Pruning Trees.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 45, 21 August 1897, Page 3

Pruning Trees.

In an exposition of pruning, in a Pic ton orchard recently, Mr Blacklaw. Gov•tnment Pomologist gave many valuable hints. A local paper reports thai tbe points he sought most clearly to imprest on the minds of lookers on, nets that each kind ef tree demanded specific treatment, based upon its habit of growib, on tbe nature of the tree as we may say. Not only ao, but special varieties de* manded differential treatment. Hence tbe necessity lor ires study, too much neglected by pruner*, The importance Of a good atart was dwelt npon, and fruit growers were stcongly advised neyer lo buy trees more (ban a year old. Then Ihey had nothing to undo, as they almost invariably had with other trees. The general treatment for the first three years in the ease of all trees was a shaping process, to secure that ultimate form best calculated to facilitate free handling, and to sscure ths admission of light and sunshine and air to the fruit. A tree with only tbrse main branches, alternating, and a good hand's breadth apart, was the best typo of growth for commercial purposes. Care should be taken to get two of these main branches on the windward aide of the tree, as they offered the stronger resistance. The after procedure was on somewhat similar lines, the aim being to check exuberant growib •nd to stimulate the airong wood into bearing, by inducing it to pot forth frnit ■purs instead of spending its energies in unprofitable giowth. Tall trees were difficult to handle, and as to much of the young wood, it was neither so large, so tasty, not to well able~io resist tbe wind pressure, in consequence ef which much of it waa lost. The treatment was mainly to severely reduce the number of young branches, and cut the others well back to an outside bud it the tree was of a close habit ; to an inside one if ita tendency was to spread. The great tendency of fruit trees left to themselves waa to dissipate energy, and make wood instead of bearing fruit. Root pruning was an exploded idea. It was at one time recommended, but modern practice was op posed to it. Fertilisers were the general remedy for tbe faults root pruning was supposed to cure.