200 



When plants stand thin, so as to have 

 short stems, with spreading bushy heads, 

 the remedy is the business of Pruning 

 only. Cutting off all the largest sido 

 branches, and encouraging but one leader, 

 as has been directed for young plants, 

 will, if repeated periodically, soon show 

 the advantages of such means in a very 



striking point of view,-^ Sometimes 



persons are perplexed in choosing leaders 

 for trees ; — one may be the straightest, 

 and another the strongest: — in this case, 

 the point should be decided by consider- 

 ing, that we want one the most capable 

 of attracting the sap sufficiently; for if 

 that be done, it is of very trifling conse- 

 quence, whether the leader stands only 

 half upright, or perfectly so; as, by growing 

 freely, it will soon cease to bend; and, 

 therefore, we usually choose the strongest. 



In pruning large neglected plants, for 

 the first time, and frequently one or two 

 further, we do not attempt to make good 



