The Livable House 



with the results one wishes to produce. All deciduous shrubs and 

 trees should be pruned at transplanting, because the root system is 

 reduced in the process of moving, and the evaporating surface of 

 leaves and branches should be cut down correspondingly. The 

 extent of this pruning depends upon the amount of damage done 

 to the root system, but it is advisable to cut back, deciduous shrubs 

 at least half, upon transplanting, and trees to about one-fourth 

 of the last year's growth. Evergreens, which are usually moved 

 with a ball of earth and which have in consequence better pre- 

 served root systems, require to be pruned sparingly, or not at all. 

 Cedars and retinosporas may have the greater part of the last 

 season's growth removed, most broad-leaved evergreens will flour- 

 ish without pruning, and if one wishes to induce the pines to a 

 bushier habit of growth, the central one of the terminal buds may 

 be pinched out. This means that instead of growing greatly in 

 length, the branches will develop their side buds and become 

 thicker. 



Beyond this pruning at transplanting time, shrubs and trees 

 should be allowed to develop normally with no restraint from the 

 pruning shears except an occasional thinning out of dead wood. 

 The custom of annual pruning of flowering shrubs when every 

 bush is gone over and chopped back to a uniform height or round- 

 ness is a very pernicious one. It is of no benefit at all to the 

 plant, it destroys the natural and beautiful form of the shrub, and 

 reduces it to an ugly, heavy mass. When the shrubs once have a 

 good start they should be left to their own devices, except for the 

 removal of broken branches or old worn out ones. Pruning of 



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