THEORY OF PRUNING FEUIT TREES. 



they are directed, in an ofF-hand, practical way, to plant in this manner, and prune in that; 

 the reasons, the principles upon which such practices are based, being seldom touched 

 upon, or if so, in a manner so superficially, or so vaguely, as to be misunderstood by those 

 who have no practical experience to fall back upon. Books, in some cases, too, are oppos- 

 ed to one another, and this puzzles the beginner; so he wisely concludes to go back and 

 examine the fundamental principles upon which all cultural operations depend. 



He sees an absolute necessity for this, in order to prosecute the work he has undertaken 

 in the same intelligent and discriminating manner to which he had been accustomed in his 

 other pursuits. Hence it is, that the subject of vegetable physiology, principally as re- 

 gards its bearing upon the pruning and management of fruit trees, is attracting the atten- 

 tion of the most intelligent fruit culturists in all parts of the country. Those who are in 

 any way connected with this pursuit, are well aware of this; and the horticultural jour- 

 nals bear ample testimony to the fact. It cannot, therefore, be considered visionary to 

 anticipate another great good to our country, from our new progress in fruit gardening, in 

 addition to the ordinary benefits we are wont to enumerate. A good consisting not only 

 in a greatly extended study of nature in the abstract, but in the theory of vegetation in 

 detail; the germination of the seed; the structure and development of the root, the stem, 

 the branch, the bud, and the leaf; the functions of all these parts; their connection with 

 one another, and relative importance to the life, and groAvth, and fruitfulness of the tree. 

 This is to be the study; and what a fresh, delightful, and imposing aspect it will give to 

 cultivation! How it will raise it up from the condition of a merely toilsome, dull, empi- 

 rical routine of labor, to be " the inclination of kings, and the choice of philosophers!" 

 I therefore rejoice to see this subject taken up by inquiring and intelligent minds. No 

 matter how crude and visionary their first conceptions may appear, nor how much they 

 may misjudge the teachings of the book, they are valuable and important as indicative 

 of " the good time coming." Having acquired some experience, not only in the perusal 

 and examination of theories, as laid down in books, but in putting them to the actual test 

 of practice, I propose to offer a few suggestions that may not be altogether unserviceable 

 to tho.se who are but commencing their studies, investigations, and experiments. 



The first point is to obtain as clear an idea as possible, in the present state of knowledge, 

 concerning the organic structure of trees — beginning with the first pair of leaves and radi- 

 cles, or young roots; to trace the mode in which the roots spread through the soil, and 

 imbibe food, which is conveyed upwards through the stem into the leaves; how, and by 

 what influences it is then elaborated and prepared to enter into the formation of new parts; 

 to trace the successive accumulation or growth of parts ; of layer of wood on the top of 

 layer; of branch upon branch; the formation of buds, the expansion of leaves, &c. 



Having thus studied the general subject, the student will be prepared to understand and 

 appreciate the operations by which all these parts are controlled, and made subservient to 

 certain specific ends. He will comprehend why the cutting back of the first seasons' 

 growth of a young tree increases its diameter at the base, and produces branches there by 

 simply changing the locality of the most active point of growth. Why pruning during the 

 inactive season of growth promotes vigor, and in the growing season diminishes it. Why 

 root pruning affects the vigor and productiveness of trees, and under what circumstances 

 growth and bearing are respectively promoted or retarded. The effect of moisture and 

 dryness; heat and cold; light and shade, upon all parts of the tree; and the various ope- 

 rations recommended to control and regulate these elements. 



Then comes the study in detail of the various forms or modifications of the same or 

 and their comparative forces or functions in the general life of the tree. For iu 



