PRUNING : ITS ORNAMENT AND UTILITY. 51 
respectively, and sell the three pieces. The part a yields more 
cubic measurement, and consequently brings a larger sum than 
the other two pieces. Ifthe trunk a had been prolonged in thick- 
ness with the natural taper to the length of 20 ft., the tree would 
have been of much greater value, which is easily demonstrated as 
follows:—Suppose the two parts B and c were welded together they 
would not be so thick as 4. Fig, 2 will illustrate this geometri- 
cally. Cirele 1 represents a section made through D, E (Fig. 1), 
Circle 3 represents sections 
made through B and c 
(Fig. 1), and according to 
a well-known geometrical 
problem, circle 2 is equal 
in area to twice the circle 
3, representing B and Cc; 
which are of the same size. 
Hence may be seen at a 
glance the great loss in- 
curred by allowing the 
tree stem to fork. Many 
writers maintain that 
pruning has the immediate effect of increasing the size of a tree, 
and that periodical pruning ought to be adopted to increase the 
value of a tree. Early pruning or training increases the size 
and value of a tree; but it is equally true severe and repeated 
prunings decrease the size and consequent value. 
The simplest method of pruning is the process of disbudding. 
Coniferous trees very often require to be treated by this method. 
When a coniferous tree loses its leader the top whorl of branches 
turns upwards, and by disbudding all but one of these shoots we 
can form a leader. At other times when a tree shows two con- 
tending leaders, the pinching of the terminal buds of one of the 
rival shoots will cause the tree to grow with a clean stem instead 
of a neglected and forked bole like Fig. 1. 
Following the dictates of experience we find that pruning is 
most beneficial when young trees are operated on. Forest trees 
in a neglected condition and of a comparatively young age, often 
come under the forester’s treatment, and such trees if judiciously 
pruned will be enhanced in beauty and increased in value. 
When the ordinary pruning knife is found too weak for the 
work, the pruner ought to be furnished with proper tools, such 
Fig. 2. 
