62 



topping-, the trunk can still bear the crown, but when it 

 is five or six years old, the burden of the branches 

 becomes too heavy. The trunk tears at the fork and 

 one or more branches fall. The remaining part is weakened 

 by the breakage of the wood and later on it cracks 

 (see fig. 25). Even if this should not be the case, there 

 will, nevertheless, exist a big crack on the upper part 

 of the trunk, which closes but slowly and often threatens 

 to rot. The only manner of preventing this rotting is 



FIGURE 25. 

 Results of topping. 



Showing where the 

 branch breaks off 

 from the trunk. 



the thinning of the branches from the beginning, when 

 they appear after the pinching out. Three or four bran- 

 ches only are preserved, and from these, the side branches 

 are cut away, if too many should develop. This 

 however, is not sufficient; even such thin crowns often 

 tear. The practice has therefore, been generally abandoned. 

 When a tree is somewhat late in forming its branches, 

 the superior leaves of the trunk may be taken away. 

 From the buds of the leaves also, branches grow out; 



