

PRUNING. 151 



come fine single-stemmed trees ; and must 

 be treated, along with the sown plants, as 

 follows : 



Encourage a leader, by shortening every 

 branch which seems to rival the stem to about 

 two-thirds of its length. These are not to 

 be lopped off by the bole, but shortened at 

 some convenient twig or lateral, which may 

 become an inferior leader to the branch ; to 

 the intent that the trunk may be strengthened 

 in its annual progress, by the retention of 

 branches, which, although they serve to de~ 

 tain the sap, may not, by their strength or 

 luxuriance, operate to weaken the main stem 

 or leader of the tree. 



The whole art of pruning and training 

 timber centers here. The stem is not to 

 be smoothed up like a May-pole, by being 

 divested of every twig and branch without; 

 discrimination ; nor is the top to be let grow 

 as, or be formed into, a bush, without being 

 thinned. There is a medium, and to hit on 

 this medium is all that is required in the 

 formation of beautiful and stately timber. 

 Nor is it necessary to exercise the. knife 

 inuclt,' QI lop a single branch by the bole, 



