51 



How A YOUNG TREE SHOULD BE CUT. 



Branches with black 

 lines (A A A) showing 

 buds shooting inwards 

 and (B B B) others 

 pointing outwards. 



Branches cut at the Branches cut at the 

 (B B B) or right buds. (A A A) or wrong buds. 



many kinds of fruits, will not require so much pruning as is generally 

 supposed if they have been carefully trained in their youth. Among 

 these are the Apple, Pear, Cherry, Plum, Fig, Mulberry, Orange and 

 Lemon, which are too frequently pruned more than is necessary, to their 

 great detriment. In fact, these trees are often injured by being over- 

 pruned. All that is necessary with mature trees of the fruits named is 

 to thin-out the heads when the branches are over-crowded, to remove 

 rank and misplaced shoots, and to shorten back others thai are making 

 too much headway, and which will, if left to themselves, destroy the 

 symmetry of the plants. Sometimes, when old trees have borne freely 

 for several years, they will make but a weakly growth of wood, and in 

 such cases it may be advisable to head the trees back, to encourage a 

 fresh start. By cutting the trees back to where a fresh growth is 

 wanted, they will often be, to a great extent, rejuvenated. In all classes 

 of pruning the operator should take care to make the cuts exactly where 

 they are required, and in the proper directions. By the making of 

 wrong cuts young trees are often spoiled, more or less, as explained by 

 the illustrations. Care should also be taken that the cuts are clean, 

 which is a matter of some importance. 



