70 



the whole of the latter part of the monsoon, and 

 only those who have tried it, can realize the absolute bene- 

 fit which results. By the time leaf-disease is due all 

 should be finished, and if this is the case, that dire scourge 

 will find the trees better prepared to withstand its attack. 

 When crop has been picked each tree is found to contain 

 about equal shares of dry, useless wood, and healthy, vi- 

 gorous shoots, and the operation of removing the former, 

 and thus adding to the beauty and health of the latter, is 

 one merely calling for a good sharp knife and a little ordi- 

 nary care. We will now consider the process of remedying 

 matters where heavy pruning has been carried on for a 

 series of years, where the trees have degenerated into Crows- 

 nests or Umbrellas, and where Gormandizers are the rule 

 and not the exception. 



A careful examination of trees under such circumstan- 

 ces, will show that if there are any primaries at all, they 

 have been so hacked and mutilated as to be absolutely use- 

 less in their existing state. Any attempt to prune and 

 lead out new wood from them would inevitably produce 

 unsatisfactory results. Gormandizers would put in an im- 

 mediate appearance, and any shoots other than such, would 

 be long, whippy and useless. It is under such circumstan- 

 ces a fallacy to think that the knife must be applied reck- 

 lessly, such only makes matters worse ; besides which 

 the trees are too weak to stand such an operation. Every- 

 thing must be done gradually and with a well determined 

 object, but first of all, it is necessary for at least a year or 

 so, that one pruning rule already enunciated, be relaxed. 

 We have no reason for the clearing out of the centre, as per- 

 haps at the most ia an Umbrella tree there are not more 

 than the mutilated remains of three or four pairs of pri- 

 maries. Under these circumstances we must rather trust 

 to getting light, air, and ventilation, by a general thin- 

 ning out all over, than by any passage cleared down the 

 centre for that purpose. The great aim is to take advan- 



