GARDENING NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 9, 10 July 1909, Page 12

GARDENING NOTES.

» (By "Experience.") i PEUNING FRUIT TREES. There has been practically no change in the way of pruning for the past foity yeai's. What a man learnt as a boy, he teaches now. There is almost nothing new in the general practice. The purpose of pruning is not always well understood. It is not to make trees bear fruit merely, but rather to make them bear the fruit in a manner we desire, instead of in Nature's own way, and, further, to create a proper balance, so that the trees will continue to make reasonable growth and bear good fruit in the future. Under some systems of training the trees need not get a particle higher or wider because of new growth, all being kept under close control. Most fruit trees will cease to make . growth if pruning is discontinued, and though they may bear well for a time, they must eventually either die out or, at best, produce but very poor fruit. I Young trees received from nurseries should always be severely pruned." It is necessary because of the check of lifting, and even if they were not lifted it would still be necessary to form the trees. There are usually three or four leading shoots on the young trees. These should be cut back to within about Bin of where they started, or, if the growths are weakly, cut back even much closer. It is a mistake to cut the shoots all to the same height from the ground level. If the nurseries sent out perfect trees it would do, but they never do that, so the shoots should all be treated separately, not collectively, or unshapely trees will result. Trees that have been planted a -year will require about the same treatment in the case of apples, pears, and plums, with a little attention to spur forming; after that, treatment differs materially. In the main, and on paper, the pruning of apples and j>ears is the same. There are several forms of tree, but, apart from that, routine pruning is the same. Some believe in hollow centres, some do not; but all agree that the branches must not be so crowded as to prevent access of sunshine when in full leaf. Any trees that have been allowed to get crowded in that way should now have branches cut out. The branches should be cut out with a saw, close to the place they sprang from. Be careful to leave no snag, or more branches may start from them ; otherwise, the snaga will become dead wood, and prove injurious to the tree. Pare the saw wound over with a sharp knife, and paint over with ordinary white lead paint. The side growths are treated in several ways, according to their character. While trees are still being built up, shoots that are required for extension in any direction should be shortened to Bin o"r 9in. When shoots are too numerous, so that some must be removed, be sure to cut them out entirely, not merely to snags, or the tree will get choked with shoots. Shoots of medium strength not wanted for extension should 'be converted into spurs for bearing fruit. Cut them back to about 2in — do not cut closer unless they are weak shoots, for if they are shortenc|l more they will usually form shoots instead of fruit buds. The shape of a tree is largely ruled during pruning. It is quite a mistake to think that a shoot should always be cut so as to leave the top bud pointing outward. The top bud should be left towards the space requiring filling up, where such exists, except in the case of varieties of drooping habit ; then cut usually to an upward bud. Old trees that are growing strongly, but bearing littla fruit, earn easiest be cured by doing no pruning for a year or two. I have known that treatment to have magical effects. If a tree is neither growing nor bearing, yet is not in a bad state with disease, it may probably require stimulating by a good dose of manure about its roots, and the removal, perhaps, of a few branches to give the roots less work to do. Pruning plum trees is a complicated business, because of the numerous ways in which they bear fruit. After the main outline of the tree has been formed, or provided for, it will be wise to be cautious about using the knife. Unless you are well up in the subject, a let-alone system will be wisest ; the tree will then come into fruit naturally, and cau then be easily dealt with. But to let a tree alone often means poor fruit by overbearing. .That is easily remedied. The plum bears fruit on slender shoots that are freely produced on all parts of the trees ; often these shoots are clad with fruit from end to end. When they are in blossom the exact extent of promised crop can be seen, and these slender shoots may be cut back to moderate lengths; this will reduce the crop in a reasonable way, and also help to get the tree into proper condition. Raspberry plantations may now be got in order. Remove all the canes that bore fruit last season and are now dead, then reduce the number of canes for fruiting to from four to six at each stool. The soil should tlot be broken up about them any more than can be helped to clear it of weeds, for the raspberry is a surface-rooting plant. A top-dressing of stable or some such manure is always advisable. Young suckers only should be used for new plantations, and the further they are taken from the old stool the better they usually are. The thing to look for is a good bunch of roots ; the top is of little consequence, as it should be cut off close down to the ground when planted, and that is the surest way of making a vigorous plantation. In a large plantation, clumps of three, five ieet apart, and the rows also five' feet apart, answer very well, and put at those distances, furnish well and require no stakes. Clo»er planting must be accompanied by heavy manuring and some form of support for the canes, or it would be difficult to get among them. Gooseberry bushes should now be pruned, according to the habit of the variety; the bushes should be kept open in the centre, and the branches sufficiently far apart to enable- gathering the the fruit to bo done with some degree of comfort, yet the bushes should not be skeletons. I do not approve of close spurring all the side shoots, but it must be dono to those shoot 6in the centre of the bush ; the others I consider it best to leave longer, merely removing a few inches of the extremities. A close system of .spurs does not appear to be in harmony with climatic conditions heie, and bushes so treated are in no way satisfactory. • Red and white currants must be rigidly epur pruned. The bushes should be in cup form, the centre open and branches regularly disposed around, and brought up as the- sides of a cup. Fruit is borne on short spurs, and all side shoots should be cut back to them ; this will leave about three-fourths of an. inch remaining of shortened shoot. Black currants require no more pruning than to thin out shoots if too crowded, leave young wood, cutting out old ■brajiches to make room for it; tho immature tops of young- shoots may also be removed. Loganberries are a very eatisfactory fruit to grow when properly treated. •They require pruning similar to blackberries whon under cultivation, viz., to remove all the old wood that has fruited, and lay in strong, young growths, which are often of considerable length ; these, laid along a wall or trellis, will bieak at every joint and produce abundant fruit. Planting fruit trees of all kinds may be proceeded with*