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2983. Fom/th says, “ orchards ought to be dunged once In two or th ree years.” allows ol’ some
rotten dung being forked in, or of sprinkling the whole over with soot and pigeon’s dung ; he adds, “ it
is not advisable to give trees much d u n g ; a little lime, only surface-dug, is good.”
2984. Cropping. Mai'sliall, Abercrombie, and Forsytli allow of moderate cropping
among staudaril fruit tre e s ; but the following observations of Nicol are the most definite
on this subject: —
2985. I t is proper to crop the ground among new-planted orchard trees for a few years, in
order to defray the expense of hoeing and cultivating i t ; which should be done until
the temporary plants are removed, and tho wholc be sown down in grass. But it is by
no means advisable to carry the system of cropping with vegetables to such an excess as
is frequently done. I f tho bai'c expense of cultivating the ground, and the rent, be paid
by such cropping, it should be considered enough. As the trees begin to produce fruit,
begin also to relinquish cropping. When by thcii* productions they defray all expenses,
» I " ' ' ' ’ ’ 1 . rt »
crop no longer. consider these as being wholesome rules, both for the trees and
their owners.
2986. Rule. “ Crop to within 2 ft. of the trees the first y e a r; 1 yard the second;
4 ft. the third ; and so on until finally relinquished ; which of course would be against
the eighth year, provided tho trees were planted at 30 ft. or 40 ft. apart, with early
bearing sorts between. By this time, if the kinds have been well chosen, the temporary
trees will he in full bearing, and will forthwith defray every necessary expense whilo
they remain, or until the principal trees come into a bearing state, and it become necessary
to remove them ; after which the ground should be sown down in grass. But until
then, the ground should be properly cultivated, though not cropped close to tho trees ;
aud a moderate quantity of manure should be forked or dug in every second or third
season.” (Kal. p. 262.) The less the ground of a full-grown orchai'd is stii'red and
cropped, the better will the trees bear, other circumstances being alike.
S e c t . II. Pruning Orchard Trees.
2987. In pruning a newly-planted orchard or standard tree, the first object is the formation
of a head. According to Abercrombie, this ought in most kinds to be “ circular,
compact, aud proportioned to the strength of the stem, with the branches well distributed,
and suificicntly open in the centre to admit the free cii'culation of air.”
2988. I n ike fir s t spring, “ after a young standard has been planted, examine the primary branches, to
see whether they will be'sufficient, with th e secondary laterals to be forced out by shortening, to form a
good head. The primary branches should be so placed as to balance each other, and be equally distributed
round the tree. Thus, three in a triangle ; four at right angles ; five, six, and even seven, shooting at pretty
equal distances, might he retained : but it is seldom that more than four well placed ofi'er, which is a good
number. These first branches, if there be no secondary laterals, or none well placed, should be shortened
down to two or four eyes each ; or reduce a strong shoot to one third of its length, and a weak shoot
to two thirds. T h e second spring again revise the branches and secondary shoots, and reserve only as
many as are vigorous and well distributed. Afterwards leave the head to form of itself, cutting out
superfluous and ill placed shoots, and shortening for the production of new laterals only to fill a vacancy.
Luxuriant limbs, which are likely to be disproportionably large, should bo rejected as weakly shoots. In
the third or fourth year after planting a maiden tree, the foundation of a good head having been obtained
by j udicious shortening, and the plant sufficiently strengthened, it will become proper to let the tree proceed
to bearing with no greater check from th e knife than is unavoidable, l o this end, the lower
branches should not be shortened at all, and the upright loaders very little ; b u t where two shoots
cross, let the worst be cut out. Moderate-sized and slender shoots are m ore fruitful than strong luxuriant
wood.”
