CHAPTER V. 
PRUNING, TRAINING, PROTECTING FROM FROST, AND 
DESTROYING INSECTS. 
Pruning appears, at first sight, a most laborious and unfeminine 
occupation; and yet perhaps there is no operation of gardening 
which a lady may more easily accomplish. With the aid of a small, 
and almost elegant pair of pruning shears, which I pro- 
cured from Mr. Forrest, of the Kensington Nursery, I 
have myself (though few women have less strength of 
wrist) divided branches that a strong man could scarcely 
cut through with a knife. The only thing to be attended 
to is to choose a pair of pruning shears with a sliding 
joint, so as to make what is called a draw-cut; in order 
that the branch may be divided by a clean cut, and not 
§ bruised on the side next the plant, and also to leave a 
somewhat sloping section. When a branch is pruned, it should also 
be cut as near to a bud as can be done without injuring the bud it- 
self; or, to speak more definitely, not more in length than the branch 
is thick should be left beyond the bud. The cut should slope down- 
wards from the bud to prevent the water lodging in the angle; and 
also that the sun and air may have their full influence in exciting 
the bark to cover the wound. When a long piece of branch, or 
what gardeners call a snag, is left beyond the bud, it withers, from 
there being no leaves beyond it to carry on the circulation of the 
sap; and it thus not only becomes a deformity, but very often seri- 
ously injures the tree by rotting, and infecting the fruit-bearing 
pranch to which it is attache 
According to the usual m 
od of pruning with a knife, the gar- 
