Principles and Practice of Pruning. 



should not be altered much the first year after removal, but allowed 

 to become tolerably established with its new set of roots. The 

 second year it may be cut back freely (Figs. 100 and 

 101), taking care to leave buds for the formation of 

 an evenly distributed head. Some kinds of trees 

 will bear cutting-back freely the same year they are 

 removed, as, for example, the peach, which, as 

 already observed, readily produces new shoots. 

 The same characteristic is possessed by the sugar- 

 maple and some other trees, which as 

 many have observed, when planted 

 along the borders of streets, and cut 

 back to single poles, form heads at 

 once of new branches. 



When the tops are too low (which 

 is rarely the case), the lower branches 

 may be pruned off and the top carried 

 up to any desired height. This should 

 not be done until the stem has thick- 

 ened sufficiently to sustain the top 

 the side-shoots always tending to in- 

 crease the diameter of the stem which 

 bears them. If the young tree pos- 

 sesses great luxuriance it may be de- 

 sirable to throw more of the growth 

 upward than these side shoots would allow, if remaining till the fol- 

 lowing spring, the usual time for pruning. In such a case the ends 

 of the side limbs may be clipped or pinched off, and a portion of the 

 lower ones removed with the knife. 



Pruning Nursery and Young Trees. Brief suggestions have 

 been already furnished on this subject in connection with the expla- 

 nation of general principles. Directions of a more minute and 

 practical character, and applicable to the different kinds of trees, 

 will doubtless be useful and acceptable. It is of great importance 

 that a tree be pruned right, on the start ; for the misplaced shoot, 

 which might be easily rubbed off with the finger, when just begin- 

 ning to grow, may ultimately become the heavy limb and the mis- 

 shapen top. 



Pruning Single Shoots. Young shoots are cut back for various 

 purposes, such as heading down to an inserted bud, shortening-in 

 those that are too long, or cutting out supernumeraries. It is 

 important that even these simple operations be rightly performed 



Fig. 100. Mode 

 of reducing the 

 height of a tall 

 young tree by 

 cutting at the 

 dotted line. 



Fig. loi.The 

 same, after 

 the operation 

 is completed. 



