IX. PRUNING AND TRAINING 



EW amateur gardeners give 

 much attention to the prun- 

 ing and training of their 

 plants while they are small. 

 Here is where they make a 

 serious mistake. Both 

 should begin while the 

 plant is tractable, and both should continue, 

 as the plant develops, until it has practi- 

 cally completed its growth, if a plant grown 

 in the house can ever be said to do that. A 

 plant that has been neglected in these respects, 

 when in the formative period of its existence, 

 and allowed to grow to suit itself until it has 

 become of considerable size, can seldom be 

 made to take on a symmetrical shape by any 

 amount of after attention. The time to prune 

 and train is while the plant is developing. It 

 should be as pleasing in general appearance 

 while small as after it has attained good size. 

 The wise gardener will aim to make his or her 

 plants attractive in shape from the start. 

 Most plants will send out branches where 



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