
think, and it looked to be about 12 feet high, though 
its size may have dwarfed its apparent height. The 
top was an unbroken smooth flat surface. I suppose 
the acoustic properties of halls depend mostly if not 
altogether upon proportional internal measurements, 
and it should be given a prominent consideration, if 
not the first, in a Patrons’ hall, where so much of the 
work done appeals to the ear. I do not know the pro¬ 
portions best suited to the purpose, but suppose the 
thing is known to architects, and would suggest it be 
considered when a hall is to be built. m. m. 
ROSEAU OR CANADA RED APPLE. 
This variety does not seem to be largely grown any¬ 
where, yet it is quite widely distributed through 
northern New England, southern Quebec and lower 
Ontario. It is not unknown in other localities. It has 
a number of other names. In the eastern townships 
of Quebec it is generally known as Pomnie do Fer; 
in Ontario it is nearly always called Canada Red. 
This synonym is especially mischievous, since it con¬ 
fuses the variety with a totally different one known 
in Michigan as Red Canada or Steel’s Red Winter. In 
Vermont the variety is sometimes known as Winesap, 
but more often as Bh-ench Spitzenburg. 1 
liave recently found the variety growing 
near here in Massachusetts and showing 
apparently all the good qualities which 
distinguish it farther north. The owner 
of the trees says they often overbear. 
The distinguishing good qualities of this 
variety are its peculiarly firm, solid 
flesh, making it a late keeper and a good 
shipper, and its fine solid red color, 
which makes it attractive in the barrel. 
It is unusually hardy in tree, so that it 
may be grown in northern latitudes with 
great success. So far as 1 know it is as 
hardy as Duciiess of Oldenburg. Here 
is the technical description of tlie va¬ 
riety made from Vermont specimens: 
B'ruit irregular, oblate, size medium to 
large, cavity irregular, medium deep, 
stem medium long, basin shallow, usual¬ 
ly smooth, calyx small, closed, color two shades 
of dull red, mottled and splashed, nearly cover¬ 
ing dull green ground, dots many, yellowish, 
very conspicuous, bloom thin, skin tough, flesh white, 
core medium, slightly open, flavor subacid, quality 
good, season midwinter. Tree good, half spreading, 
prolific. Fair specimens are shown in Fig. 51. I do 
not think the variety is to be highly recommended for 
home use, but is a first-class late keeping storage 
apple for market. f. a. wauoh. 
Mass. Ag’l College. 
BOUND FOR PASTURE.—Driving the cows to and 
from pasture is a daily circus on some farms. As soon 
as the gate is opened away they go, the dog barking 
and nipping at their heels, and the hired man yelling 
like an Indian to keep them out of the garden. Our 
Erie County, N. Y., friend, shown at Fig. 55, has a 
different plan which is said to work well. He cer¬ 
tainly gets less misery out of the job, and does not 
turn his cows into wild animals. We should hesitate 
to try this with five strange cows, however, 
CEMENT IN INDIANA.—This section of Indiana 
was heavy timber with scattering bowlders, most 
farms still having some growing timber yet. We sold 
10 oak trees this Winter for $325, so that cement has 
not come into general use as yet in this section, al¬ 
though very cheap here, for the I>ouisville cement 
made in Indiana, and a good grade of Portland made 
from the marl found in the bottoms of some of the 
lakes of the northern part of the State reduce the cost 
until cheaper than lime, burned at Delphi and Hun¬ 
tington, only 20 miles away. Cement is coming into 
more general use, however, for plastering, founda¬ 
tions, walks, cellar floors, etc. A former professor at 
Purdue has patented a cement arch for bridges of 30 
feet and less span that is very neat and graceful, as 
well as strong and durable, and destined to replace 
the small iron or wooden bridge in use at present. 
Clark’s Hill, Ind. c. w. h. 