2989. The object ofpruningyoung standard trees, Nicol observes, “ is to fo rm a p ro p e r bead. Generally
speaking, the shoots may be pruned in proportion to th e ir lengths, cuttmg clean away such as cross one
another, and fanning the tre e out towards the extremities on all sides ; thereby keeping it equally poised
and fit to resist the effects of high winds. When it is wished to throw a young tree into a bearing state,
which should not be thought of, however, sooner than the th ird or fourth year after planting, the leading
branches should be very little shortened, and the lower or side branches not a t a ll; nor should the knife
be used, unless to cut out such shoots as cross one another, as above hinted.”
2990. Pruning hewing trees. “ After an orchard tree is come into bearing,” Abercrombie observes,
“ continue at the time of w inter-pruning, either every year, or every two, three, or four years, as an occasion
is perceived, to cut out unproductive wood, crowded spray, and decayed parts. Also reduce long and
outrunning ramblers, and low stragglers, cutting them to some good lateral th at grows within limits.
Where fruit-spurs are too numerous, then cut tho strongest and most unsightly. Also keep the tree
pretty open in the middle. If it be necessary to take off large branches from aged trees, use a chisel or
saw, ancl afterwards smooth the wound with a paring-knife. In case old wood is to be cut down to young
shoots springing below, to make the separation in summer will be of more advantage to those young
shoots, though it is not a common practice, on account of the liability of many stone-fruit bearers to
exude gum, when a large branch is lopped in the growing season. Observe to keep the stem clear from
all lateral shoots, and eradicate all suckers from the root.”
2991. I n p nm in g aged trees that have run into a confusion of shoots and branches, and whose spurs have
become clustered ancf crowded, the saw and the knife may be exercised with freedom ; observing to cut
clean away all useless spray, rotten stumps, and the like excrescences. Thin out the spurs so as to let
th e air circulate freely among the leaves and fruit in the summer season, and to admit the rays of the
sun, so as to give the fruit colour and flavour.
2992. MarshaU strongly recommends “ thinning the branches of orchard trees for the same objects,”
adding, “ th a t it is in general much neglected.” He recommends “ a little pruning of standards every
year, and a general one (ra th e r free) every three or four years, to cut out what is decaved, and some of the
older wood, where a successional supply of young may be obtained to succeed, as the best way to keep
th e trees in vigour, and have the best of fruit ; for that which grows on old wood gets small and austere.”
Th e same author judiciously remarks, that trees with heavy iruit, as th e apple and pcar, should have, if
Sassible, th e ir branches ra the r u p rig h t; but that light-fruited trees, such as the cherry, will admit of
rooping branches.
767
2993. The season for pruning orchards is generally winter, or early in spi'ing— not
later tlian February, according to Abercrombie and Nicol. Quintiney says, “ a weak
tree ought to be pruned directly at the fall of the leaf.” And Abercrombie, “ to pnine
in autumn strengthens a plant, and will bring the blossom-buds more forward ; to cut
the wood late in spring tends to check a plant, and is one of the remedies for excessive
luxuriance.”
2994. Treatment o f dcformedor diseasedtrees. Where a tree is stunted, or the head ill shaped, from being
originally badly primed, or barren from having overborne itself, or from constitutional weakness, the
most expeditious remedy is, to head down the plant within three, four, or five eyes (or inches if an old tree)
of the top of the stem, in order to furnish it with a new head. The recovery of a languishing tree,
if not too old, will be furthe r promoted by taking it up a t the same time, and pruning the ro o ts ; for as,
on th e ono hand, the depriving too luxuriant a tree of part even of its sound healthy roots will
moderate its vigour, so, on the other,ter, to relieve a stunted or sickly tree of cankered or decayed roots, to
to
EL
iruno ............................ the extremities of sound roots,>ts, and especially to shorten the dangling tap-roots of a plant, affected
by a bad subsoil, is, in connection with heading down or very short pruning, and the renovation
of th e soil, and draining, if necessary, of the subsoil, the most availing remedy th a t can be tried.
{Abercrombie.)
