ELEMENTARY PRUNING 



of, their characters, habits, or individuality, 

 but regard them merely as a species of 

 extended table decoration. They lose half 

 of the pleasure and enjoyment which their 

 country places might yield them, and are 

 like those other unfortunates who occupy 

 an opera box night after night without any 

 knowledge or appreciation of music. Such 

 people regard nature and music alike, 

 merely as agreeable settings for social func- 

 tions. To the breadth and height, the 

 glory, the mystery, and the inner meaning 

 of these worlds of the soul they are deaf 

 and blind. 



But to return to the subject of this chap- 

 ter ; it is an important one, for by means 

 of pruning one can force the majority of 

 trees and shrubs to grow into any shape 

 one pleases. Nevertheless, in simple flori- 

 culture such as mine, which does not 

 117 



