338 State Board of Agriculture, &c. 



should be sure to remove it at once with a sharp knife, cut- 

 ting closely to the limb from which it starts. And in case 

 two limbs should be inclined to come in contact with each 

 other and you wish to turn one of them in an opposite 

 direction to fill a vacancy in your tree, you will please fol- 

 low up on the one you wish to liave change its course, and 

 when you get to the spot where you would like the change 

 to be made, after finding a bud on the side next the open 

 space, place the knife, as before, on the opposite side and 

 cut with a slant toward the end of the limb. 



Thus watching every progress of all the branches you 

 may form a shapely head and fashion it according to your 

 own fancy, taking particular pains to leave the centre of the 

 tree sufficiently open to admit the sunlight and the dew. 

 With proper care from the early start of your tree up to 

 tlie time of fruiting, you may avoid the necessity of cutting 

 large limbs from the tree, for there will l)e none to cut. 



But, where trees have been neglected, as they too often 

 are, it becomes necessary to prune and cut away large 

 limbs. In which case use a fine saw, after which smooth 

 with a knife, and apply soft wax, if you are choice of your 

 tree, to the wounded part, thus preserving the wood and 

 causing the new growth to heal over smoothly, leaving but 

 a small scar. Never use pruning shears in any case, for it 

 is impossible to make a smooth cut with them on a limb of 

 any size, but they will invariably leave the limb shattered 

 and rough. 



I would like to say much upon the cultivation of other 

 fruits. A few words, however, and I close. I am of the 

 opinion that pear culture in Central and Northern Ver- 



