The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 330, 2 January 1889, Page 3

The Garden.

Summer Pruning (Continued). Ix adopting and carrying on a system 0* .summer pruning the first object should bo to check excessive growth on the trees anil bring them into a fruit-bearing condition. In dealing w ifch the question it is ditlicult to lay down any definite rule, as all trees have a separate individuality, and each tree must therefore be dealt v, ifch on its own merits. "When the young growing shoots are properly cut back or pinched out the future well-being of the tree is assured. My readers will a*k, How is this to be attained without 'jiving the tree too greao a check at one time 7 The best way would be to co over the trees üboub once a week and cut back the strong shoots, a few ab a time. When cutting back Iciuc about four perfect, leaves or bud" at the base of the shoot ; these in time should foim a fruitbearing spur. In following the above the regulation of the How of sap can be managed uTa certainty a»id a constant regular flow continued to all parts of the ticc. There would be no undue encouragement to one part nor a severe check given to another. but the progress would be regular and steady. Where a weekly pruning cannot he undertaken the work ought to be divided into sections, doing the top of the tree fust, where all the strongest giowth will be tound, thus for a time giving the middle and lower the full benefit of the «ap. In about a fortnight; or so afterward?, the middle or central branches :-houlcl be cut back, thus giving all the loner .--hoots the benefit of the sap. The last pinching should Like i place on the lower blanches thu- the bottom j branches will be in a position to ieeei\e the full force ot the tap fur some time longer than the upper or middle, as thoac vt ill be for a time the only places w ith a \ igoi ous growth. At the same lime, leaving thelow er branches to the last will tend to equalise the strength of the blanches, as the bottom branches are usually the weakest ! parls. Wherever there are blank places on the tree, the pruner should always endeavour to get them tilled up by training the best placed shoots in the diiection of \\heie the blank is. The benefit-, to be derived from summer pruning are much more manifold than tho^c from winter prnninir. .For instance, the shortening back nf young •Growth at this season causes the .-ap at once to develop the doimaut buds foi mcd at the base of the shoots which ha>> been cut off instead of ripening the wood which lias, to be cut off in winter, then leaving undeveloped buds which are almost certain to develop useless spray the following season Now, those three or four buds will likely develop into fcibile fruiting spurs in a season or so. It is the height of folly to allow strong shoots to grow throughout the season so as to cut them out during the winter. ITow much better to stop them while grow ing and send the sap to weaker parts of the tree. Another great benelit to be derived fiom summer pruning is that excessive growth in the centre of the tree can be kept under, thus admitting a greater quantity of light and air to the centre of the tree and giving a much better chance for the tree to mature its fruit. Where trees are summer pruned and show signs of strong gro c s wood during the growing sea&on, these should be root pruned during the late part of the autumn. The roct pruning will effectually stop any tendency to gross growth the following season. Where young trees were planted last .season it is indispensable to keep the surface soil around the trees in a loose mellow condition for ab least the first season ; this will give the trees a much better chance of getting a good hold of the soil.