GARDENING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 150, 25 June 1921, Page 11

GARDENING NOTES

(By "Experience.")

PRUNING FRUIT TREES.

The Apple.—As I stated .in, my Mast "Notes," it is by no means easy'to' describe pruning: I may add that it is particularly difficult to do so in a. few lines. It requires a book and instructions. Were apple trees all alilre,, and a system had been followed, it. would be easy enough. In most cases, except in commercial orchards, no system has been followed, and in most instances wore half a dozen men asked to prescribe treatment for a. particular tree, each one would, give different advice, so far as concerns details, and all might be right, for all .might be based on correct principles.., The'greatest stumbling-block to. success is the anxiety of novices to get fruit from young trees. Anyone not willing to wait four years for lirst fruits should not plant a tree, for early fruiting spoils disaster ;■ it "prevents the* trees growing. . '" . ; The pntning right for a young tree, procured from a nursery depends on the kind of tree; there are many kinds. Suppose it to be a yearling tree with one straight stem —these are termed yearling ■whips: It should be cut down to about the height of a man's knee. the resultant slioots three are required to make the foundation . for the main branches. In some cases three will not balance well; in that case four may be left. Three are best, four are not bad, more than four is bad. I cannot go into the reasons why in the space at my command ; please accept the statement. The second1 year these three branches should be reduced about fifteen inches. If there are four branches leave them six inches longer. From each shortened leader two new leaders are required, which will, the following winter be cut back in like manner. This plan is followed year after year, so far as the leaders are concerned, until sufficient height is secured. Many trees sent out .by nurserymen are older than one year, or may be what they term headed trees — yh'.,' they have already divided into several branches. In such ease head them as described for the second year, cutting out branches if necessary to reduce, them to the proper number. Up to the third year the treatment for all varieties is the same; after that it differs somewhat with varieties. Some varieties are reluctant to produce spurs, or to fruit far back on the laterals; these are known as lateral-bearers. The Irish Peach is the.most pronounced of all in this respect, for this reason: it is, as usually seen, an ugly, sprawling tree. The habit can be cured by attention in the right direction. The branches should be trained to a fairly upright position; they should not be! crowded, and an almost hollow centre, should ,bo kept. This ' will admit light; to every . part, resulting in lateralsi; that:. are not-'over-longJ ■■, All that are extra long should be cut" back about .half-way, or, if too many, cut out at their base, and' the others left, as they are to bear fruit. By degrees a fairly open; tree will develop spurs; as these appear tho number ofj laterals left should be le3s. .Some1 varieties—the famous Delicious, for example—are. at first lateralbearers, but gradually, revert to the spurbearing habit. This really moans that, being. a strong-growing tree; it is reluctant to come to" fruit, but having ' the habit —which many have not—of bearing .fruit freely on the ends of young shoots, these are left to bear fruit, and the effort N of bearing fruit steadies growth, •and tho tree makes less wood growth, and fruit comes on spurs.' The same plan is followed as with the Irish Peach, only that the change to spurTbearing comes much quicker. When a treo has.come to a full bearing habit, tho plan of pruning is altered, and hero is whore much mischief is done. It. is .quite a mistake to suppose pruning causes a tree to fruit; it does not. Loft to- itsolf, a tree will soon make nothing but fruiting wood. It will hear heavily, soon cease to grow, the fruit will soon'bo very poor, and, following' that,. tho treewill become decrepit, worn out,' and useloss. Prune. too hard, and ifc will bear little or no fruit, but grqw into a big, rank t.roo. Judgment is required to strike tho happy medium. A tree must continue always to itiake some wood growth, not at the top, merely, but all over, but it must not be rank growth. When, a tree is in full bearing, the .laterals should be shortened to about. four or five buds; that is, a lateral not boaringj fruit. <Ifc. may be sexpecto'l that one1 or two, of tho outer buds will mako shoots, and tho lower buds develop fruit buds to bear the following year. These shoots should not bo cut down to the fruit; buds, as many do, but to a' wood bud,.,so thai there may be a shoot *bove tho fruit... This carried out all over the treo will keep the tree, in healthy growth, while carrying a good crop. Were these- laterals cut down to fruit buds, there would be no growth, and without hew growth the tree will make"no new roots, and wanting root development, .the tree . starves. It must be borne in : mind that a large part of a crop is borne on spurn •on the branches, theso having no wood growth ; therefore it'is necessary, to secure wood growth where it can be got:. In many cases tho laterals are cut'back,to; two buds with tho expectation that one at least will fprm fruit; they rarely or never do so., but instead make strong, wood growth, which either, prevents'a tree coming properly into fruit, or, if already fruiting, drives it in to a barren state, flow to bring such a tree to a fruiting.state was dealt with i in ,my_ last Notes. . ; ]J will now try to explain how a tree in a (nore or ices decrepit state, through bearing full crops, is making no ;, growth. There are- some' trees that cannot bo restored, having gone too far on the downward track. If a treo is fairly healthy it can bo reclaimed. Tho first thing to do is to cut out any,really worn out branches, shorten tho drooping side growths to some extent,! remove the fruit buds from the tops of the branches, and thin, out growths of any kind if crowded. Paint over the wounds tho day after cutting with,a thick mixture of whitolead and linseed oil; If some fresh cow dung is available, draw soil from round the hole so at. to malto a basin round it about three feet in diameter, tho oftrl.ii forming the side'of the basin. Place a faiiv amount of cow dung in the basin, and flood it with water. Tho aim should bo to'saturate tho soil with strong liquid manure. This will work wonders. I have myself restored''trees' to a good bearing habit and secured good fruit, by this uioans. Cow manure is preferable to anything' else, and there is no danger of -oveitloing it whore starved trees are concerned. Such trees are usually badly affected with mussel scalo, mytilaspia pomorum, which always thrives on weakly trees. To effoct a clearance, spray immediately after pruning with' Harbasfi or some other red oil, one part in ton to twelve parts>of 'water; repeal in about four, .weeks, or, better still, let the second spray be lime—sulphur, 1 in1' 15, this being! harder on the scale than oil as a second spray, and is also a fungicide. Some other fruit trees will be dealt with in my next Notes. the vegetable; garden. If cabbage?, cauliflowers, and lettuces from a sowing made near the end of Match are large enough to plant out, as they well be, get them out as soon as possible. This is one of the most important plantings of the year,,as they provide the late spring and early summer.crops thai, are so much appreciated. Shallots and garlic may be planted with advantage., ; ,The,'proper'rule is;. Plant.on, the shortest day, lift on the longest day. These bulbs can be planted over a long period, but the best growth is secured by planting at the proper time, while the bulbs are quite firm. Secure potatoes for planting, place the tubers rose end upward in shallow boxes, which place in full light, protected from rain and frost, but with » free'current of air passing through them. THE FLOWER GARDEN. ' • General planting i 3 the order of the day. There are very few subjects that cannot be transplanted now, roses being among those of greatest importance. The sooner these are planted the better.. After lifting the tops should bo reduced a good deal, but not to the full extent intended. There is still some activity in the bushes, at least they are not quite, dormant, possibly they never are in these parts. All severed roots should be cut over again with sharp eeccateurs. The bushes may bo planted at onco in their permanent places, or be temporarily heeled for a time. Tread the soil firmly'overI'thol roots, but lcavo the. surfaco loose, Do not mulch- with manure,- it is not wanted yot, »ad it .keeps'-'tho soil cold, when til tho warmth possible is wtut-