SECRETARY'S REPORT. 183 



judiciously, all the force of the noui'ishing fluid is thrown into a 

 smaller number of buds, which make new and luxuriant shoots 

 and larger sap vessels, which afford a ready passage to the fluids, 

 and the tree witH' these renewed energies will continue in vigor for 

 a long time. 



This treatment is especially valuable in the case of small trees 

 of feeble or stunted growth, which are frequently cut back to a 

 single bud, and a new shoot or shoots, full of vigor, gives a healthy 

 habit to the tree. In the nurseries, this practice of heading down 

 unthrifty trees is frequently pursued, and small orchard trees which 

 have become enfeebled maybe treated in the same manner ; cutting 

 back the head as far as the place where it is wished that new shoots 

 should spring out. Older trees should he headed hack more spar- 

 ingly, and their roots should at the same time be assisted by man- 

 ure. 



A judicious pruning to modify the form of our standard trees is 

 nearly all that is required in ordinary practice. All pruning of 

 large branches in healthy trees should be avoided by examining 

 them every season and taking out superfluous shoots while small. 

 Mr. Coxe, the best American author on fruit trees, remarks very 

 truly, " When orchard trees are much pruned, they are apt to 

 throw out numerous [superfluous] suckers from the boughs in the 

 following summer ; these should be rubbed ofl" when they first ap- 

 pear, or they may be easily broken off while young and brittle- — 

 cutting is apt to increase their number. 



When pruning is not required to renovate the vigor of an en- 

 feebled tree, or to regulate its shape — in other words, in the case 

 of a healthy tree which we wish to retain in a state of the greatest 

 luxuriance, health, and vigor, it may be considered ivorse than use- 

 less. Bearing in mind that growth is always corresponding to the 

 action of the leaves and branches, if these are in due proportion, 

 and in perfect health, the knife will always be found rather detri- 

 mental to luxuriance and constitutional vigor than beneficial. The 

 best season for pruning to promote growth, theoretically, is in 

 autumn soon after the fall of the leaf. Next to this, winter prun- 

 ing, performed in mild weather, is best, and in orchards this is the 

 season usually most convenient. We should especially- avoid prun- 

 ing at that period in spring when the buds are swelling, and the 

 sap is in full flow, as the loss of sap by bleeding is very injurious 

 to most trees, and in some, brings on a serious and incurable canker 

 in the limbs. 



