OCR Text |
Show PLUMS NEED LITTLE PRUNING Tests Covering Number of Yean With Several Varieties Conducted at Geneva Station. Very little difference was noted In the behavior of heavily pruned plum trees and trees receiving much less pruning, In tests conducted over a number of years with several stnndurd varieties of plums, on the grounds of the New York agricultural experiment station, at Geneva. In the opinion of the station horticulturists, most varieties varie-ties of plums require but little pruning subsequent to the proper shaping of the trees after they are pruned. Ten varieties of plums were used In the tests. Including Abundance, Urad-shaw, Urad-shaw, I'.urbank, De Soto, Grand Duke, Wnyland, Pottawattamie, Relne Claude, Shropshire and Itullan Prune. Referring to these tests, the station specialists say: "Practically the only difference between the trees subjected to these two styles of pruning was that the little-pruned trees had larger and broader heads. The heads on the little-pruned trees, too, were more symmetrical than those which had been given heavier pruning. The Increased In-creased size, however, in no way retarded re-tarded the maturity of the fruit or Impeded Im-peded harvesting. The size of th trunks and branches of the two lots of trees was practically the same, and there was very little difference In the height of the trees. The outstanding feature seemed to be the larger and more uniform heads of the little-pruned little-pruned trees." |