^^^^■1 Pruning in Summer. 



241 



fe study, as laws of vegetable phydology, that which, in reality, is but 

 the coiuhiw sine, qua non, or, '"common sense," of vegetable life 



To return to our sulject:-lt may be well to remark that we may 

 distinguish two main purposes whi.h all rational growers of fruit treea 

 must keep m view to obtain the results desired: Tlie 6r.«t, of the t-reatest 

 moment, and which may be said, in some degree to involve the other 

 IS— to control the equilibrium of the sap throughout all parts of th 

 tree; and. second, to regulate adroitly the respective quantities of fruit- 

 beanng and leafmaking portions. If the proper means for the attain 

 ment of this end are understood, the question at once arises-which form 

 and habit is the tree to receive ? In one case we permit nature to pursue 

 her own course, allowing the tree to attain its natural shape and dimen 

 sions ; m the other case we force the tree to grow according to our own 

 pattern, a pyramid, an espalier, or even a hedge. 



Tor a full understanding of the means to govern the equilibrium of the 

 sap we must look to one of the principal laws of vegetable physiolo^ 

 upon which all proceedings, in this particular, must be based. The fluid 

 nour.sl,mcnt taken up by the root, ascends through stem and branches 

 into the leaves, where it is altered, in its nature, by a process of breathing 

 or respiration ; from the foliage, as the lungs of the tree, the fluids 

 descend again into the branches and trunk, to be deposited as a new 

 ayer between the bark and former wood, thus swelling the size of the 

 ree, by depositing these layers, or, as they are familiarly called, 

 growths, from year to year; and a portion of this descending fluid 

 after having been thus elaborated and fitted for these functions in the 

 leaves of tae tree, passes into the germ to form and bring forth fruit to 

 perfection. It is therefore manifest, that the breathing organs the 



healtht^l quantity of its foliage the vital power and successful fruL^e 

 of the tree are governed. For this reason the shortening of branches 

 becomes necessary when a tree is transplanted, by which operation the 

 roots are always more or less injured. Eoots and leaf-making branches 

 must, here, be dexterously balanced. Every bud that develops itscl in 

 spring, into a shoot with more or less foliage, is therefore a pump n 

 the quantity of sap which the root is able to receive ^ 



And here it is well to consider that the course of sap is always 

 onward and upward;' the highest placed buds, therefore, naturally 

 receive more than the lower ones. Every part of a tree, therefore, which 

 has assumed too strong a development, at the expense of other parts, can 

 be controlled, by depriving it of part of its buds-i'. .., by making that 

 part shorter, while the weaker portion should be encouraged by being 



VOL. I., NO. V. 16. o ^ 5 



