PRUNING. 107 



we wish the new shoot of a lateral branch to take, as 

 much as possible, an upright direction, we prune to a bud 

 on the inside / and if wo wish it to spread, we choose 

 one on the outside. In the annual suppression, or cutting 

 back of young trees, to form a stem or side branches, the 

 bud selected to form the leader is chosen on opposite 

 sides every successive year, in order to maintain the growth 

 in a straight line. If cut every year to a bud on the 

 same side, it would, in two or three seasons, show an 

 inclination to that side injurious to the symmetry of the 

 tree. 



The removal of large Branches, where they are to be 

 entirely separated from the tree, is often very clumsily 

 performed. In orchards, it is not at all uncommon to see 

 them chopped oif with a common axe ; and even in gar- 

 dens there seem to be few persons who either know how, 

 or take the proper care in this matter. They are either 

 cut so that a portion of the base of the branch remains, 

 and sends out vigorous shoots, defeating the objects of 

 the pruning, or they are cut so close that a portion of the 

 wood of the main branch or stem is taken with them, 

 and a wound made that years are required to heal up. 

 Both these extremes ought to be avoided. 



The surface of the cut made by the removal of a branch 

 should in no case be larger than the base of the branch. 

 Where a branch is united to another or to the main stem, 

 we notice, both above and below the point of union, a 

 small projection, or shoulder, as at the cross-line in fig. 

 84. The knife must enter jilst below that shoulder, and, 

 by being drawn upwards in a straight line, the base is so 

 completely removed that no shoots can be produced there, 

 and yet the cut surface on the stem is no larger than the 

 base of the branch. When the saw is used, the surface 

 of the cut should be pared smooth with the knife, both 

 to prevent water lodging on it, and to facilitate the heal- 

 ing of the wound. 



