OcTGBER 1, 1902. 
ee late 
Fruit Tree Green Pruning. 
=e6es> 
[By Grorce Quinn, in the Journal of 
Agriculture. | 
O obtain the most uniform results it is 
necessary with many kinds of fruits to 
prune while the trees are in active vegetation. 
Summer pruning is a misnomer, as the 
context will show. The work in its varied 
phases is performed from early spring until 
late summer, according to the kind of tree 
operated upon or the object sought. 
The European term ‘green pruning” is 
far more accurate and expressive. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER, 
ORCHARD. 
BOW 
In the early manipulation of young trees, 
such as the apricot, the main branches of 
which are liable to split away from the trunk 
in later years, it is desirable, as far as ,prac- 
ticable, to separate the points at which the 
main arms emerge from the trunk. This 
can frequently be done when a good number 
of buds start simultaneously from the trunk 
by simply rubbing out about every alternate 
one. Owing to the upper buds receiving 
most.sap, they will almost invariably grow 
more rapidly than the lower ones, but this 
can be regulated by the adoption of the 
second practice in our synopsis, viz., pinch- 
ing off the terminal sappy points of the 
dominant shoots from time to time, 
In Piate I. a young peach tree planted in 
the winter of 1897 is shown. Its first 
growth of shoots from the main stem— 
tH 
bark, such as the cherry, apple, and plum, 
the method of retaining all the lower shoots 
is best. Restricting their extension from 
time to time by pinching off the sappy 
growing points is desirable and necessary 
to the proper development of the tree, 
These shortened growths assist in the vege- 
tative functions of the tree, keep the bark 
free, and the sap active, as well as affording 
excellent shelter from the direct rays of the 
sun and the drying effects of warm winds, 
In connection with pinching to apply a 
temporary check to any dominant branch, 
it must always be remembered th at when a 
growing shoot is severed at a p oint where 
the growth is fibrous and fairly mature the 
wound will heal rapidly, and gro wth recom- 
mences in a very short time. So, to attain 
this object, the pruner must always be 
Peach Trees in Bloom.—School of Horticulture, Victoria. 
To simplify matters I propose placing the 
various operations performed under _ this 
heading in the order in which they would 
most likely be applied to a fruit tree, begin- 
ning at the period of its transplantation into 
the orchard. 
(1) Disbudding, to shape the tree, by 
selecting those shoots destined to form the 
main arms, and encouraging them by remov- 
ing others which would check their progress. 
(2) Pinching off the terminal points of 
shoots to temporarily check their’ extension. 
(3) Disbudding to reduce the  over- 
crowding of fruit-bearing wood. 
(4) Shortening in wood which has been 
left to carry fruit, but which has failed to do 
so either wholly or in part. 
(5) Fracturing, to induce the formation of 
of fruit-bearing spurs, ; 
which was cut off about 20 in. from the 
ground on being set out—is seen in a natural 
condition. 
Prate II. shows the lower shoots removed 
and the upper ones retained. This could 
have been done by the winter pruning, but 
the amount of wood to be sacrificed would 
be greater, and the wounds made would’ 
heal less quickly. 
On the same'peach tree as it stood, about 
5 ft. high, prior to the winter pruning in 
1899—nearly two years later—the shoots 
not actually required for the formation of 
main arms were rubbed off absolutely. In 
comparatively cool districts and with some 
kinds of trees—such as peach and nectarine 
—this practice is safe. In places, however, 
where the sun shines very hotly in early 
spring, or upon trees with close, smooth 
careful to remove only the brittle cellular 
growing point with thumb and finger. 
The vigorous winter pruning usually 
found necessary to maintain a furnished 
condition upon peach, nectarine, apricot, 
etc., frequently causes a number of super- 
fluous shoots to arise from the main limbs 
each spring. This is more noticeable, and 
requires more attention upon the two first 
named on account oftheir fruit shoots not 
being permanent spurs. 
PLATE III. is a portion of a main limb cut 
from a similar but slightly older tree. Ina 
length of about 18in. nine shoots have 
emerged. If these were permitted to 
remain they would become crowded, and, 
owing to shutting out the light, would 
grow drawn, long, and weakly. The lower 
buds would remain undeyeloped, and the fruit 
