We do not believe in severe pruning at _any_ time. If a man has the
education of his orchard from the start, it is an utter abomination to
leave his trees in such a condition as to require it. If, however, one
comes into possession of a much abused orchard, or of a seedling
orchard; or, if a single tree is to be changed, or an old tree is to
be headed back for health’s sake, then it may be necessary to prune
with a free hand. But in such cases, the change should not be
attempted in one season, but divided between two.
There is, we suppose, a critical time in which pruning will injure the
tree. It is after the sap is in full motion, the vegetable system
impleted, _but before the pores and sap passages have acquired a
contractile power_. Thus, if a grape is pruned when the buds begin to
swell, the wood does not contract, and the vine bleeds to excess. But
if primed after the leaves are as large as the palm of the hand, no
injury ensues from cutting, for now the sap passages contract and
close speedily.
Thus if a tree be handled before or after this period, it does not
suffer; but if pruned _at this critical state of the wood_, it will
bleed, the stump part will become diseased, probably from the relaxed
state of the woody tissue, and canker will ensue—a word indicating, we
presume, simply a state of decay, covered by or accompanied with, some
sort of fungus growth.
Pruning before this critical time, is sometimes the most convenient.
But if it be a question, at which of the two periods is the tree in a
state to suffer the least, and to recover the soonest, we say, _after
it is in full leaf and well a-growing_, viz. the last of May and the
first of June. The wood has then a contractile force, does not bleed;
the tree is making new wood with great energy, and has therefore a
full supply of organizable matter with which promptly to heal the
wound.
Mr. O. V. Hill thus speaks in the _Boston Cultivator_:
“Fruit growers at the present day, are generally of the
opinion, that the proper time for pruning is the last of May
or early in June, when the tree is in full leaf and in a
vigorous, growing state. This, on many accounts, appears to
be the most suitable season, as the wounds heal much more
rapidly, the tree throws out less suckers, canker is avoided
and the sap circulates freely to every part of the tree; but
there are some objections to pruning in the early part of
summer, which I do not recollect to have seen noticed. Any
one who is familiar with vegetable physiology is aware that
there is a new layer of wood and a new layer of bark
deposited every year, and that in June this process is in
active operation; the newly-forming wood and bark are then
consequently in a tender and imperfect state, and very
susceptible to injury. Standing in the forks of the branches
as it is sometimes necessary to do in pruning, will
frequently separate the bark and wood, especially in young
trees at this season. In grafting late in the season, this
is frequently the case; sometimes where the ladder is placed
against a branch it will remove the bark; and in sawing,
unless the saw runs very clear, and the teeth are fine, the
same results will follow; if pruning is done in June, it
should be performed with the greatest caution.”
The New York _Farmer and Mechanic_, commenting on the above, says:
“The best time for pruning apple-trees is, as yet, we
believe, undetermined by the most experienced orchardists,
but we are of opinion that the early part of June is, for
reasons above given by Mr. Hill, to be preferred. The
objection arising from the fear of injuring the bark of the
tree can easily be obviated by having the operator use
_moccasins_ instead of shoes, and surrounding the upper
round of the latter with straw or flannel.”
Downing says:
“We should especially avoid pruning at that period in spring
when the buds are swelling, and the sap is in full flow, as
the loss of sap by bleeding is very injurious to most trees,
and, in some, brings on a serious and incurable canker in
the limbs.
“There are advantages and disadvantages attending all
seasons of pruning, but our own experience has led us to
believe that, practically, _a fortnight before midsummer is
by far the best season, on the whole, for pruning in the
northern and middle States_. Wounds made at this season heal
over freely and rapidly; it is the most favorable time to
judge of the shape and balance of the head, and to see at a
glance which branches require removal; and all the stock of
organizable matter in the tree is directed to the branches
that remain.”
Some of the western States are so much earlier than that of New York,
that early June will be equivalent to the time specified by Downing.
We have now fortified the opinion which we heretofore expressed, by
good authority, and by what seems to us good reasons. As it is,
however, with some, yet a debated question, we shall carefully insert
the experience of any man for or against our position.