22 
en es 
The Orchard. 
Notes for the Month. 
— Planting. — 
All planting should be completed as 
soon as possible. 
— Pruning. — 
Pruniug is another important matter 
calling for attention, and should be com- 
menced forthwith. This operation can- 
not be performed haphazard, requiring as 
it dees, both theoretical an1> practical 
knowledge. Many instructive works on 
pruning are obtainable, those by lyce] 
authorities being the most reliable for 
this country. With this information 
anda careful stndy and observation of 
the trees from day to day, from season to 
season, and from year to year, the grower 
should in time become skilful in this 
particular branch. The subject is so 
comprehensive, embracing all the intricate 
principles of plant physiology and plant 
growth, that it lies qu te beyond the scope 
of a short article, and we can only confine 
ourselves to a few yeneral remarks. 
— What we Prune for. — 
Let it be well understood that we prune 
to regulate the growth, to ensure the reg- 
ular production of fruit, to keep up the 
vigor and vitality of the tree necessary 
to bring the frnit to perfection and to 
concentrate and direct the sap into a few 
important channels. 
— Deciduous Trees. — 
Deciduous trees that haye been well 
trained from their infancy, and have been - 
systematically summer prured call for 
comparatively little 
Speaking generally, it is reduce] to the 
winter pruning, 
rezulating of spur growth, shottening 
or spurring shouts, ramoving any super- 
fluous branches, and all dead wood. A 
well trained tree should be supplied with 
a sufficiency of closely set natural spurs 
borne on its lower portions. 
-- Pruning Neglected Trees, — 
In the case of neglected trees the work 
is very much heavier. They usually 
carry far too much wood. ‘The ceutre of 
the tree must always be kept opcn to 
allow the light and air free play through- 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
out itsentire space. The branches should 
not stand closer than 1 ft. of each other 
at the very least; a distance of 2 ft 
would be distinctly better. On suchtrees 
the fruit is only borne towards the extre- 
mites, or, in other words, only those 
portions where the light has had power to 
penetrate and to quicken the buds. The 
dense growth choking the centre has 
caused all else to become barren. The 
most important thing then is to reduce 
the number of branches very considerably 
and to encourage shoots and spurs to 
form nearer the base. To do this we 
must endeavour to airest the sap in its 
ascent by checking the head growth and 
keeping the leading shoots light, and 
cause it to rest about the flush and lower 
limbs. Horizontal and dependent growth 
is to be preferred and encouraged in a 
strange tree for the same reason that the 
sap moving through them more slowly 
causes them to become fruitful, Where- 
ever sap rests growth develops. 
— Various Species. — 
Every species of fruit tree, not to say 
every variety, calls for a different method 
of pruning, though the general principles 
are the same, The pair, apple, apricot, 
cherry, and plum have points in common, 
but the peach stands out distinct, in that 
itis not spur-pruned, It hears its fruit 
on the wood of the previous year ; that 
is last serson’s shoots and natural spurs. 
Its shoots, thorefure, are not shortened 
beyond a little tipping, when the variety 
is kno.1n got to bear its fruit near the 
points, Our object in pruning the peach 
is to promote and provide for a succession 
of fruiting shoots removing altogether 
those which have already functioned 
that others may spring in their p'ace, 
These shoots are readily produced with 
proper management. The other classes 
above named are spur-pruned ; that is to 
say, suitable shoots are retained, and are 
converted into spurs by being shortened. 
It is never advisable to leave a long arti- 
ficial spur, though greater length can be 
left at the base of the tree than towards 
the top, where it would tend to a woody 
growth, 
— Promoting Natural Spur. — 
A short, compact, natural spur spring- 
ing from a strong source is always the 
June, 1910. 
pruner’s desideratum, and their promotion 
formation, and management is the chief 
concern in a well-ordered, shapely, tree. 
Subjects like some varieties of the plum 
that have a tendency to form a super- 
fluous number of upright branches with 
the inevitable result, a thicket of growth 
“at the top, require a good deal of spacing 
aud regulating of the shoots and branches. 
This by-the way, is summer work in the 
first instauce, when we can remove with 
finger and thumb what must be sown and 
cutaway with far more labor in subse- 
quent winters. According to the strength 
or weikness.of a tree must horizontal or 
perpendicalar growth be encouraged. 
Only in the cise of weakly trees, and 
where a certuin design requires it, is the 
latter desirable, Chetry trees need litl, 
hard pruning, and they form of their own 
accord a sufficiency of fruitspurs. These 
spurs last for years, and go on extending 
and ramifying, so they must be pruned 
when they become too complicated, 
always taking care only to remove the 
exhausted growth, and to leave the fresh 
young growth that is to -bear the fruiw 
preferably that situate] mearest the 
source of the spur. This free develop- 
ment of spur and shoot in the cherry 
necessitates a certain amount of judicious 
thinning and regulating, and it is ot the 
utinost importance with this class as with 
other fruit trees that all dead and useless 
matter be removed. Apricot trees re- 
quire a spacing of their branches and 
leading shoots. They bear their fruit on 
natural and artificial spurs and occassion- 
ally shoots on last year's wood. The 
spurs must be regulated, and a sufficiency 
of well placed shoots converted into 
spurs, 
— Pears, Apples, and Plums, — 
Pears and apples are spur-pruned only, 
though their individual treatment neces- 
sarily differs slightly. This spur growth 
must also be regulated as it becomes ex- 
aggerated. Spacing the branches if 
crowded and thinning the shoots almost 
goes without saying. Some varieties of 
the plum haying weaker wood than other 
trees, have to be favoured with a more © 
perpendicular growth to render it profit- 
able, It has natural and artificial spurs 
only. ; 
