THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 293 



employed once a month after the spade has thoroughly 

 loosened the soil. Trees managed in this way, will grow 

 much faster than if the ground were just scratched over 

 to the depth of an inch or so ; and many of ours have grown 

 as luxuriantly through the late excessive drought, as if 

 they were in want of nothing. 



The pruning of young trees to prevent their splitting 

 down, is a very important operation. Many are greatly 

 injured and sometimes ruined, for want of this precaution. 

 Where the limbs diverge considerably, nature has pro- 

 vided a kind of net- work of the firmest wood to connect 

 them together ; but where two leading branches take 

 nearly the same direction, they soon begin to press against 

 each other ; and the bark interposing, the wood is pre- 

 vented from uniting. The consequence generally is, that 

 when loaded with fruit, they are broken down by the wind. 

 Now it is far better to cut off* the limb in time. No ma- 

 terial loss is sustained, as all the nutriment flows into the 

 other branches, and increases their vigor. 



The advantage of pruning apple trees, is generally 

 known ; and unless many of the limbs are cut out, some 

 of the finest varieties become comparatively diminutive 

 and insipid. The same care however, is rarely extended 

 to other fruit trees. When the twigs become stunted and 

 mossy, sometimes they are trimmed by the tempest, or 

 broken down by an untimely fall of snow ; and then the 

 benefits of pruning are manifest, even when done in that 

 rough style. It is better however, to depend on art than 

 accident. As a general rule, the best flavored fruit of 

 the kind grows on the most vigorous branches well ex- 

 posed to the sun and air ; and with this idea constantly 

 before us, we shall hardly do amiss when we apply the 

 axe, the saw, or the chisel ; though we may specify that 

 cross branches should be lopped, and thrifty shoots that 

 have room to spread, should be saved. 



