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Show PRUNING TREES IN WINTER Work Should Be Done Every Year Some Time in Spring After Severe Cold Weather Has Passed. (By E. P. SANDSTKN. Colorado Affrl- rultural College.) . The average farmer and fruit grower grow-er has very little conception of how to properly prune fruit trees. It is generally gen-erally done at any time during the winter season when the tree is dormant. dor-mant. If no time is to be had, it is delayed for another . year. This system sys-tem is disastrous. The fruit trees should be regularly pruned regardless of the amount of pruning required. If the work is done every year the tree will get into the habit of producing a certain amount of wood and fruit and there will be little occasion for severe pruning. If the pruning during the first three or four years of an orchard after planting is properly performed, there will subsequently be little need to remove large branches. .The pruning prun-ing will then consist merely in the removal re-moval of superfluous shoots or branches that interlace, and this kind of work does not upset or disturb the growth and fruiting habits of the tree. Winter pruning should be delayed until March or until after cold weather nas passeu. rruumg uuimg ucckiuuci and January is often disastrous as the wounds are apt to crack from the cold and thus make lodging places for disease. dis-ease. Further, the wounds made at this time' will not heal over rapidly. If pruning is done late in the season, the wound will not crack and it will heal over as soon as growth starts. If the removal of large branches is necessary, all wounds should be painted, paint-ed, using common thick, white paint. |