114 SHADE-TREES IN TOWNS AND CITIES 



individual tree, great care and judgment are necessary. No 

 two trees have their mode of branching alike, and each case 

 must be studied separately before deciding what limbs are 

 to go in order that the tree may be improved. No branch 

 should be removed from a tree without good reason. 



There are some points to be observed, however, that are 

 applicable to all trees. All dead and imperfect limbs should 

 be removed. The top of a tree should not be allowed to 

 become so extremely dense as to exclude the sun from the 

 soil or from the buildings near-by, or interfere with the free 

 circulation of air. The tops of sugar maples and red maples 

 particularly have a tendency to become too thick. To thin 

 out the tops of such trees, the main limbs and the branches 

 immediately radiating from them should best be left, and 

 all cutting limited to the third and fourth divisions in the 

 branching. In that way the character of the tree is not 

 changed. Also in the removing of the lower branches of 

 a tree that interfere with the public use of the street or 

 obstruct street-lights, it is not necessary to clear the main 

 trunk of limbs to a very great height ; but subdivisions can 

 be removed, giving the branches a graceful upward turn. 

 The ends of the branches can be shortened. In that way 

 the prime object in the pruning of shade-trees, to secure the 

 unobstructed use of the street, is accomplished, and the 

 natural habit of the trees is preserved. 



In fact, the point to be constantly borne in mind in the 

 pruning of shade-trees is to preserve, as far as possible, the 

 character, natural shape, and habit of growth of each tree, 

 and to avoid all artificial shaping of trees. The art of pru- 

 ning consists of making the finished tree look as if no limbs 

 had been removed at all. 



How Best to Prune. The work of pruning should begin 