2995. A tree often becomes stunted from an accumulation o f moss, which affects the
functions of the hark, and renders the tree inifraitful. This evil is to bo removed by
scraping the stem and branches of old trees with a scraper; and on young trees a hard
brush will offcct the purpose. Abercrombie and Nicol agree in recommending the finishing
of this operation by washing with soap-suds, or a medicated wash of some of the
different sorts for destroying the eggs of insects. In our opinion lime-water, or even
water alone, is better than any of these applications.
2996., Wherever the bark is decayed or cracked, Abercrombie and Forsyth direct its
removal. Lyon, of Edinburgh, carried this practice to so great a length as even to
recommend the removal of ap a rt of the bark on young trees. Practical men, in general,
however, confine the operation to the cracked hark which nature seems to attempt
throwing off; and the effect, in rendering the trees more fruitful and luxuriant, is
acknowledged by Neill in his Account o f Scottish Gardening and Orchards, and by
different writers in the London and Edinburgh Horticultural Transactions.
2997. The other diseases to which orchard trees are subject, arc chiefly the canker, gum,
mildew, and blight, which, as wc have already observed, arc rather to be prevented by
such culture as will induce a healthy state, than to be remedied by topical applications.
Too much lime, Sir II. Davy thinks, may bring on the canker, and if so, the replacing
a part of such soil with alluvial or vegetable eai'th would he of service. The gum,
it is said, may he constitutional, arising from offensive matter in the s o il; or local,
arising from external injury. In the former case, improve the so il; in the latter, apply
the knife. The mildew, it is obsci-vcd by Knight and by Ahcrcromhic, “ may be easily
subdued at its first appearance, by scattering fiour of sulpliur upon the infected parts.”
Tliis, however, only applies to snjicrficial mildew, or that description of fungus which
lies on the surface of leaves; and by no means to that description of mildew wliich consists
of fungi growing out o fth e substance of the leaf.
S e c t . III. O f Gathering and Storing Orchard Fruits.
2998. The gathering o f orchard fu its , and especially apples, from standards, sliould
be performed in such a manner as not to damage the branches, or break off the spurs.
Too frequently the fruit is allowed to drop, or it is beaten and bniised by shaking the
tree, and using long poles, &c. Nicol directs that “ they should never he allowed to
drop of themselves, nor should they be shaken down, but should he pulled by the hand
or apple-gathcrcr. This may be thought too troublesome a me thod; but cveiy body
knows that bruised fruit will not keep, nor wiU it bring a full price. The expense of
gathering, therefore, may be more than defrayed, if carefully done, by saving the fruit
from blemish.” (Kal. 257.)
2999. Forsyth says, “ as apples shaken or beaten down with a pole never keep in winter, they ought all to
be hand-picked by a person standing on steps made on purpose. The step-ladder should be light, in two
pieces, to disengage the back at pleasure, by drawing the b o lt; and it should have a broad step at
top for a man to stand on, and place a basket by his foet. In th e larger baskets or hampers, in which
the fruit is to be placed to be wheeled away, lay some short grass mowings, perfectly dry (which ought
to be provided in summer, and kept dry), to prevent th e fruit from being bruised.”
3000. In respect to the time o f gathering, Nicol recommends “ that pears and apples
should not be pulled till their seeds ai'o of a dark brown, or hlacldsh colour.” The
criterion of ripeness, adopted hy Forsyth, is thcir beginning to fall from the tree. He
says, “ observe attentively when the apples and pears are ripe ; and do not pick them
always at the same regular time of the year, as is the practice with many. A dry season
will fonvard the ripening of fruit, and a wet one retard i t ; so that there will sometimes
be a month or five weeks difference in the proper time of gathering. The method that
I have practised is, to observe when the fruit begins to fall ( I do not mean what we call
windfalls, or the falling of such as are infested with the caterpillar, &c., hut sound
fruit) ; I then put my hand under i t ; and if it comes off without any force being used, I
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