. The American fruit culturist, containing directions for the propagation and culture of all fruits adapted to the United States. Fruit-culture. PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. 93 the requisite moisture at their surfaces by means of a bell- glass to retain a damp atmosphere. Cuttings are often thus started, a small portion of leaves being allowed to remain upon them to assist in the emission of new roots. But, if the leaves are placed in a dry air, they soon pump out and carry off the moisture, and the shoot, leaves, and all, withers in a short time. If all the leaves had been cut off, the
. The American fruit culturist, containing directions for the propagation and culture of all fruits adapted to the United States. Fruit-culture. PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. 93 the requisite moisture at their surfaces by means of a bell- glass to retain a damp atmosphere. Cuttings are often thus started, a small portion of leaves being allowed to remain upon them to assist in the emission of new roots. But, if the leaves are placed in a dry air, they soon pump out and carry off the moisture, and the shoot, leaves, and all, withers in a short time. If all the leaves had been cut off, the shoot would re- main plump much longer—a fact well known to nurserymen and others who reserve scions for budding. Proper Time for Pruning.—Many cultivators have been mis- led into the opinion that early summer is the best time to prune, from the fact that the wounds heal more readily. Prun- ing after the tree has commenced growth has a tendency in nearly every instance to check its vigor. For this reason, where the rapid formation of young wood is de- sired, the work must be performed before the buds begin to swell. Two questions are concerned in the choice of the proper time for pruning, the effect on fruit-bear- ing, and the effect on the healing of the wounds. As a rule, light summer prun- ing tends more to fruit formation than does heavy winter prun- ing. On the other point the following advice is given (Bailey, " Prun- ing-Book"): "The con- clusion—and my gener- al opinion—in respect to season of pruning, so far as the healing of wounds is concerned, is this: The ideal time is in spring, before growth begins (late February, March, and early April, in New York), but more depends on the position of the wound in the tree, and the length of stub than on the time of ; If heavy pruning is to be done, the work is best done when the tree is dormant. See Figs. 124, 125. There may be an exception to this general rule, where a slight amount of prunin
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