THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



257 



branches aii(i ciittiii'i' back i-atlici" slinrt tliusc liiiilis wliicli arc needed 

 to make j)art oi" llic I'l'aiiicwdi'k. liy first pruning 1 am not alluding to 

 suckering or rubbing oif the water sprouts, etc. It is very important 

 to kiH'p tiie tree free from suckers, especially the trunk. A young tree 

 should be watched very closely the first two or three years. W it f(trms 

 tlie habit of suckering, especially on its trunk, there will be trouble in 

 starting the .sap in full flow through the limbs and foliage of the tree. 

 Also allo\\ing the suckers to grow stunts the growth of the tree. There 

 fore, the suckers should be taken off when they are so tender that they 



^■k^''. 'W 



4% 



Fig. S7. — Lemon tree three years okl before 

 pruning in the spring. (Original.) 



can Ijc rubbed off with the hand. Kubbing them off when they are very 

 tender prevents knots from forming on the trunk or limbs of the tree, 

 which I believe retards the free flow of the sap, and the suckers will not 

 have yet formed any fibre or hardwood to connect them with the woody 

 part of the trunk of the tree. 1 l)elieve that every time a knot is formed 

 on the trunk of the tree it become.s to some extent an obstruction in the 

 flow of the sap. The smoother the surface of the channel through which 

 the sap has to flow, the freer the circulation through the limbs, twigs, 

 and foliage of the tree. 



In pruning a lemon tree planted nine months in the orchard the tall 

 branches are cut back very short for the next deck or framework. 



