Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1874 — Principles of Pruning Fruit Trees. [ARTICLE]

Principles of Pruning Fruit Trees.

In an essay read before the Napa Grange, Cal., by Mr. W. H. Nash, he gives the principles by which he is governed in pruning fruit trees: The vigor of a tree subjected to pruning depends in a great measure on the equal distribution of sap in all of its branches. Prune the branches of the most vigorous parts very short, and those of the weak parts long. Leave a large quantity of fruit on the strong part, and remove the whole or a greater part from the feeble. Bend the strong parts and keep the weak erect. Remove from the vigorous the superfluous shoots as early in the season as possible, and from the feeble parts as late as possible. Pinch early the soft extremities of the shoots on the vigorous parts, and as late as possible ofi the feeble parts, excepting any shoots which may be too vigorous for their position. The sap acts with greater force and produces more vigorous growth on a branch or shoot pruned short than on one pruned long. The sap tending almost to the extremities of shoots causes the ferminals to push with greater vigor than the laterals. The more the sap is obstructed in its circulation the more likely it will be to produce fruit buds. The leaves serve to prepare the sap absorbed by the shoots for the nourishment of the tree, and aid the formation of buds on the shoots. All trees deprived, therefore, of their leaves are liable to perish.