The Horticulturists

Pruning was the topic at the Februiry meeting of the Horticultural So3iety. B. G. Buell, whose experience lias been mainly with the apple, had found large linios to heal over best when removed in July. The application of paint, wax, etc, to cut surfaces to prevent rot had proved of little benefit, as such coatings nearly always became loose in a year or two. He had observed a tendency in the apple to be short-lived in this climate, and recommended heavy piuning when the trees begin to fail to get all the new jrowth possible. Not an orchard in wenty pays for keeping after 25 or 80 ears of age. Such orchards should be removed and new trees set in 'resh soil. r Jacob Ganzhorn had found nat heavy pruning at one time of large earing trees would put them out of bearingjfor a few years. W. L. Stotts, of Canada,who is visitingfriends in the city, stated that i f large roots were cut off at time of planting, the treea would becotne black-hearted. Peaeh ;rees should branch not over two feet rom the ground where the winters are evere. Pruning is most successfully done in summer, soon after the blossoms fall. If pruned in winter the imbs die back. Bearing pear trees should have the top kept open so that he sun may reach all the fruit. E. 3aur cuts back his standard pear when roung, to cause them to form low ieads to protect the trunk, but af terwards he prunes very litlle. He mainains fertilityjby mulcbiug. W. F. iird mentioned the experience of an Ohio fruit grower, who ahvays pruned lis bearing pear trees very heavily. The trees were dwarfs, rooted from the ear. They bore well and did not )light. A. A. Crozier recommended ;he cutting back of old, feeble peach rees severely. J. C. Shenck cut back very year all new growths over one oot in lengtli. He preferred to head lis peach trees high, so as to work inder them ith the two-horae plow and cultivator. Trees in wet soil. ven on high ground. are Hable to die out. Such loealities should be underdrained, but a partial remedy is bankng the trees with soil in the fall when he ground is dry. If done while the ground is wet, the soil freezes to the ;ree and they winter-kill, the same as f not banked. Mrs. Whiting inqaired f mulching might be emploved as a substitute for cultivation. Mr. Ganzlorn replied that the mulch would attiact mice, which might do damage, especially to young trees. Mr. Stotts said he liad sueceeded in killing off the mice with poisoned grain. Mr. Crozier said that mulch was a good substitute for cultivation, and perhaps better in some cases, if enoagh of it could be obtained. In regard to the prumng of raspberries and blackberries the general testimony was in favor of removing the old wood as soon as possible af ter fruiting. ülaekberries and black caps should be ïipped back in the growingseason and the latierais shortened during winter or èarly spring. Mr. Ganzhorn thought the Snyder blackberry should not be cut back as much as was usually done. ;hat ïf headed back at all it should be left four or flve feet high. The Lawton needed to be lieaded low so as to produce its fruit upon the laterals, but Snyder did better fruited on the raain cane. In all cases of sumrner pruning care should be taken to begin in time so as to avoid the necessity of removing much foliage, going over the field f rom time to time as the canes attained the proper size. If the growing canes get too much start so that a foot or more of the top has to be removed ia order to .bring them to the proper height they had better not be pruned at all. as excessive summer pruning weakens the plants. Mr. Ganzhorn mentioned a new seedling blackberry iound on his place, which was larger than the Snyder, ripened late, and continued in bearing until f rost set in. Mr. Shenck, who grows Cuthberts, largely thins out the vveak canes after fruitintt, at the time of removing the oíd wood. He does not nip the canes in summer, tor if latterals are formed they are Hable to kill back to the main cane. He heads back the fruiting canes in early spring to 3 feet, but will try heading back in late autuniu hereafter, to prevent the canes from being broken by winter storms. In regard to pruning the grape, Mr. Ganzhorn stated that he pruned longer than formerly, as he had become convinced that our rampant growers needed more wood in order to maintain their vigor. He mentioned in (articular the Bacchus and White Aun Yrbor, which formerly were unproductive with him, but which now 'ruited abundantly since he had idopted a more liberal system of prunng. Mr. Farnam, who "has vineyards on Bath Island, in Lake Erie. agreed with Mr. Ganzhorn, and said he would eave plenty of wood but thin the 'ruit. The Delaware in particular required this treatment and was likely ;o be poor in quality if allowed to bear i full erop. W. F. Bird preferred early snrinir as the time for pruning, and lad seen vineyards enfeebled by fall jiuning, unless the vines were covered with earth. In severe winters like the present 20 per cent of the canes killed oack more or less when pruned in the fall if left upon the trellis. The executive comruittee appointed the following scientific officers for the society: Botanist, Trof. V. M. Spald; ing; ornithologist, Dr. J. B. Steere, lïvgienist, Dr. V. C. Vaughan . The March meeting will be devotedas in previous years, to the subject of road making.