Gradual Reformation. 235 



always be taken to leave enough wood for next 

 year's crop, and wood of the nature and in the 

 position required. 



When an estate has been long neglected and 

 badly pruned, the planter should never try and 

 restore the trees to order and symmetry all at once, 

 but rather extend the process over two, three, or 

 even more seasons. By this means loss of crop will 

 be avoided, and the trees will be saved from much 

 loss of vitality. Heavy pruning is often attended 

 with the most serious and injurious results. Its 

 immediate effect is to cause the tree to throw out 

 quantities of new wood, involving a drain on its 

 resources beyond its strength. Violent treatment 

 of this kind must always be avoided as much as 

 possible in cultivation, as has of late years been 

 discovered to be advisable in other domains. Where, 

 however, the planter has determined, come what 

 may, to " cu,t up " a field of old neglected trees, let 

 the operation at least be immediately followed up 

 by careful handling, so as to repress superfluous 

 growth, and, what is more important still, by a 

 liberal application of nourishing manure, from the 

 cattle-shed if possible. 



Some planters have an idea of pruning weakly, 

 or "shuck" trees heavily, in order to strengthen 

 them, but never was a greater mistake ; the effect 

 is often to kill trees in this condition, whereas 



