PRUNING. 71 
be running too much to wood, but as this only excites the branch to 
throw out fresh shoots, it is much better to strip the superfluous 
branches of their leaves as they appear; and as, when thus treatea, 
they can produce no buds for want of leaves, their growth will be 
checked without injuring the tree, and they may be safely removed 
in the winter pruning. The vine is very apt to bleed when pruning 
has been delayed too late; and in very strong vigorous plants, the 
ascending sap sometimes drops from the branches like rain. The 
French, very poetically, call these drops the tears of the vine. 
The uses to which pruning is applied are various; but most com- 
monly it is intended either to improve the form of the tree, or to 
make it bear more flowers and fruit than it otherwise would do; it 
is also used for removing diseased or broken branches; and, in cases 
of transplanting, for proportioning the head to the roots. 
Pruning to improve the form of a tree in pleasure-grounds, is only 
required in those cases where trees have grown under unfavourable 
circumstances, and where they have been too much drawn up, or 
distorted in any manner; but in useful plantations it is necessary to 
prepare trees for the purposes for which they are intended. Thus, 
for example, a tree intended for timber, should have its side-branches 
taken off while they are quite young, in order that the wounds may 
soon heal over, and not leave loose knots to weaken or disiigure the 
wood; while a tree intended for a screen should be allowed ample 
space for its branches to spread from the ground upwards, and 
then they should only be shortened at their extremities, to make them 
throw out short branches near the tree. In pleasure-grounds the 
principal object is generally either to preserve the shape of the tree 
or shrub, so that it may form an agreeable object on a lawn; or to 
let it combine in a group with others, either for ornament, or to serve 
as a screen or shelter. In the first case, it is obvious that no pruning 
is requisite, but to remove dead, diseased, or unsightly branches ; 
and in the second, the pruning must depend upon the shape the 
tree is required to take to group well with the others planted 
near it. 
Pruning to produce flowers or fruit has in view two objects: first, 
to cut off all superfluous wood, so as to throw the strength of the 
tree into the fruit-bearing branches; and secondly, to admit the sun 
and air into the interior of the tree. In both cases the attention of 
the pruner must be directed to thinning out weak and crowded 
