THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



trate the reduced supply of sap in the few shoots thus allowed 

 to start. During the first season it is important that all these 

 shoots be allowed to grow without hindrance ; also that every 

 leaf and twig that develops on the trunk and branches be allowed 

 to grow all season long, because these supply needed food to the 

 trunk and the roots. Any unnecessary shoots may be easily re- 

 moved before growth starts the following spring. In this matter 

 of pruning it is well to remember that the tree understands its 

 business better than any man, so the only function we should 

 assume is that of suggesting to the tree the way to avoid making 

 mistakes, more as to the direction in which growth shall take 

 place rather than to force the tree to conform to our whims and 

 ideas of what is good and proper. 



Though not strictly a point in pruning it is important to re- 

 move all label-wires, strings and other things that might form 

 constrictions in the trunk and branches and thus in due time 

 destroy the parts above such girdles, if not also those below. It 

 is no uncommon thing to see peach and cherry trees with one 

 branch in full blossom while the others show no sign of intend- 

 ing to produce flowers for perhaps several years. 



Before planting young trees it is advisable to prune the 

 mangled roots back to sound wood, so as to avoid possible decay. 

 But it is not a good practise to prune the tops prior to planting, 

 especially if the trees have started to develop their buds. Prun- 

 ing of the tops should always wait till after the trees have been 

 planted, preferably until all have been set so that the pruning and 

 the removal of label wires may be done as one separate job to 

 make sure of both being done correctly ; by so doing it is easier 

 also to do the pruning in a uniform manner. To do this best the 

 trunk of the tree should be between the feet when any cuts are to 

 be made in an upward direction so as to avoid pulling the tree 

 loose in case the knife gets dull, which, however, it should not be 

 allowed to do. By bending the branch to be removed upward 

 and toward the axis of the tree the cut may be most easily made 

 from below upward. Even branches too large for the knife to 

 cut without this bending may be cut with ease and leave a clean 

 smooth wound that will heal readily. 



Whenever possible a space two hand-breadths wide should be 



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